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NetApp: ONTAP 8.1.2

Is ONTAP 8.1.2 backwards compatilble?

We are running on 8.1 7-mode in the corporate office and in the DR datacenter. We wanted to upgrade the DR NetApp first to version 8.1.2, and wanted to know if SnapMirror replication will continue working if the source version is 8.1 and the destination version is 8.1.2?

Also in an event of a disaster, would there be any compatibility issues in the DR since the source replica volumes came from a NetApp on an older version?

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Paul Solovyovsky

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pzozulka

ASKER

Is it OK to simply quiesce snapmirror or to do I need to fully disable snapmirror?

Paul Solovyovsky

I typically turn snapmirror off and quiesce the relationships on both filer clusters but I would review the upgrade guide for your particular model/Ontap version as well as run through the Upgrade Advisor, that will have the complete steps.

FilipZahradnik

One more thing to keep in mind is that the "SnapMirror destination equal to or newer than source" rule will also apply if you fail over in a disaster. So if your SnapMirror destinations become sources in DR, you will not be able to fail back until you upgrade ONTAP on your old production controllers to the same or newer version of ONTAP.

In terms of compatibility of ONTAP 8.1.2 with other NetApp and non-NetApp components (such as SnapDrive, SnapMirror, Windows, ESX, etc), you can check NetApp Interoperability Matrix Tool:
http://support.netapp.com/matrix/