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Convert a FlexVol volume to a FlexGroup volume

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Beginning with ONTAP 9.7, you can perform an in-place conversion of a FlexVol volume to a FlexGroup volume without requiring a data copy or additional disk space.

Before you begin

  • Transitioned volumes can be converted to FlexGroup volumes beginning in ONTAP 9.8.

  • The FlexVol volume that is being converted must be online.

  • The operations and configurations on the FlexVol volume must be compatible with the conversion process.

    Check for the following conditions that can prevent the conversion from succeeding:

    • A FlexVol volume was transitioned from 7-Mode using 7MTT (ONTAP 9.7).

      Transitioned volumes can be converted as of ONTAP 9.8.

    • Something is enabled on the volume that is not yet supported with FlexGroup volume; for example, SAN LUNs, Windows NFS, SMB1, Snapshot naming/autodelete, vmalign set, SnapLock, space SLO, or logical space enforcement/reporting. For more information see Supported and unsupported configurations for FlexGroup volumes.

    • The SVM where the FlexVol volume to be converted is located is currently using SVM DR.

    • NetApp FlexClone volumes are present, and the FlexVol volume is the parent volume. The volume being converted cannot be a parent or a clone.

    • The volume is a NetApp FlexCache origin volume.

    • For ONTAP 9.7 and earlier, NetApp Snapshot copies must not exceed 255. For ONTAP 9.8 and later, 1023 Snapshot copies are supported.

    • Storage efficiencies are enabled. These must be disabled and can be reenabled after conversion.

    • The volume is a source of a SnapMirror relationship, and the destination has not yet been converted.

    • The volume is part of an active (not quiesced) SnapMirror relationship.

    • Quotas are enabled. These must be disabled and can be reenabled after conversion.

    • Volume names are longer than 197 characters.

    • The volume is associated with an application.

      This is applicable to ONTAP 9.7 only. The limitation is removed in ONTAP 9.8.

    • ONTAP processes are running, such as mirroring, jobs, wafliron, NDMP backup, and inode conversion in process.

    • The volume is an SVM root volume.

    • The volume is too full.

      If any of these incompatibilities exist, an error message is generated if the FlexVol volume, and the volume conversion is aborted. You can take corrective actions and retry the conversion.

  • If a FlexVol volume is currently at 80% or greater maximum capacity, consider copying the data to a newly created FlexGroup volume instead of performing an in-place conversion. Although FlexGroup member volumes will naturally rebalance over time, converting a high-capacity FlexVol volume to a FlexGroup volume may create performance or balance issues that will not quickly be rebalanced across member volumes.

    Note

    Converting a very large FlexGroup volume results in a very full FlexGroup volume member constituent, which can create performance issues. For more information, see the section called "When not to create a FlexGroup volume" in the TR FlexGroup volumes - Best Practices and Implementation Guide.
Steps

  1. Verify that the FlexVol volume is online: volume show vol_name volume-style-extended,state

    cluster-1::> volume show my_volume -fields volume-style-extended,state
vserver volume    state  volume-style-extended
------- --------- ------ ---------------------
vs0     my_volume online flexvol

  2. Verify whether the FlexVol volume can be converted without issues:

    1. Log in to the advance privilege mode: set -privilege advanced

    2. Verify the conversion process: volume conversion start -vserver vs1 -volume flexvol -check-only true

      You must rectify all errors before converting the volume.

      Note

      You cannot convert a FlexGroup volume back to a FlexVol volume.

  3. Start the conversion: volume conversion start -vserver svm_name -volume vol_name

    cluster-1::*> volume conversion start -vserver vs0 -volume my_volume

Warning: Converting flexible volume "my_volume" in Vserver "vs0" to a FlexGroup
         will cause the state of all Snapshot copies from the volume to be set
         to "pre-conversion". Pre-conversion Snapshot copies cannot be
         restored.
Do you want to continue? {y|n}: y
[Job 57] Job succeeded: success

  4. Verify that the conversion is successful: volume show vol_name -fields volume-style-extended,state

    cluster-1::*> volume show my_volume -fields volume-style-extended,state
vserver volume    state  volume-style-extended
------- --------- ------ ---------------------
vs0     my_volume online flexgroup
Results

The FlexVol volume is converted to a single-member FlexGroup volume.

After you finish

You can expand the FlexGroup volume, as required.