NetApp SnapLock badly broken

Data Domain recently introduced Retention Lock. At the time I considered it a poor SnapLock rip off as it allowed privileged administrators to modify retention periods.

"So much for compliance or regulatory requirements.." I thought, "if anyone with the proper user permissions can decide to toast whatever they choose, whenever they want to."

But at least Data Domain tell you this up front.

What I didn't know until earlier today was that SnapLock is severely and utterly borked beyond belief it does not meet SEC, DOD or any other of the stringent retention requirements anyone said it did.

SnapLock isn't just broken, it's vulnerable to malicious attack.

...versions of Data ONTAP® prior to 7.2.5 with SLC have been found to have vulnerabilities that could be exploited to circumvent the WORM retention capability.

Okay so that's bad.

"NetApp cannot stand by the SnapLock user agreement unless the upgrade is performed."

Emphasis mine but that's worse since this product has been on the market for more than two years and how many SnapLock customers do they have? Hundreds? Thousands?

Right now none of those who aren't running 7.2.5 or above are not compliant and it turns out they never were.

You want compliant archival with the economics of tape and the assured authenticity of optical?

Centera is and remains the answer. For that and for other questions too.