My question is, if there is a way to put netapp in a less secure mode, to allow mount requests from unprivileged ports?

What you can do is to turn the option nfs.mount_rootonly off. This option restricts mounts to the filer to use the privileged ports only (1 - 1024). Turning this option off should allow mounts to the filer from any port.

- Steve Ricci - Technical Advisor - Network Appliance, Inc.