Write Anywhere File Layout


Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL) is an optimized file system for random writes.

It was developed by NetApp for NAS systems during the development of the Data Ontap operating system. Although in principle it was designed for NFS and clustered file system protocols, WAFL also allows the use of FTP and HTTP.

Since it has been optimized for access to data over the network, among native features there is, for example, the ability to extend file system space without interrupting the service. Additional features include support for large RAID array arrays and the ability to restart the system without the need for long latency due to latency for integrity checks due to system crashes or power shortages. Despite this, the system periodically performs integrity checks that may last for days.

His designer argues that this is not a file system, as WAFL provides a number of mechanisms that allow different file systems to access disc blocks. Links externalize the wikitesto

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