Adjusting the vFiler unit limit

What the vFiler unit limit is

The vFiler unit limit specifies the maximum number of vFiler units that can exist on the hosting storage system. Because the limit includes the hosting storage system, vFiler0 (which always exists if the MultiStore license is enabled), the number of vFiler units you can create on a storage system is one less than the vFiler unit limit set on a storage system.

In a cluster, the same limit applies to each cluster node.

Default limits

The default vFiler unit limits for systems on which you have just activated a MultiStore license are as follows:

3 for storage systems with less than 1 GB (1,024 MB) of memory
5 for storage systems with 1 GB to less than 2 GB of memory
11 for storage systems with 2 GB or more of memory

The default is 11 for systems on which a MultiStore license has been in effect since a release of Data ONTAP earlier than 6.4.

These limits include vFiler0 (the hosting storage system, which is created when the MultiStore license is enabled and persists as long as the license is in effect), so a limit of 11 means you can create a maximum of 10 vFiler units. In a cluster, a limit of 11 means that you can create a maximum of 10 vFiler units on each cluster node.

To see the current limit, enter the following command:

vfiler limit

Increasing the limit

You can use the vfiler limit command to increase the limit to a maximum allowable limit. The maximum number of vFiler units you can have on a storage system depends on the memory capacity of the hosting storage system. The maximum limits are as follows:

11 for storage systems with less than 1 GB (1,024 MB) of memory
26 for storage systems with 1 GB to less than 2 GB of memory
33 for storage systems with 2 GB or more of memory

Use the sysconfig -v command to verify the memory size of your system.

Note
There is an exception to the maximum limits. Even though the memory on a FAS 270 storage system is 1,022 MB (< 1,024 MB), it can still support 26 vFiler units.

Example:

To verify the memory size on your system, enter the following command on your storage system console:

toaster> sysconfig -v

......... ......... ......... slot 0: System Board 650 MHz (TSANTSA C0) Model Name: FAS270 Part Number: 110-00046 Revision: C0 Serial Number: 287200 Firmware release: CFE 1.2.0 Processors: 2 Processor revision: B2 Processor type: 1250 Memory Size: 1022 MB NVMEM Size: 128 MB of Main Memory Used .In this example, the memory size is 1,022 MB, or less than 1 GB (1,024 MB), so the maximum number of supported vFiler units should be 11. However, the Model Name field in the above example indicates that it is a FAS 270 storage system, therefore, the maximum number of vFiler units in this case is 26.

Example

To raise the number of vFiler units you can create to 15, enter the following command on the hosting storage system:

vfiler limit 16

In a cluster, this sets a limit of 16 vFiler units on each cluster node.

Note
For the change to take effect, you must reboot the storage system (or each storage system in a cluster).

Decreasing the limit

You can use the vfiler limit command to decrease the limit, setting the maximum number of vFiler units lower than it is now. When you decrease the limit, the change is effective immediately and does not require a reboot of the storage system.

Because the limit includes the hosting storage system vFiler0, which already exists, the number of vFiler units you can create in each case is one less than the limit.

Example

To reduce the number of vFiler units you can create from 15 to 10, enter the following command on the hosting storage system:

vfiler limit 11

Attention
Before you reboot, make sure that the number of active vFiler units on this storage system (and on any cluster partner) is less than the limit. On reboot, the number of vFiler units started will be at most one less than the limit you specified (one less than the limit on each node in a cluster), even if more vFiler units are configured.