FlexVol to FlexGroup Conversion Fails

[BelaAtCU]

Hi All,

I got an error while trying to convert a FlexVol to FlexGroup on Ontap13.1P4

::*> volume show -volume volname  -fields volume-style-extended,state
vserver volume state volume-style-extended
----------- -------------------- ------ ---------------------
svm-blah volname online flexvol

::*> volume show -volume volname
Vserver Volume Aggregate State Type Size Available Used%
--------- ------------ ------------ ---------- ---- ---------- ---------- -----
svm-blah  volname aggr_02_2 online DP 111TB 16.99TB 84%

::*> volume conversion start -vserver svm-blah -volume volname -check-only true

Error: command failed: Cannot convert volume "volname" in Vserver "svm-blah" to a FlexGroup. Correct the following issues and retry the
command:
* Cannot convert data-protection volume "volname" because volume is not in a SnapMirror relationship. Create a SnapMirror
relationship with the volume as the destination and then try conversion.

Why would it have to be in a snapmirror relationship for a conversion?

Is it because it is a DP Volume? Can this be done without going through the trouble of creating a snapmirror? It's a lot of work and data transfer we do not want. Could I convert a DP volume to something else to allow a FlexGroup conversion?

Thank you for your insights,

Bela

[SpindleNinja]

That is odd for sure.    Is the volume in the destination list at all? 

[BelaAtCU]

Hi, Yes, it is odd. This Volume used to be a snapmirror vault but it has broken off and the relationship no longer exist. From what I have seen at previous conversions that it is picky about the order of the steps and also the states of the volumes, but nowhere did I see in docs that it has to be in a snapmirror relationship.

My suspicion has been the volume type DP that is the underlying cause. But of course it does not make sense.

Could the DP type be changed? Or is there  a way to force the conversion?

Thank you!

Bela

[SpindleNinja]

It could be affecting it.  The vaulting could also be affecting it.   Snapmirrors of type XDP are only allow to be converted.   
I'd also think that when the SM was broken it should have been made an RW volume as well.  

have you opened up a case? 

[chenguanghui]

hi:

  I see that your volume type is DP, the system version is 9.13, and if you are 9.12 and later, you have to convert the volume type to XDP

The following article is about how to convert DP volumes to XDP volumes

https://docs.netapp.com/zh-cn/ontap/data-protection/convert-snapmirror-version-flexible-task.html