FlexCache™ volumes are sparsely populated volumes backed by a source volume on another filer. You use FlexCache volumes on a caching filer to offload read operations from heavily accessed volumes or to speed NFS access in remote sites to centrally stored NFS files. Because the cached data is ejected when the data is changed, FlexCache volumes work best for data that does not change often.
A FlexCache volume must always be a flexible volume. FlexCache volumes can be created in the same aggregate as regular flexible volumes. The origin volume can be a flexible volume or a traditional volume; it can also be a SnapLock volume. The origin volume cannot be a FlexCache volume itself, nor can it be a qtree.
FlexCache and NFS licenses are required on the caching filer. There are no additional license requirements on the source NFS filer.