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Storage : Volumes : Understanding volumes : Space savings with data compression
Space savings with data compression
Data compression, an optional feature of Data ONTAP, enables you to reduce the physical capacity required to store data on storage systems by compressing data blocks within a FlexVol volume. You use data compression on primary, secondary, and archive storage tiers.
You can use data compression to store more data in less space, thereby reducing the time and bandwidth required to replicate data during volume SnapMirror transfers.
You can run data compression on regular files, virtual local disks, and LUNs. However, file system internal files, NT streams, and volume metadata are not compressed.
After you enable data compression in a FlexVol volume, all subsequent writes to the volume are compressed. However, existing data remains uncompressed. You can use the data compression scanner to compress the existing data.
Data compression is a licensed feature. You need to work with your NetApp sales team or NetApp partner sales team to request a NetApp Data compression license.

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