SnapMirror cloud support for MetroCluster FlexGroup volumes

SnapMirror cloud supports backup and restore operations for FlexGroup volumes in MetroCluster configurations.

IPsec hardware offload IPv6 support

IPsec hardware offload support is extended to IPv6.

OpenSSL PQC algorithms

ONTAP supports postquantum computing cryptographic algorithms for SSL. These algorithms provide additional protection against potential future quantum computing attacks, and are available when SSL FIPS mode is disabled.

ONTAP backend cluster network encryption

You can enable TLS encryption for data-in-flight on the ONTAP backend cluster network.

ONTAP HA traffic network encryption

You can enable encryption for traffic between nodes in high-availability (HA) pairs.

NVMe copy offload

NVMe copy offload enables an NVMe host to offload copy operations from its CPU to the CPU of the ONTAP storage controller. The host can copy data from one NVMe namespace to another while reserving its CPU resources for application workloads.

Support for point-in-time S3 snapshot restore

The S3 snapshot bucket is now accessible natively with the ONTAP CLI. In addition, you can restore a single object, a set of objects, or a whole bucket on an S3 client from an S3 snapshot.

Support for creating NAS buckets on FlexCache volumes

You can create NAS buckets on FlexCache volumes, and applications can access data on FlexCache volumes with the S3 protocol when all nodes in the cluster are using ONTAP 9.18.1 or later. For details about enabling S3 access to NAS FlexCache volumes, see Enable S3 access to NAS FlexCache volumes.

FlexGroup volume support for ARP/AI

NetApp FlexGroup volumes support ARP/AI, providing advanced, machine-learning-based ransomware detection and protection. In ONTAP 9.17.1 and earlier, only the first generation of ARP was available for FlexGroup volumes. Beginning with ONTAP 9.18.1, FlexGroup volumes have parity with FlexVol volumes on both on-premises ONTAP platforms (AFF and FAS) and virtual ONTAP deployments (including Cloud Volumes ONTAP and ONTAP Select). As a result, ARP/AI becomes the default ARP technology for both FlexVol and FlexGroup volumes.

ARP/AI is enabled by default for new volumes on supported systems

When you create a new cluster or upgrade your cluster to 9.18.1, ARP/AI is automatically enabled by default on all new volumes for AFF A series, AFF C series, ASA, and ASA r2 systems after a 12-hour grace period. During this grace period, you can opt out of default enablement.

Support for two-level nested QoS policy groups on SVMs and volumes

You can assign a QoS policy to an SVM and to volumes under the SVM at the same time.

Create SVM FlexCache volumes of origin volumes in an SVM-DR relationship

You can create SVM FlexCache volumes of origin volumes that are part of an SVM-DR relationship.

Commands for displaying space usage information

In ONTAP 9.18.1 and later, the storage aggregate show-space command changes how Logical Referenced Capacity and Logical Unreferenced Capacity is reported. Logical Referenced Capacity reports referenced blocks in all objects and unreferenced blocks in fragmented objects. Logical Unreferenced Capacity reports only unreferenced blocks in objects that have crossed the fullness threshold and are eligible for object deletion and defragmentation.

For example, when you use the default aggregate fullness threshold of 40% for ONTAP S3 and StorageGRID, 60% of the blocks in an object must be unreferenced before the blocks are reported as unreferenced capacity.

In releases earlier than ONTAP 9.18.1, Logical Referenced Capacity reports referenced blocks in all objects (both full and fragmented objects). Logical Unreferenced Capacity reports unreferenced blocks in all objects.