Recently I was trying to take a backup of the configuration for a NetApp SAN for a scheduled power shutdown. Per this useful guide : http://pipe2text.com/?page_id=1472 this can be done through the OnCommand facility.

However once I tried to create the backup file I was given the error configuration plugin for data ontap version 8.1.1 is not installed. A look on Netapp Support shows I would need to download the software and install , however when I checked the below I only found version 8.1.3 which means I would need to reinstall and upgrade. I just wanted to get a config backup before the power down!!!

1. Go to http://support.netapp.com & login using your account.

1. Go to Download -> Software

1. Go to the Data ONTAP download section and supply the model of your controller (FAS2240-4) and click “GO”.

1. In the “Data ONTAP for FAS2240-4” page, find ONTAP 8.1.1 and click “View and Download” button.

1. Scroll down to the section titled, “Support for OnCommand Core Package or Operations Manager and DataFabric® Manager server multiple-system configurations“

1. Click the link under that section titled “Data ONTAP 8.1.1 Operating in 7-Mode Plug-in for DataFabric Manager Server”.

So I found another way 🙂

1) Login to the netapp controllers indivdually via SSH ( not through the service port )

2) Run ‘config dump -v nameofbackup’, this will backup to the \etc\configs directory

3) Open \\nameofnetappcontroller\c$ ( Samba share )

4) Browse to \\nameofnetappcontroller\c$\etc\configs and copy the file off