FAS 2020: Is there any way we can get around the 100,00 folder limit for volume folders? Thanks in advance!

[stevewick7]

FAS 2020:  Is there any way we can get around the 100,00 folder limit for volume folders?  Thanks in advance!

[scottgelb]

I saw this for the first time at a customer.. it is the hard link limit of 100k per object and it applies to all controllers since an ONTAP limit.  Since each folder had a hard link ".." to the parent it hits the hard link max (would be 99,999 child folders since the parent has a "." hard link to itself).  You can have as many folders as inodes permit, but the limit here is child folders.  I asked if there were plans to increase and didn't hear anything so am interested to hear of it will be increased.  However, we found it was an application that created too many folders and was fixed...and in many years of doing this I have only hit the limit 1 time (and from a rogue application).  What application do you need that many folders?  Any way to create more parent folders?

[stetson]

I believe this limit  is a function of the amount of RAM in the system.  Approaching this limit will have some performance implications.  It's always good to plan and organize your directory structure.

This link may provide more insight:

https://now.netapp.com/Knowledgebase/solutionarea.asp?id=3.0.1700989.2593127

[scottgelb · Accepted solution]

This is the maxdirsize limit...but definitely could run out of inodes before that limit too..  https://now.netapp.com/Knowledgebase/solutionarea.asp?id=ntapcs3039   another link for snapvault hitting the hard link limit  http://now.netapp.com/NOW/cgi-bin/bol?Type=Detail&Display=292410  so a hard link limit that impacts subdirectory limits.

[scottgelb]

This doesn't apply to your 2020, but FYI that ONTAP 8.1 removed the object limit and is not limited anymore to 100,000 hard links.