Deployment, Installation, and Cluster Expansion
Deployment flow
This domain tests how nodes are imaged, clustered, expanded, and upgraded. Foundation images bare-metal nodes. It discovers hardware through IPMI/MAC addresses, assigns IPs, selects the AOS and hypervisor image, and runs the imaging process. After imaging, you create the cluster in Prism: cluster VIP, CVM IPs, DNS, NTP, and licensing. Expansion requires imaging the new node, racking and cabling it, configuring uplinks, and then using Prism Element's Expand Cluster workflow. LCM handles firmware and software updates, and NCC validates health before and after changes.
Worked example
You add a node to a four-node RF2 cluster. Image it with the same AOS and hypervisor version as the cluster, assign a CVM IP and correct uplink/VLAN settings, then expand through Prism. The cluster redistributes extents and restores N+1 headroom. If the new node runs a different AOS version, upgrade it to match before expansion to avoid compatibility issues.
Traps
Foundation images nodes but does not add them to an existing cluster by itself. Do not expand with mismatched AOS or hypervisor versions. Do not skip NCC checks before or after expansion. Do not reuse IP addresses or place the new CVM on the wrong VLAN. Do not assume expansion is instant; rebalancing takes time.