Which NetApp feature allows rapid restoration of encrypted files after a ransomware incident?

NetApp Snapshot copies are the core feature for rapid data restoration after a ransomware attack. Snapshots are point-in-time, read-only, and space-efficient block-level images of a volume. Because they are read-only, they are immune to the encryption process affecting the active file system. An administrator can quickly revert an entire volume to a pre-attack Snapshot copy or restore individual files from it. This process is significantly faster than restoring from traditional tape or disk-to-disk backups, minimizing downtime and data loss.

A. FabricPool: This feature automatically tiers data between performance and capacity tiers (like object storage); it is not a primary data recovery tool.

C. MetroCluster: This is a synchronous replication solution for high availability and disaster recovery, which would replicate the encrypted data to the secondary site.

D. FlexClone: This creates writable clones from snapshots, primarily for testing or development, not for the direct restoration of production data.

1. NetApp, Inc. (2022). TR-4574: NetApp Solution for Ransomware. Section: "Recover," p. 12. It explicitly states, "NetApp Snapshot copies provide the first and fastest line of defense for recovery."

2. NetApp, Inc. (2022). ONTAP 9 Documentation: Data protection using Snapshot copies. This documentation details how Snapshot copies create point-in-time images for quick restoration.

3. NetApp, Inc. (2020). TR-4015: Snapshot Best Practices and Interaction with NetApp Technologies. Section: "Snapshot Technology Overview," p. 6. Describes the mechanism of Snapshot copies for instant data recovery.