IBM System Storage N series Hardware Guide

Core technologies

This chapter describes N series core technologies, such as the WAFL file system, disk structures, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) access methods.

This chapter includes the following sections:

•Write Anywhere File Layout

•Disk structure

•NVRAM and system memory

•Intelligent caching of write requests

•N series read caching techniques

11.1 Write Anywhere File Layout

Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL) is the N series file system. At the core of Data ONTAP is WAFL, which is N series proprietary software that manages the placement and protection ...