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ONTAP Technical Reports

Features, EMS, and monitoring for maxdir-size

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Use ONTAP release features, EMS events, and directory-size measurements to detect large-directory growth before creates fail.

For how to view maxdir-size and a directory object's current size, see View maxdir-size and current directory size.

ONTAP release Functionality

ONTAP 9.2

Persistent directory indexing at approximately 2 MiB. See Why directory indexing exists.

ONTAP 9.5 (documented)

Optimized sparse directories (-has-optimized-sparse-directories): hole-punch empty blocks in indexed directories. Public docs do not confirm an earlier introduction. See Sparse directories and hole punching.

ONTAP 9.14.1

320 MB default maxdir-size. Confirm the supported maximum for the release and platform for increases. See How the maxdir-size cap behaves and Raising the maxdir-size value.

ONTAP 9.17.1

-is-dir-index-transfer-enabled and public directory-index inodes for supported SnapMirror transfer. See About private and public index inodes.

wafl.dir.entries.warning

The number of occupied directory entries has crossed the configured warning percentage. Use the volume and file ID to locate the directory, then evaluate its entry count, current directory-file size, and growth pattern.

wafl.dir.size.warning

The directory has reached the configured warning percentage, typically 90%, of its maxdir-size limit. Use the volume and file ID from the event to resolve the directory path. Restructure the namespace or plan an increase before the cap is reached.

wafl.dir.size.max.warning

The directory has reached or exceeded the configured warning percentage, typically 90%, while the volume's current maxdir-size is below the default value defined by the release (the EMS reference describes that default as 1% of system memory). This differs from the normal wafl.dir.size.warning condition. Determine why the configured cap is below the default before deciding whether to restore the default, restructure the directory, or choose another supported value.

wafl.dir.size.max

The directory reached maxdir-size. Operations that add names fail until slots become reusable, the namespace is restructured, or the limit is raised.

wafl.maxdirsize.boot.notice

At boot, ONTAP emits this NOTICE for a volume whose configured value is higher than the default. It reminds the administrator that operations on very large directories can carry a performance penalty.

Sparse READDIR events

wafl.readdir.expired and wafl.readdir.sparse identify expensive enumeration of large sparse directories. They are related to directory layout and high-water behavior, but they do not mean that maxdir-size itself has been reached.

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