Configuring FlexVol volumes to grow automatically

About configuring FlexVol volumes to grow automatically

The capability to configure FlexVol volumes to grow automatically when they are close to running out of space is part of the space management policy. You use this capability, along with the capability to automatically delete snapshots, to ensure that the free space in your aggregates is used efficiently, and to reduce the likelihood of your FlexVol volumes having no free space available.

For more information on space management policies, see Space management policies, and your Block Access Management Guide.

Configuring a volume to grow automatically

To configure a volume to grow automatically, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: *vol autosize vol-name* [-m size] [-i size] [on\|off\|reset]** vol-name is the name of the flexible volume. You cannot use this command on traditional volumes. `-m` size is the maximum size to which you can grow the volume. Specify a size in `k` (KB), `m` (MB), `g` (GB) or `t` (TB). The volume does not grow if its size is equal to or greater than the maximum size. `-i` size is the increment by which you grow the volume. Specify a size in `k` (KB), `m` (MB), `g` (GB) or `t` (TB). `on` enables the volume to automatically grow. `off` disables automatically growing the volume. By default, the `vol autosize` command is set to Off. `reset` restores the `autosize` settings of the volume to the default setting, which is Off.

Step

Action

Enter the following command:

vol autosize vol-name [-m size] [-i size] [on|off|reset]

vol-name is the name of the flexible volume. You cannot use this command on traditional volumes.

-m size is the maximum size to which you can grow the volume. Specify a size in k (KB), m (MB), g (GB) or t (TB). The volume does not grow if its size is equal to or greater than the maximum size.

-i size is the increment by which you grow the volume. Specify a size in k (KB), m (MB), g (GB) or t (TB).

on enables the volume to automatically grow.

off disables automatically growing the volume. By default, the vol autosize command is set to Off.

reset restores the autosize settings of the volume to the default setting, which is Off.

Defining how you apply space management policies

You can configure Data ONTAP to apply space management policies in one of the following ways:

Automatically grow the volume first, then automatically delete snapshots.
This approach is useful if you create smaller flexible volumes and leave enough space in the aggregate to increase the size of these volumes as needed. If you provision your data based on aggregates, you might want to automatically grow the volume when it is nearly full before you begin automatically deleting snapshots.
Automatically delete snapshots first, then grow the volume
You might want to automatically delete snapshots if you are maintaining a large number of snapshots in your volume or you maintain older snapshots that are no longer needed.

To determine how Data ONTAP applies space management policies, complete the following step:

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command. *vol options vol-name* try_first [volume_grow\|snap_delete]** vol-name is the name of the flexible volume `volume_grow`--Automatically increase the size of the flexible volume before automatically deleting snapshots. `snap_delete`--Automatically delete snapshots before automatically increasing the size of the volume. For more information about this option, see your Block Access Management Guide.

Step

Action

Enter the following command.

vol options vol-name try_first [volume_grow|snap_delete]

vol-name is the name of the flexible volume

volume_grow--Automatically increase the size of the flexible volume before automatically deleting snapshots.

snap_delete--Automatically delete snapshots before automatically increasing the size of the volume. For more information about this option, see your Block Access Management Guide.