Comments on: Enterprise Computing: Netapp and Efficiency – Managing Perception http://thestoragearchitect.com/2009/03/11/enterprise-computing-netapp-and-efficiency-managing-perception/ Storage, Virtualisation & Cloud Mon, 21 May 2012 20:10:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Cleanur http://thestoragearchitect.com/2009/03/11/enterprise-computing-netapp-and-efficiency-managing-perception/#comment-665 Cleanur Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:33:01 +0000 http://thestoragearchitect.com/?p=412#comment-665 The main problem is that Netapp continue to treat WAFL configuration like some kind of black art. They have overlapping and often conflicting best practices for features which are often spread across multiple documents. Many of the best practices seem abiguous at best and are left to user interpretation. Most of the space hogging options are switched on by default, possibly to protect both parties from mis configuration, and many of the space savers are not actually accessible without dropping to the CLI. Almost all of these space saving options also have a knock on effect on other features within the system. You either definately need to understand in some detail all of the potential outcomes before switching a particular feature on or off, or continually monitor to ensure things are happening as intended. Simple and risk free it aint. The main problem is that Netapp continue to treat WAFL configuration like some kind of black art. They have overlapping and often conflicting best practices for features which are often spread across multiple documents.

Many of the best practices seem abiguous at best and are left to user interpretation. Most of the space hogging options are switched on by default, possibly to protect both parties from mis configuration, and many of the space savers are not actually accessible without dropping to the CLI.

Almost all of these space saving options also have a knock on effect on other features within the system. You either definately need to understand in some detail all of the potential outcomes before switching a particular feature on or off, or continually monitor to ensure things are happening as intended.

Simple and risk free it aint.

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