If you’re looking to gain hands-on experience with NetApp’s storage platform, setting up a lab environment is one of the best ways to learn. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to set up a test lab for NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP (CDOT)—NetApp’s scale-out storage operating system.
Our focus here is specifically on Cluster Mode, which has been the default deployment model since the retirement of 7-Mode. While 7-Mode was widely used in legacy environments, it was last updated in ONTAP 8.2.3, and is no longer recommended for new installations. This guide will cover Clustered ONTAP version 9.5, which is still widely used in labs and legacy environments, even though newer versions are available.
🔎 Note: If you’re working in a production environment or planning for certification, be aware that ONTAP is now well into the 9.x series. However, 9.5 remains a solid version for lab testing and skills development.
In a future article, I’ll cover how to build a lab for 7-Mode environments, which is still useful for supporting legacy NetApp systems.
Getting Started
Before you begin setting up your NetApp Clustered ONTAP lab, there are a few prerequisites you’ll need to gather and configure. This guide assumes you’re working with version 9.5 and using virtualized infrastructure to simulate a real-world NetApp environment.
Lab Requirements
- A virtualization platform:
You’ll need a hypervisor capable of running virtual appliances. Supported options include:- VMware ESXi (preferred for multi-node clusters)
- VMware Workstation or Player (suitable for single-node labs or laptops)
- Memory requirements:
Each ONTAP node requires 8 GB of RAM. For a basic two-node cluster, plan for at least 16 GB of total system memory. - NetApp NOW account:
You’ll need access to the NetApp Support site (now.netapp.com) to download the ONTAP OVA files, licenses, and setup documentation. If you don’t already have an account, you can register for free.
Files to Download
Once you’re logged in to the NetApp Support site, download the following files:
- ONTAP Simulator OVA (specific to your virtualization platform—ESXi or Workstation)
- License file (must match the ONTAP version you’re installing)
- Setup Guide for ONTAP 9.5 (used to supplement these instructions)
- (Optional): OnCommand Unified Manager — helpful for managing multiple NetApp systems from a single UI, but not required for this tutorial.
⚠️ Make sure the license file and OVA file are from the same ONTAP version. Licenses for 7-Mode will not work with Clustered ONTAP (CDOT).
Pay close attention to which OVA you’re downloading—there are separate versions for VMware Player/Workstation and ESXi, and they are not interchangeable.
If You Don’t Have VMware Yet
If you don’t already have access to VMware Workstation or ESXi, you can download VMware ESXi for free here:
👉 Download VMware ESXi
Note: You’ll need compatible hardware to install ESXi directly.
Network Setup
Before deploying your ONTAP virtual appliances, you’ll need to set up 2 to 3 virtual networks depending on your lab goals:
- Management Network – This network should be routable to your laptop or workstation. It will be used to access the ONTAP system manager, SSH, and perform general cluster management.
- CDOT Internal Network – A non-routable private network for communication between ONTAP nodes (cluster interconnect). This should only be accessible by your ONTAP virtual machines.
- NAS/Data Network (Optional) – If you plan to present NFS or CIFS shares, this network should be routable to your laptop or client machines.
IP Address Planning
Have the following information ready before deployment:
- Default Gateway and Netmask for your Management network
- DNS Server IP address
- Cluster Name
- Cluster Management IP address
- Node Management IP addresses for each node (you’ll need two for a basic lab)
Installing the OVA’s
Deploying the ONTAP Simulator OVAs
The ONTAP simulator is distributed as an OVA (Open Virtualization Appliance)—a prepackaged virtual machine image that includes the system configuration, virtual disks, and startup scripts. OVAs are widely supported across VMware platforms including ESXi, Workstation, Player, and Fusion.
In this section, we’ll walk through how to deploy the OVA on VMware ESXi, which is ideal for multi-node lab environments. If you’re using VMware Workstation or Player on a desktop, the steps are similar, though the interface may look slightly different. If you’re using VMware Fusion on macOS, the simulator should also work, as long as your machine has sufficient resources.
Step-by-Step: Deploy the First ONTAP Node (NetApp01)
- Log in to your ESXi host or vCenter
You can connect either directly to an ESXi host or through vCenter, depending on your environment. In this example, we’ll connect directly to a VMware ESXi 6.7 host. - Launch the VM Deployment Wizard
- Right-click on the ESXi host where you want to deploy the VM
- Select Create/Register VM
- Choose Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file
- Upload the OVA file
- Browse to the ONTAP simulator OVA file you downloaded earlier
- Give the VM a meaningful name (e.g., NetApp01)
- Configure VM settings
During the wizard, you’ll be prompted to configure virtual hardware and networks:- Select the target datastore for your VM
- Assign the four virtual network adapters as follows:
- Adapter 1: CDOT private network (used for cluster interconnect)
- Adapter 2: CDOT private network
- Adapter 3: Management network (used for web UI, SSH, etc.)
- Adapter 4: Management or NAS/data network, depending on your use case
- Complete the deployment
Once the deployment completes, the VM will appear in your inventory using the name you provided.
Deploy the Second Node (NetApp02)
Repeat the deployment process to create a second ONTAP simulator VM. Use the same OVA and steps above, but name this VM NetApp02.
This two-node setup will allow you to simulate a clustered ONTAP environment, complete with HA (high availability) features and inter-node communication—just like a real-world deployment.
Configuring ONTAP Simulator Nodes
Now that you’ve successfully deployed your ONTAP simulator OVAs, it’s time to configure each virtual node. This section will guide you through the initial setup of the first node, which includes performing a clean installation, assigning network settings, and configuring the cluster. We’ll use the command-line interface (CLI) for setup, but the web UI becomes available later in the process.
Pre-Configuration Checklist
Before powering on your nodes, take a moment to complete these steps:
- Power off both VMs (if they are already running)
- If you plan to use a NAS/data network, add two additional virtual network adapters to each VM and connect them to your NAS VLAN
Step 1: Initialize Node 1
- Power on the first node (NetApp01)
- Watch the boot screen carefully. When prompted, press Ctrl + C to access the Boot Menu
- Select Boot Option 4: Clean Configuration and Initialize All Disks
- You’ll be asked:
- Do you want to zero all disks? → Yes
- Do you want to erase all data, including system configurations? → Yes
- You’ll be asked:
🔄 Reset Tip: If you ever want to reset and start over, reboot the VM, press Ctrl + C during boot, and again choose option 4 for a fresh install.
Step 2: Management Interface and IP Configuration
After the reboot, ONTAP will ask if you want to enable AutoSupport. Since this is a lab setup, you can safely answer No. You can always disable or reconfigure AutoSupport later.
Next, ONTAP will prompt you to select a management network interface. By default, it will suggest e0c. You can simply press Enter to accept the default.
💡 Interface Reference: The ONTAP simulator typically includes four interfaces by default:
e0a,e0b,e0c,e0d
If you added extra interfaces (e.g., for NAS/data), you may also seee0e,e0f, etc.
You’ll now be prompted to enter networking details for this node’s management interface:
- Node Management IP Address
- Subnet Mask
- Default Gateway
⚠️ Important: This is the node-level management network, not the cluster-level IP (we’ll set that up shortly).
Step 3: Begin Cluster Setup via CLI
After setting the management IP, ONTAP will display a URL to access the web interface and also give you the option to continue configuration via the CLI.
For this guide, we recommend completing setup using the command-line interface:
- Press Enter to continue via CLI
- Answer the prompts as follows:
| Prompt | Suggested Response |
|---|---|
| Create or join a cluster? | Create |
| Is this going to be a single-node cluster? | No |
| Cluster Name | Enter a meaningful name (e.g., labcluster) |
| Cluster Management Ports | Press Enter to accept default ports |
| Enter License Keys | Leave blank for now—you can add them later |
| Cluster IP Address | Enter a routable IP for cluster management |
| Cluster Subnet Mask | Enter subnet mask for the above IP |
| Cluster Default Gateway | Enter the appropriate gateway |
| DNS Domain Name | (e.g., lab.local) |
| Physical Location of Controller | Enter a label (e.g., Garage, Lab Rack) |
After completing this setup, ONTAP will finalize cluster initialization and return control to the CLI prompt.
Step 4: Confirm Web Access
Before setting up the second node, verify that you can access the cluster’s web UI:
Take note of the cluster interface IP addresses (you’ll need these for node 2 setup).
In most labs, these addresses start with 169.254.x.x unless statically set.
Open a browser and go to:https://<Cluster Management IP>
Log in using the admin account you created
Navigate to:
Network → Network Interfaces
Setting Up the Second Cluster Node (NetApp02)
With your first node fully configured and the cluster initialized, it’s time to add the second node to the cluster. This step allows you to simulate a multi-node production environment with features like high availability (HA), logical interface (LIF) failover, and distributed storage.
Step-by-Step: Join the Second Node to the Cluster
- Power on the second ONTAP simulator VM (NetApp02)
- Interrupt the boot process by pressing Ctrl + C when prompted to enter the Boot Menu
- Select option 4: Clean configuration and initialize all disks
- Confirm when asked if you want to erase existing data and zero the disks
- The system will reboot once it completes this process
- When prompted about AutoSupport, choose No (or disable it later)
- Select the management interface
- As with the first node, press Enter to accept the default interface, usually
e0c
- As with the first node, press Enter to accept the default interface, usually
- Configure the management IP for this second node
- Use a unique IP address on the same management network as the first node
- Provide subnet mask and gateway values as appropriate
Joining the Existing Cluster
After the basic network configuration is complete, ONTAP will prompt you to begin the cluster setup process:
| Prompt | Recommended Response |
|---|---|
| Create or join a cluster? | Join |
| Private cluster network ports? | Press Enter to accept the default interfaces |
| Enter the IP address of an interface on the private cluster network | Use one of the cluster interconnect IPs from the first node (visible in System Manager under Network → Network Interfaces, typically 169.254.x.x) |
This tells ONTAP how to find the existing cluster and join it. The system will handle the discovery and synchronization automatically.
Once complete, the second node will become part of the cluster, and ONTAP will return to the CLI prompt.
Licenses
How to Apply ONTAP Licenses
- Open a web browser and go to:
https://<Cluster Management IP> - Log in with your admin credentials
- In the top-right corner of System Manager, click the plus icon ➕ or navigate to:
Cluster → Settings → Licenses - Click Add Licenses
- When prompted, click Choose File, then select the license file you downloaded earlier
- The file is typically named something like
CMode_Licenses.txt
- The file is typically named something like
- Click Add to apply the licenses
🛠 Troubleshooting License Uploads
If you encounter an error while uploading the license file (a common issue with the simulator), try the following:
- Open the license file in a text editor (e.g., Notepad)
- Copy only the actual license keys (each is a 28-character alphanumeric string)
- Paste them into the license entry field as a comma-separated list, like this:
ABCDEFGH1234567890WXYZ1234,ZYXWVUT9876543210LKJHGFEDCBA,...
Click Add again, and the licenses should now be accepted without issue.
Once licenses are successfully added, you’ll be able to configure and test all major ONTAP features in your lab environment.
Also See: Storage performance vs capacity!
Summary
Congratulations—you’ve successfully built a working two-node NetApp Clustered ONTAP (CDOT) lab environment. You’ve deployed virtual ONTAP nodes, configured a cluster, assigned management IPs, and applied the necessary license keys to unlock core features. This setup closely mirrors how NetApp systems function in real-world data centers, giving you a valuable playground for learning and experimentation.
Your environment is now ready for the next phase: creating aggregates, configuring Storage Virtual Machines (SVMs), and enabling protocols like NFS, SMB/CIFS, or iSCSI. These will allow you to simulate real-world use cases such as hosting file shares, mounting exports, and testing storage automation workflows.
We’ll dive into those advanced topics in future articles.
Suggested Next Steps
- Log in to System Manager and explore the Cluster → Nodes, Network Interfaces, and Disks views
- Try creating an aggregate manually via the CLI or UI
- Begin planning your SVM and volume layout to match a use case you’re familiar with (e.g., home lab file server, development storage backend)
🧪 The best way to learn ONTAP is by breaking things in a safe environment—and now you have one. Experiment freely and use the reset/redeploy process when needed.