Within the ONTAP SAN implementation and configuration domain,automatic port placementis a key installation feature designed to simplify initial network setup during cluster deployment. In ONTAP 9.8, when controller data ports are discovered, ONTAP automatically analyzes physical port connectivity, speed, and role, and assigns those ports to appropriatebroadcast domainsandsubnets.
Broadcast domains define Layer 2 boundaries and group ports that share the same network reachability. During installation, ONTAP automatically creates and assigns broadcast domains based on detected network topology and intended port usage. This behavior is explicitly described in NetApp installation objectives as part of reducing manual network configuration during initial setup.
Subnets are also automatically created and associated when automatic port placement is enabled. ONTAP uses subnets to manage pools of IP addresses for data LIF creation. By automatically configuring subnets, ONTAP enables rapid deployment of NAS and SAN data LIFs without requiring administrators to manually define IP address ranges during installation.
By contrast,routesare not automatically configured by automatic port placement. Routes must be explicitly defined by the administrator to control Layer 3 traffic flow between networks. Similarly,IPspacesare logical network containers that must be deliberately designed and created based on multi-tenancy or isolation requirements. IPspaces are never automatically created by ONTAP during installation because they have architectural implications that require administrator intent.
Therefore, the two ONTAP network settings that are automatically configured by automatic port placement arebroadcast domainsandsubnets, makingC and Dthe correct answers.
