topic FlexClone vs SnapRestore (Lun level) in ONTAP Discussions

FlexClone vs SnapRestore (Lun level)

ALEX_BARANOV — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:55:31 GMT

What's different between FlexClone Lun and SnapRestore Lun, when i restore file with "-r" option in command "snap restore"?

Re: FlexClone vs SnapRestore (Lun level)

peter_lehmann — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 10:35:17 GMT

Flexclone = clone the volume with its content = leaves the original LUN and is fast and you can split the clone later if needed or throw it away

SnapRestore = restoring the LUN from a snapshot by change the pointers in the filesystem according to the blockmap = can take a long time and overwrites the content in the volume. Can also degrade performance until the snapshots are cycled through once

I'd always prefer FlexClone over SnapRestore.

Re: FlexClone vs SnapRestore (Lun level)

ALEX_BARANOV — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 10:31:03 GMT

FlexClone operation may use snapshot, netapp create temporary snapshot, or use snapshot, which already created. (File level FlexClone)

and as i understand, creation FlexClone "change the pointers in the filesystem according to the blockmap" too?

Re: FlexClone vs SnapRestore (Lun level)

peter_lehmann — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:45:22 GMT

Yes it changes pointers, but it know to differ for the content within the volume and the changed content in the cloned volume.