Description:
While running fast recovery, "recover metaspace with data" may cause the shared_nothing data store file to grow exponentially on AS 2.1.5 Hf-06. A sample command that may cause memory growth is, 

as-admin> recover metaspace with data

Symptoms:
shared_nothing data store file are growing exponentially




Cause:
Running fast recovery on space will keep empty blocks in the data store files.

Upgrade to latest  AS 2.1.5 HF-13 / AS 2.1.6 version and use fast recovery: "recover metaspace with data". The workaround with AS 2.1.5 HF-06 folllows.

"recover space with data robast_load_olny option"

robust_load_only:

Available since AS2.1.4HF3 and onward. You can now enter the recover space command with a recovery policy of "robust_load_only." For example, enter,  

recover space "persisted_space" with data recovery_policy "robust_load_only"