Actually the license key is still in 5.1.2. The rules of what can change from 5.1 EA release to 5.1.2 GA release prohibit us from making functionality changes. 5.1.2 was intended as a bug fix release to clean up all the problems we'd seen in the Early Access of 5.1. You didn't ask, but 5.2 also includes the license key because the code freeze happened well before we changed our minds and decided to give away SnapCopy.

The SnapCopy product was intended to be the first release of a family of products using our BareMetal(tm) technology. Since it had limited functionality, we didn't get the incremtal (differntial) feature completed in time, we decided that we would just include SnapCopy as part of ONTAP. Although it doesn't make me unhappy to have all those folks with SCSI filers having a really cool way to move their data over to FC-AL disks, there really wasn't any ulterior motive, just common sense.

Keith Brown wrote:

Hi Alexei...

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Is volcopy the same as what snap copy was being touted as?

Yes.

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If volcopy requires a separate license, why not make it part of the basic OS instead?

Volume copy did initially ship as a component that required a separate licence, but it is now free. Contact customer service or your sales rep if you have a version of ONTAP that requires a license code to enable it. I believe you will find that our latest GA release, 5.1.2, does not though.

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That is, why does it require another license key?

Because initially it was supposed to cost money, but now it is a base OS feature.

Keith