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Storage > Volumes : Understanding volumes : How Data ONTAP can automatically provide more free space for full volumes
How Data ONTAP can automatically provide more free space for full volumes
Data ONTAP can automatically make more free space available for a FlexVol volume when that volume is nearly full. You can choose to make the space available by first allowing the volume size to increase, or by first deleting Snapshot copies.
Data ONTAP can automatically provide more free space for the volume by using one of the following methods:
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Increase the size of the volume when it is nearly full.
This method is useful if the volume's containing aggregate has enough space to support a larger volume. You can increase the size in increments and set a maximum size for the volume.
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Delete Snapshot copies when the volume is nearly full.
For example, you can automatically delete Snapshot copies that are not linked to Snapshot copies in cloned volumes or LUNs, or you can define which Snapshot copies you want to delete first—your oldest or newest Snapshot copies. You can also determine when to begin deleting Snapshot copies—for example, when the volume is nearly full or when the volume’s Snapshot reserve is nearly full.
For more information about deleting Snapshot copies automatically, see the Data ONTAP 7-ModeData Protection Online Backup and Recovery Guide.
You can choose which method (increasing the size of the volume or deleting Snapshot copies) you want Data ONTAP to try first. If the first method does not provide sufficient extra free space to the volume, Data ONTAP will try the other method next.