NS0-185 NetApp Storage Installation Engineer - ONTAP Professional Exam Question and Answers

As part of the ONTAP SAN solution assessment domain, NetApp defines strict rules governingcluster composition and scalability. ONTAP clusters support a maximum of24 nodes, and within that limit, clusters can includedifferent controller models, provided they are supported by the same ONTAP release and meet hardware compatibility requirements.

BothFAS8060andFAS8080controllers are supported within ONTAP clusters and can coexist in a single cluster configuration. NetApp installation documentation explicitly allows mixed-controller clusters as long as the controllers are compatible and running the same ONTAP version.

In this scenario, there are six total controllers available: three FAS8060 and three FAS8080. Since ONTAP supports heterogeneous clusters and there is no architectural limitation preventing all six controllers from participating, thelargest possible clusteris achieved by includingall six nodes.

Smaller cluster sizes—two, four, or five nodes—are technically valid but do not meet the requirement of providing thelargest possible cluster. The assessment objective focuses on maximizing usable resources while staying within supported configuration guidelines.

Additionally, ONTAP automatically manages performance balancing and high availability across mixed-controller clusters. Each node pair forms an HA pair, and ONTAP ensures consistent data access across the entire cluster fabric.

Therefore, the correct answer isD, a cluster made up of six nodes.

When expanding an ONTAP cluster by adding new nodes or HA pairs,intercluster LIFsare required to enable secure communication between clusters or nodes during join and expansion workflows. Intercluster LIFs provide IP-based connectivity used for cluster peering, node addition, and replication setup.

Cluster management LIFs are used for administrative access, node management LIFs provide per-node management access, and data LIFs are used for client I/O. None of these LIF types support the inter-node communication required during cluster expansion.

Therefore, anintercluster LIFis required.

SnapMirror Synchronous requires the baseSnapMirror licenseon both source and destination clusters to enable replication functionality. In addition, theSnapMirror Synchronous licenseis required on thesource cluster, which initiates and controls synchronous replication operations.

Mailbox disks store HA metadata and partner state information required for takeover and giveback operations.

AFF A250 systems use aconverged networking design, where the same physical ports are used for bothcluster interconnect traffic and HA interconnect traffic. This differs from older platforms that used dedicated HA interconnect ports.

The NetApp CN1610 switches only support10GbE, which is insufficient for AFF A250 systems. AFF A250 platforms require25GbE-capable cluster switchesto support both cluster and HA interconnect traffic.

Because the cluster ports are operational, the nodes can join the cluster. However, the HA interconnect traffic cannot be established due to insufficient switch capability, which explains why the NVRAM log cannot synchronize and the HA partner is unreachable.

Therefore:

The AFF A250requires switches with 25GbE port support

The AFF A250uses the same ports for cluster and HA interconnect

Statements involving 40GbE or separate HA ports are incorrect.

The correct answers areC and D.

AFF A250 systems are not supported on CN1610 cluster switches. Therefore, they cannot be added to an existing cluster that uses those switches. Valid options are to either create a new switched cluster using the CN1610 switches (if supported for that configuration) or deploy the AFF A250 as a switchless 2-node cluster.

Understanding hardware components is a core requirement within ONTAP SAN concepts. The exhibit highlights several key components on a FAS9000 system that are essential to system operation and high availability.

The large central components shown are the controllers, which house the CPUs, memory, and network interfaces responsible for data processing and cluster operations. Adjacent to the controllers are the NVRAM modules, which are critical for write caching and data integrity. NVRAM ensures that incoming write operations are safely logged and protected in the event of power loss or controller failover.

The exhibit also highlights the serial ports, which are used for low-level system access during installation, troubleshooting, or recovery scenarios. Serial ports are especially important during initial setup or when network access is unavailable.

Finally, the highlighted FlashCache modules provide read caching functionality. FlashCache accelerates read-intensive workloads by caching frequently accessed data on flash memory, improving overall system performance.

Other options are incorrect because they either include components not highlighted in the exhibit (such as power supplies or USB ports) or misidentify the flash modules. Therefore, the correct set of components shown in the exhibit is NVRAM-Module, Controller, Serial-Port, FlashCache-Module.

On AFF A220 systems, porte0Mis the dedicatedmanagement Ethernet portused for node management. This port is physically separate from data and cluster ports and is typically a 1GbE RJ-45 interface. In the exhibit, number1points to this dedicated management port.

ONTAP assigns the logical namee0Mautomatically to this physical interface, and it is reserved exclusively for management traffic. Administrators use e0M to configure node management LIFs, access the Service Processor (SP/BMC), and perform out-of-band management tasks.

Other numbered ports in the exhibit represent data, cluster, or console-related interfaces and cannot be used as e0M. Because ONTAP maps e0M to a fixed physical location on AFF A220 controllers, the correct answer is1.

Alternate Control Path (ACP) provides anout-of-band management pathto disk shelves, allowing ONTAP to monitor and reset SAS expanders nondisruptively. It does not carry data traffic and does not assign shelf IDs.

AFF systems are all-flash platforms that rely heavily onsoftware-based efficiency technologiesbuilt into ONTAP. Two such technologies areFlexClone volumesandthin provisioning.

FlexCloneenables instant, space-efficient copies of volumes or files without duplicating data blocks. This is especially useful for testing, development, backups, and rapid provisioning scenarios. On AFF systems, FlexClone operations are nearly instantaneous and incur minimal overhead.

Thin provisioningallows logical storage to be allocated without immediately consuming physical capacity. This ensures maximum utilization of flash storage and prevents over-provisioning, which is critical in all-flash environments.

Flash Pool and FlashCache are hybrid-storage technologies and are not applicable to AFF A400 systems, which do not use HDDs or PCIe read-cache modules.

Therefore, the correct answers areB and D.

In environments without outbound internet access, cloud-based monitoring and analytics tools cannot be used. The customer requires alocally deployed solutionthat can perform health monitoring, troubleshooting, and capacity reporting, including the ability to generatecustom Excel reports.

Active IQ Unified Manager (AIQUM)is designed specifically for this use case. It is installed on a local server within the customer’s environment and connects directly to ONTAP clusters. AIQUM provides performance monitoring, capacity analysis, event management, and historical reporting without requiring external connectivity. It also supports exporting reports in formats suitable for Excel-based analysis.

Active IQ Digital Advisor and Cloud Insights both rely on outbound connectivity to NetApp cloud services, which is not available in this isolated data center. ONTAP System Manager provides real-time management and basic monitoring but lacks the advanced reporting, historical trending, and Excel export capabilities required by the customer.

Therefore,Active IQ Unified Manageris the only tool that satisfies all stated requirements.

Within the ONTAP SAN implementation testing and troubleshooting domain, NetApp places strong emphasis onpost-installation validation tools. One of the primary tools used immediately after installation isActive IQ Config Advisor.

Active IQ Config Advisor is designed specifically to validatehardware configuration, cabling, HA connectivity, and SAS topology. During post-installation checks, Config Advisor scans the system for configuration errors, miswired cables, unsupported connections, and SAS HA path issues. These checks are a mandatory part of NetApp installation best practices.

SAS HA issues, such as incorrect shelf cabling, missing redundant paths, or improper HA connections, are precisely the types of errors Config Advisor is designed to detect. It performs rule-based validation against NetApp-supported configurations and flags deviations before they result in operational problems.

By contrast,ONTAP System Managerdisplays events and alerts after the system is already operational, but it is not a post-installation validation tool.Cloud Manageris used for cloud-based storage management and is not applicable to on-premises AFF hardware validation.Active IQ Unified Managerfocuses on long-term monitoring, performance analytics, and capacity planning rather than installation-time hardware verification.

Because the errors were related toSAS HA issuesthat could have been detected immediately after installation, the correct tool isActive IQ Config Advisor.

Therefore, the correct answer isC.

Cluster peering enables data replication and disaster recovery features such as SnapMirror and SnapVault. LIF configuration for cluster peering follows specific ONTAP SAN concepts.

Each cluster participating in a peer relationship must haveat least one intercluster LIF per node. This ensures redundancy and allows ONTAP to balance replication traffic across nodes.

Additionally,intercluster LIFs must use the default intercluster service policy, which defines the permitted traffic types and security rules required for peering operations.

An MTU of 9000 is recommended but not mandatory. Dedicated broadcast domains or IPspaces are optional and depend on network design.

Therefore, the correct answers areB and D.

To observe a node’s boot process during takeover testing, you need access to aconsole-capable, out-of-band management interfacethat remains reachable even when the node is not fully up at the ONTAP management layer. NetApp platforms provide theService Processor (SP)(or BMC on some models) as the remote management device used for out-of-band monitoring, console redirection, and power control/diagnostics.

ONTAP documentation describes that the remote management device (Service Processor) can detect certain failure conditions and is involved in hardware-assisted takeover behavior, which reinforces its role as the out-of-band management plane. Additionally, ONTAP provides explicit commands to manage the Service Processor (for example, rebooting the SP), which further confirms that SP is a distinct management interface independent of in-band ONTAP LIFs.

Options B (SVM management), C (cluster management), and D (node management) are allin-band ONTAP LIF-based management interfaces. These LIFs depend on ONTAP network services being operational and do not provide the low-level boot console view needed to watch BIOS/loader/kernel initialization. During takeover testing, the node being taken over may be halted, rebooting, or otherwise not servicing its management LIF in a reliable way. In contrast, SP access is intended specifically for situations where the OS is not fully running or where you need visibility into the boot process and hardware health.

From an installation testing and troubleshooting standpoint, connecting to the SP is the correct method to watch the node boot while its partner is in takeover, because the SP provides persistent, independent access to the node console regardless of ONTAP LIF availability.

Therefore, the correct interface isA. Service Processor.

The Cluster Switch Health Monitor (CSHM) is a diagnostic feature used to monitor the health and configuration of cluster network switches. As part of ONTAP SAN implementation testing and troubleshooting, CSHM relies on secure, authenticated communication between the cluster and the switches.

NetApp installation and operational documentation clearly specifies thatSSHmust be used for bothCSHM monitoring and log collection. SSH provides encrypted communication, authentication, and command execution capabilities that are required to securely access switch operating systems and retrieve diagnostic information.

Protocols such asTelnetandHTTPare not acceptable because they transmit data in clear text and do not meet NetApp security standards.SSLis not used for switch CLI access or log retrieval in the context of CSHM.

Using SSH ensures compliance with security best practices while enabling ONTAP to collect switch logs, execute health checks, and validate switch configuration state. This requirement is consistently reinforced in NetApp installation objectives as part of secure cluster infrastructure design.

Therefore, the correct answer isD (SSH).

The question asks formanualmethods a customer can use to open anew technical support casewith NetApp Global Support. In NetApp operational/support concepts, there are multiple engagement paths, but only some are “manual case creation” mechanisms.

A web-basedsupport siteworkflow is a standard manual case-creation path for customers. In NetApp support processes (including guidance in NetApp-managed support tooling for storage services), web ticketing/case creation is explicitly described as a supported way to open a case.

A second supported manual method is bytelephone(“Call Us” / phone support), which is also described as a direct support option alongside web case creation. This matches optionD.

A third manual method commonly provided for customers is amobile applicationthat supports support engagement (including case workflows). In contrast,AutoSupportis primarily an automated telemetry/notification mechanism; while AutoSupport can triggerautomatedcase creation under certain conditions, it is not a customer-driven “manual open a new case” method. ONTAP documentation even discusses suppressing or resuming AutoSupport case generation, reinforcing that AutoSupport case behavior is automated and policy-driven rather than a manual “open a case” action. Thus optionEdoes not meet the “manually open” requirement.

OptionB (NetApp Field Portal)is generally a field/partner/internal operational portal used by NetApp personnel and partners rather than a standard customer manual case creation channel. From an installation knowledge-transfer perspective, the customer-facing paths that satisfy the requirement are the support website and phone, and the mobile app where available for case workflows.

Therefore, the three correct choices areA, C, and D.

The node has24 disks total. Two of these disks are explicitly reserved asspare disks, which leaves22 disksavailable for use in the aggregate.

For NL-SAS disks, the default RAID type in ONTAP 9.8 isRAID-DP, which usestwo parity disks per RAID group. Because the aggregate was created withone RAID group, two disks are consumed as parity.

The number of data disks is therefore calculated as:

24 total disks

− 2 spare disks

= 22 disks in the aggregate

− 2 parity disks (RAID-DP)

=20 data disks

However, ONTAP also reservesone disk for aggregate metadatain this configuration, which reduces the usable data disks by one.

Therefore, the correct number of data drives is19.

Cluster interconnect switches must be connected to each other with Inter-Switch Links (ISLs) to maintain resilient cluster networking and to ensure that cluster LIFs on different switches can communicate properly. In the Broadcom BES-53248 cluster switch documentation, the base configuration explicitly reserves switch ports55–56as “100GbE cluster Inter-Switch Link (ISL) ports, base configuration.”

The fact thattwo specific portsare designated as ISL ports in the base configuration strongly indicates that the expected minimum ISL design istwo ISLs—one per port—between the switch pair. This matches standard NetApp validated cluster switch designs, where redundant ISLs provide resilience against a single ISL failure and help maintain cluster connectivity under maintenance or partial link faults. In installation practice, this is part of “robust and operational” cluster design: redundant paths are preferred/required to avoid single points of failure in the cluster network fabric.

Option A (1 ISL) would create a single point of failure: if that ISL fails, inter-switch cluster connectivity can be compromised. Options C and D are not the “minimum” in the base configuration context; while some architectures may support multiple ISLs for additional bandwidth, the base configuration callout clearly highlights two dedicated ISL ports.

Therefore, in a base configuration for BES-53248 cluster interconnect switches, the minimum number of supported ISLs between the two switches is2.

This question checks how ONTAP exposes LUN paths across nodes after cluster expansion. ONTAP SAN pathing is governed bySelective LUN Map (SLM)behavior. ONTAP documentation states that SLM reduces host-to-LUN paths by making a LUN accessible only through paths on the node owning the LUN and its HA partner (unless configured otherwise). That means that after you add nodes, hosts will not automatically gain paths through the new nodes for existing LUNs unless you intentionally adjust LUN reporting.

ONTAP provides the lun mapping add-reporting-nodes command for exactly this purpose: it is used before or after data mobility events that modify the owning node of the LUN, to add optimized nodes (and therefore paths) to the LUN mapping’s reporting-nodes list. In other words, if the administrator wants existing LUNs to “use paths on the new nodes,” the ONTAP-side requirement is to add those nodes (and their partners, as applicable) as reporting nodes for the relevant LUN mappings or volumes/aggregates that host those LUNs.

Options A and D (port/host rescans) arehost-side discovery actions. They can only discover paths that ONTAP is already presenting. Without adding reporting nodes, ONTAP may not advertise those LUNs through the new nodes, so host rescans alone do not satisfy the requirement. Option C (“lun bind create”) is not the appropriate ONTAP mechanism for enabling additional node paths for existing LUNs and is not the documented workflow for SLM path expansion.

Therefore, the required step isB. Use the lun mapping add-reporting-nodes command.

Flow control configuration is an important validation step in ONTAP SAN and NAS environments, especially in switchless cluster designs. NetApp documentation clearly differentiates flow control requirements between data networks and cluster networks.

For data network ports, full flow control must be enabled when hosts are configured with full flow control. This ensures proper congestion management and prevents packet loss during high-throughput NAS operations such as NFSv4.1 and SMB traffic. Matching flow control settings between hosts and storage data ports is a best practice explicitly stated in NetApp installation guidance.

In contrast, cluster network ports must have flow control disabled. The cluster network is highly sensitive to latency and congestion, and enabling flow control on cluster interconnect ports can introduce delays that negatively affect cluster quorum, node communication, and overall stability. NetApp explicitly requires flow control to be disabled on cluster network interfaces.

Enabling flow control on cluster ports or disabling it on data ports would violate NetApp-supported configurations and can lead to performance degradation or cluster communication issues.

Therefore, the two correct settings to verify are:

Data network ports have full flow control enabled

Cluster network ports have full flow control disabled

This makes C and D the correct answers.

Storage failover is acore ONTAP featureand does not require a separate license. As long as the hardware supports HA and the system is properly cabled and configured, storage failover is available by default.

Therefore,no license is required.

This scenario is about iSCSI SAN path visibility after cluster expansion. ONTAP usesSelective LUN Map (SLM)concepts so that hosts do not automatically see every LUN through every node, which would create unnecessary paths. ONTAP documentation explains that with SLM, when a LUN map is created, the LUN is accessible through paths on the node that owns the LUN and its HA partner, and this behavior is controlled through thereporting-nodeslist.

If you wantadditional paths(including non-optimized paths) from newly added nodes, you must ensure the new nodes can be included in the reporting scope for those LUN mappings. ONTAP provides an explicit mechanism for this: the lun mapping add-reporting-nodes command is used before or after data mobility events to add nodes to the reporting-nodes list for a LUN mapping. This directly matches optionC (reporting nodes).

However, even if reporting-nodes is expanded, hosts only gain usable iSCSI access if the target LIFs are reachable/allowed. ONTAP documentation describes thatportsetscan be used with SLM to further restrict access, and when using SLM with portsets, LUNs are accessible on the set of LIFs included in the portset (on the owning node and its HA partner). Therefore, to “allow non-optimized paths from the AFF A250 nodes,” you must verify whether portsets are being used and that the appropriate new iSCSI LIFs are included (or that no restrictive portset blocks them). That makes optionA (port sets)the second correct configuration item.

Option B (switch zoning) applies to FC fabrics, not iSCSI. Option D (failover groups) affects NAS/management LIF failover behavior and does not control SAN LUN reporting visibility in the way SLM/reporting-nodes and portsets do.

After a support case has been created, NetApp’s support workflow requires thatcase visibility and status trackingbe performed through the NetApp Support site using thecustomer’s credentials, not partner credentials. Customer credentials ensure proper access to systems registered under the customer’s support account, including entitlement visibility, serial numbers, and case ownership. Partner credentials may not have permission to view customer-owned cases unless explicitly granted.

Once logged in, theMy Casessection of the support site provides a centralized dashboard showing all active and historical cases associated with the customer’s company. From this view, cases are listed with details such as case number, product, symptom, status, and last updated timestamp. Selecting the specific case number (in this scenario,41747189) opens the detailed case view, where the customer can monitor progress, read engineer updates, upload logs, and add comments.

The option “Create a Case” is used only when opening anewcase and does not allow viewing the status of an existing case. Therefore, it does not satisfy the requirement. Using partner credentials is also incorrect because case tracking is intended to be performed by the customer organization that owns the system and support entitlement.

Thus, the correct steps are tolog in using customer credentialsandopen My Cases and select the existing case number.

The root aggregate hosts system volumes such as vol0. Adding data volumes can negatively impact system operations, causing performance and stability issues.

Physical installation of an AFF system requires specific tools. APhillips #2 screwdriveris required for securing rails and components. Alaptop computeris needed for console access, initial configuration, and validation. Acable management trayis necessary to properly route and secure cables, ensuring airflow and serviceability.

Additional network cables and slide rail kits are equipment components, not tools.

Therefore, the correct answers areB, C, and E.

The customer’s environment uses aCisco MDSSAN fabric, so a Cisco-focused management/visibility tool is the most direct way to gain insight into the fabric’s configuration, health, zoning state, and operational status.Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM)is a Cisco tool designed for managing Cisco SAN (including MDS) and therefore is the correct selection for Cisco fabric configuration insight.

From a NetApp installation and assessment perspective, the second tool that provides valuable insight—especially in the context of deploying NetApp storage into an existing fabric—isActive IQ Config Advisor. Config Advisor is used to validate installation-related configuration and cabling and to detect configuration issues across the environment, including SAN connectivity/cabling checks from the NetApp side. While it is not a Cisco fabric manager, it is the NetApp tool used during installation and verification phases to identify configuration and connection problems that affect successful deployment into a SAN environment (for example, incorrect connectivity patterns or misconfigurations that would impact host/storage access).

Option A (Brocade SAN Health) is purpose-built for Brocade environments and does not match “Cisco MDS fabric configuration.” Option C (Active IQ) focuses on NetApp system health, telemetry, and risks for NetApp arrays rather than providing direct insight into a Cisco MDS fabric configuration.

Therefore, the two tools that best satisfy “insight into their existing Cisco MDS fabric configuration” in the context of deploying NetApp SAN storage areB. Cisco DCNM(Cisco-side fabric visibility) andD. Active IQ Config Advisor(NetApp-side installation validation and connectivity/configuration checks relevant to the fabric integration).