In an ONTAP unified storage system, which ALUA state is referred to as a direct path?

In an ONTAP unified storage system, the ALUA (Asymmetric Logical Unit Access) state referred to as a "direct path" is the Active/Optimized state. This state indicates that the storage path being utilized for communication with the storage array is not only operational but is also the preferred path for accessing the specific LUN (Logical Unit Number). This optimized path ensures lower latency and improved performance because the system is using the most efficient route available for data transfer.

When a path is designated as Active/Optimized, it implies that it is fully operational and providing direct access to the storage resources without any intermediate nodes or bottlenecks that might affect performance. This is essential in high-availability environments where optimal performance is critical for applications relying on fast data access.

In contrast, the other states such as Standby/Inaccessible indicate that a path is not actively being used for I/O operations, while Active/Inactive signifies that a path is operational but not optimized for performance. The Active/Failover state suggests that the path can take over in the event of a failure but is not the primary route utilized for access, thus not representing a direct access path. Hence, Active/Optimized is the most suitable option when referring to a direct