topic NetApp Volume Encryption (NVE)- encrypt before or after adding data in ONTAP Discussions

NetApp Volume Encryption (NVE)- encrypt before or after adding data

kennethostnes — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:40:33 GMT

Hi,
We are migrating a lot of CIFS data into a NetApp FAS8300 HA solution from another storage system. We got a 10Gbit line between the systems. Some of this data (25TB) will be placed on NVE volumes. What is the best practice:

1) Encrypt the volume before adding data? or
2) Encrypt the volume after data is added to the volume

Best regards

Kenneth

Re: NetApp Volume Encryption (NVE)- encrypt before or after adding data

TMACMD — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:52:51 GMT

Before you add data

if you do it after, you either perform an in place encryption which takes forever!!! Or you perform a volume move operation that has the encryption trigger. Still takes time but about the same time as the move would normally take

bottom line, encrypt the volume first then add data