Cluster LIFs are used exclusively for communication between the nodes within a cluster over the private cluster interconnect network. These LIFs are essential for system-level operations such as configuration replication and heartbeat messages. In the ONTAP architecture, these fundamental, cluster-wide resources are owned by a special, non-configurable SVM of the system type. This SVM is distinct from admin, data, or node SVMs, which have different roles related to management and data serving.

A. Data: A data SVM owns data LIFs, which are used to serve data to clients over protocols like NFS, SMB/CIFS, iSCSI, and FC/FCoE.

B. Admin: An admin SVM owns the cluster-management LIF. This LIF provides a single management interface for the entire cluster.

D. Node: A node SVM owns node-management LIFs. Each node has one such SVM and LIF for out-of-band management of that specific node.

1. NetApp Technical Report 4182

Best Practices for Network Configuration in ONTAP 9:

Section 2.1

"Logical Interfaces

" states: "Cluster LIFs are owned by the system SVM and are used for intracluster communication." This directly confirms that the system SVM type is the owner of cluster LIFs.

2. NetApp ONTAP 9 Documentation

Network management:

In the section "Types of LIFs

" it describes the different roles of LIFs. It specifies that cluster LIFs are for "intracluster traffic between nodes." The documentation on SVMs further clarifies that system-level resources are managed by the system SVM.

3. NetApp ONTAP 9 Documentation

ONTAP concepts:

The section "How storage virtual machines work" describes the different types of SVMs

including admin

data

node

and system. It clarifies that the system SVM is for cluster-level operations

which includes owning the cluster interconnect LIFs.