Installing or replacing a caching module

About this task

Installing or replacing a caching module involves opening your system, running diagnostics, and if installing a caching module for the first-time or upgrading to Flash Cache modules, enabling the software license and configuration options. Refer to the Hardware and Service Guide for your storage system for detailed instructions about shutting down, opening, and closing your system to access the PCIe slots, and instructions for rebooting your system. These guides also contain instructions about removing and installing a PCIe card.

Note: Steps 1 – 5 below present a general sequence of steps for all platforms. Refer to your specific system Hardware and Service Guide for platform-specific details.

Attention: This procedure is disruptive for single-controller configurations, and is recommended to be performed on single-controller configurations only during a maintenance window. For active/active or high availability configurations, this is a nondisruptive procedure. .

Procedure

Shut down the controller in which you are replacing or adding a caching module.

Attention: An HA pair with two controllers in a chassis must have the power supplies kept on. An HA pair with one controller in a chassis must have the power supplies in the target node turned off. Stand-alone configurations must have the power supplies turned off. Power supplies that are turned off must also be unplugged from the power sources

If your system is...	Then enter...
An HA pair running 7-Mode	From the partner node console: `cf takeover`
An HA pair running Clustered Data ONTAP	from the partner node console: `storage failover takeover -bynode node`
A stand-alone configuration running 7-Mode	At the system console: `halt`
A stand-alone configuration operating in Clustered Data ONTAP	At the system console: `halt local`

Open your system.
Remove the failed caching module (if necessary).
Refer to “Replacing PCI Cards and Risers” or “Replacing PCI adapters” sections in the Hardware and Service Guide for your platform.
Install the new caching module.
Note: If you are installing a PAM, the DRAM arrangement on the PAM you are installing might look different than the DRAM arrangement on the one in your system. The difference is because of DRAM technology, but the module functionality is the same and the modules are compatible.
Close and reboot your system.
Press Ctrl+C to stop the boot process and get to the Loader prompt.
Run diagnostics on the new caching module, using the applicable instructions in Running diagnostics. After you finish running diagnostics, return here to complete the next step.
Go to Completing the replacement process.