When you create an SVM, the storage system automatically creates a default export policy called default for the root volume of the SVM. You must create one or more rules for the default export policy before clients can access data on the SVM. Alternatively, you can create a custom export policy with rules. You can modify and rename the default export policy, but you cannot delete the default export policy.

When you create a FlexVol volume in its containing SVM, the storage system creates the volume and associates the volume with the default export policy for the root volume of the SVM. By default, each volume created in the SVM is associated with the default export policy for the root volume. You can use the default export policy for all volumes contained in the SVM, or you can create a unique export policy for each volume. You can associate multiple volumes with the same export policy.