FlexClone shares data blocks with its baseline until divergence.

FlexClone shares data blocks with its baseline until divergence.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It always copies blocks at creation
• D. It never shares blocks

Answer: (A)

FlexClone uses copy-on-write data sharing. When you create a clone, the system doesn’t copy all the data blocks; both the baseline and the clone point to the same underlying blocks. Only when you write to a block does NetApp copy that block for the clone, causing divergence and giving the clone its own (modified) data while the baseline remains unchanged. Because of this, the clone initially shares blocks with the baseline and remains space-efficient until writes occur. The other statements aren’t accurate: blocks aren’t copied at creation, and blocks can be shared until divergence.

FlexClone uses copy-on-write data sharing. When you create a clone, the system doesn’t copy all the data blocks; both the baseline and the clone point to the same underlying blocks. Only when you write to a block does NetApp copy that block for the clone, causing divergence and giving the clone its own (modified) data while the baseline remains unchanged. Because of this, the clone initially shares blocks with the baseline and remains space-efficient until writes occur. The other statements aren’t accurate: blocks aren’t copied at creation, and blocks can be shared until divergence.