1/22/2019 FAQ: Volume Issues and Solutions

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FAQ: Volume Issues and Solutions

Document ID FA95 Answer ID 1001022

Published Date 12/18/2017 Views 114

Ratings 0 Categories Data ONTAP

Question
What are volumes and what are some of the most commonly observed issues related to
volumes?

Answer
Creating a Volume
Volumes contain file systems that hold user data that is accessible using one or more of
the access protocols supported by Data ONTAP.
Each volume depends on its containing aggregate for all of its physical storage, when you
create a volume, you specify the aggregate from which it will obtain its storage.
Types of volumes are Traditional (now obsolete), Flexible (FlexVol) and Infinite.

FlexVols are scalable and can be dynamically grown in size to allow for additional space
requirements. The maximum size of a FlexVol is determined by the size of the containing
aggregate, it is 32-bit or 64-bit, and the NetApp FAS/AFF model type. Specific size
limitations per NetApp model and ONTAP versions can be found on the NetApp Hardware
Universe .

An Infinite Volume (available from Clustered Data ONTAP 8.1.1) is a single, scalable volume
that can store up to 2 billion files and tens of petabytes of data.
An Infinite Volume uses storage from multiple aggregates on multiple nodes. You can start
with a small Infinite Volume and expand it non-disruptively by adding more disks to its
aggregates or by providing it with more aggregates to use.

Related Links

FlexVol Management in 7-Mode

FlexVol Management in Clustered Data ONTAP

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Infinite Volume Management

Related Articles
KB 3411: Why is a warning displayed when attempting to create one or
more data volumes in the root aggregate in clustered Data ONTAP?
KB 11746: The maximum volume size in a FlexVol may not be the same size
as the maximum size of an aggregate
KB 12343: Data ONTAP volume creation attempts with guarantee none or
file might fail if enough is not space available

Volume Access
A volume will need to be taken offline in order to perform maintenance, to move it, or to
destroy it.
A volume may also need to be put into a 'restricted' mode in order to prevent any
read/write operations if it is the target of a copy of SnapMirror operation.

Related Links
Destroying a volume in 7-Mode
Destroying a volume in Clustered Data ONTAP
Restricting a volume in 7-Mode
Restricting a volume in Clustered Data ONTAP
Taking a volume offline in 7-Mode
Taking a volume offline in Clustered Data ONTAP

Related Articles
KB 26988: How to offline and delete an aggregate containing FlexVols in
clustered Data ONTAP if manual volume deletion is not possible
KB 10688: How to offline volume with a dense start error

Moving and Copying a Volume

Volumes can be moved of copied to fulfill the requirements as specified by the
environment.

Related Links
Copying a volume in 7-Mode
Copying a volume in Clustered Data ONTAP
Moving a volume in 7-Mode
Moving a volume in Clustered Data ONTAP

Related Articles

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1/22/2019 FAQ: Volume Issues and Solutions

KB 3199: Can the vol move command be used to move a FlexVol between 32-bit
and 64-bit aggregates?
KB 14622: Troubleshooting Workflow: vol move command failure
KB 13901: Vol move fails with: Sender data operation error (Volume out of space)
KB 13344: Unable to copy volumes from one storage system to another

Expanding and Resizing a Volume

Volumes can be resized depending upon the requirements of the environment.

Related Links
Resizing a FlexVol volume in 7-Mode
Resizing a volume in Clustered Data ONTAP
Resizing an Infinite Volume in Clustered Data ONTAP

Related Articles
KB 4409: What are the guidelines to be followed while shrinking LUNs?

Cloning a Volume
FlexClone volumes are writable, point-in-time copies of a parent FlexVol volume; they
have some extra capabilities and restrictions as compared to FlexVol volumes.
If an instantaneous copy of the data is required without using a lot of disk space, a
FlexClone volume can be created from the parent FlexVol volume that contains the data.
FlexClone volumes save disk space because all unchanged data blocks are shared between
the FlexClone volume and its parent.

Related Links
Creating a FlexClone volume in 7-Mode
Creating a FlexClone volume in Clustered Data ONTAP

Root Volumes
The storage system's root volume contains special directories and configuration files that
help to administer the storage system. There should be no user data volumes contained
within the root volume to preserve access to data in the event of a root volume failure.

Related Links
Recommendations for the root volume in 7-Mode
Recommendations for the root volume in Clustered Data ONTAP

Related Articles

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1/22/2019 FAQ: Volume Issues and Solutions

KB 24758: How to move or rename the root volume on a storage system in 7-

Mode
KB 29299: How to non-disruptively create a new root aggregate and have it host
the root volume in clustered Data ONTAP 8.2x, 8.3x and ONTAP 9.x

Thin Provisioning a Volume

With thin provisioning, more storage space can be presented to the hosts connecting to
the storage controller than is actually available on the storage controller. By over-
provisioning the volume, the storage administrator can increase the capacity utilization of
the volume. Storage provisioning with thinly provisioned LUNs enables the storage
administrator to provide actual storage that the LUN requires. As Data ONTAP writes
blocks to the LUN, the LUN increases in size automatically.

Related Links
Consideration when using thin provisioning with Infinite Volumes
What LUN Thin Provisioning is
Using thin provisioning with FlexVol volumes

Related Articles
KB 27460: How to calculate the non-guaranteed volume for thin
provisioning space on df

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NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or reliability or
serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication or with
respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of
any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS
and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques
herein is a customer's responsibility and depends on the customer's ability to evaluate and
integrate them into the customer's operational environment. This document and the
information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products
discussed in this document.

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