diff --git a/core/src/blocktree.rs b/core/src/blocktree.rs
index 4c11aa99ee..b6c360a03d 100644
--- a/core/src/blocktree.rs
+++ b/core/src/blocktree.rs
@@ -195,61 +195,151 @@ impl Blocktree {
     }
 
     /// Silently deletes all blocktree column families starting at the given slot until the `to` slot
-    /// Use with care; does not check for integrity and does not update slot metas that
-    /// refer to deleted slots
-    pub fn purge_slots(&self, from_slot: Slot, to_slot: Option<Slot>) {
-        let to_index = to_slot.map(|slot| (slot + 1, 0));
-        if let Err(e) = self.meta_cf.force_delete(Some(from_slot), to_slot) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
+    /// Dangerous; Use with care:
+    /// Does not check for integrity and does not update slot metas that refer to deleted slots
+    /// Modifies multiple column families simultaneously
+    pub fn purge_slots(&self, mut from_slot: Slot, to_slot: Option<Slot>) {
+        // split the purge request into batches of 1000 slots
+        const PURGE_BATCH_SIZE: u64 = 1000;
+        let mut batch_end = to_slot
+            .unwrap_or(from_slot + PURGE_BATCH_SIZE)
+            .min(from_slot + PURGE_BATCH_SIZE);
+        while from_slot < batch_end {
+            if let Ok(end) = self.run_purge_batch(from_slot, batch_end) {
+                // no more slots to iter or reached the upper bound
+                if end {
+                    break;
+                } else {
+                    // update the next batch bounds
+                    from_slot = batch_end;
+                    batch_end = to_slot
+                        .unwrap_or(batch_end + PURGE_BATCH_SIZE)
+                        .min(batch_end + PURGE_BATCH_SIZE);
+                }
+            }
         }
-        if let Err(e) = self.data_cf.force_delete(Some((from_slot, 0)), to_index) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting data_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
-        }
-        if let Err(e) = self
-            .erasure_meta_cf
-            .force_delete(Some((from_slot, 0)), to_index)
-        {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting erasure_meta_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
-        }
-        if let Err(e) = self.erasure_cf.force_delete(Some((from_slot, 0)), to_index) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting erasure_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
-        }
-        if let Err(e) = self.orphans_cf.force_delete(Some(from_slot), to_slot) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting orphans_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
-        }
-        if let Err(e) = self.index_cf.force_delete(Some(from_slot), to_slot) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting index_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
-        }
-        if let Err(e) = self.dead_slots_cf.force_delete(Some(from_slot), to_slot) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting dead_slots_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
-        }
-        let roots_cf = self.db.column::<cf::Root>();
-        if let Err(e) = roots_cf.force_delete(Some(from_slot), to_slot) {
-            error!(
-                "Error: {:?} while deleting roots_cf for slot {:?}",
-                e, from_slot
-            )
+    }
+
+    // Returns whether or not all iterators have reached their end
+    fn run_purge_batch(&self, from_slot: Slot, batch_end: Slot) -> Result<bool> {
+        let mut end = true;
+        let from_slot = Some(from_slot);
+        let batch_end = Some(batch_end);
+        unsafe {
+            let mut batch_processor = self.db.batch_processor();
+            let mut write_batch = batch_processor
+                .batch()
+                .expect("Database Error: Failed to get write batch");
+            end &= match self
+                .meta_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            end &= match self
+                .data_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            end &= match self
+                .erasure_meta_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            end &= match self
+                .erasure_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            end &= match self
+                .orphans_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            end &= match self
+                .index_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            end &= match self
+                .dead_slots_cf
+                .delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end)
+            {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            let roots_cf = self.db.column::<cf::Root>();
+            end &= match roots_cf.delete_slot(&mut write_batch, from_slot, batch_end) {
+                Ok(finished) => finished,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        "Error: {:?} while deleting meta_cf for slot {:?}",
+                        e, from_slot
+                    );
+                    false
+                }
+            };
+            if let Err(e) = batch_processor.write(write_batch) {
+                error!(
+                    "Error: {:?} while submitting write batch for slot {:?} retrying...",
+                    e, from_slot
+                );
+                Err(e)?;
+            }
+            Ok(end)
         }
     }
 
@@ -3494,6 +3584,26 @@ pub mod tests {
         Blocktree::destroy(&blocktree_path).expect("Expected successful database destruction");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_purge_huge() {
+        let blocktree_path = get_tmp_ledger_path!();
+        let blocktree = Blocktree::open(&blocktree_path).unwrap();
+        let (blobs, _) = make_many_slot_entries(0, 5000, 10);
+        blocktree.write_blobs(blobs).unwrap();
+
+        blocktree.purge_slots(0, Some(4999));
+
+        blocktree
+            .slot_meta_iterator(0)
+            .unwrap()
+            .for_each(|(slot, _)| {
+                assert_eq!(slot, 5000);
+            });
+
+        drop(blocktree);
+        Blocktree::destroy(&blocktree_path).expect("Expected successful database destruction");
+    }
+
     #[should_panic]
     #[test]
     fn test_prune_out_of_bounds() {
diff --git a/core/src/blocktree/db.rs b/core/src/blocktree/db.rs
index a8bdf2b042..dbfffce4b1 100644
--- a/core/src/blocktree/db.rs
+++ b/core/src/blocktree/db.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use bincode::{deserialize, serialize};
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
 use serde::Serialize;
 
+use solana_sdk::timing::Slot;
 use std::borrow::Borrow;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
@@ -86,6 +87,8 @@ where
 
     fn key(index: Self::Index) -> B::OwnedKey;
     fn index(key: &B::Key) -> Self::Index;
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot;
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index;
 }
 
 pub trait DbCursor<B>
@@ -409,22 +412,29 @@ where
         Ok(iter.map(|(key, value)| (C::index(&key), value)))
     }
 
-    pub fn force_delete(&self, from: Option<C::Index>, to: Option<C::Index>) -> Result<()>
+    pub fn delete_slot(
+        &self,
+        batch: &mut WriteBatch<B>,
+        from: Option<Slot>,
+        to: Option<Slot>,
+    ) -> Result<bool>
     where
-        C::Index: PartialOrd,
+        C::Index: PartialOrd + Copy,
     {
-        let iter = self.iter(from)?;
+        let mut end = true;
+        let iter = self.iter(from.map(C::as_index))?;
         for (index, _) in iter {
-            if let Some(ref to) = to {
-                if &index > to {
+            if let Some(to) = to {
+                if C::slot(index) > to {
+                    end = false;
                     break;
                 }
-            }
-            if let Err(e) = self.delete(index) {
-                error!("Error: {:?} while deleting {:?}", e, C::NAME)
+            };
+            if let Err(e) = batch.delete::<C>(index) {
+                error!("Error: {:?} while adding delete to batch {:?}", e, C::NAME)
             }
         }
-        Ok(())
+        Ok(end)
     }
 
     #[inline]
diff --git a/core/src/blocktree/rocks.rs b/core/src/blocktree/rocks.rs
index 4863f9e850..31318a26e4 100644
--- a/core/src/blocktree/rocks.rs
+++ b/core/src/blocktree/rocks.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use crate::blocktree::db::columns as cf;
 use crate::blocktree::db::{Backend, Column, DbCursor, IWriteBatch, TypedColumn};
 use crate::blocktree::BlocktreeError;
 use crate::result::{Error, Result};
+use solana_sdk::timing::Slot;
 
 use byteorder::{BigEndian, ByteOrder};
 
@@ -15,7 +16,8 @@ use std::path::Path;
 
 // A good value for this is the number of cores on the machine
 const TOTAL_THREADS: i32 = 8;
-const MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE: usize = 512 * 1024 * 1024;
+const MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE: u64 = 256 * 1024 * 1024; // 256MB
+const MIN_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE: u64 = 64 * 1024; // 64KB
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Rocks(rocksdb::DB);
@@ -40,16 +42,22 @@ impl Backend for Rocks {
         let db_options = get_db_options();
 
         // Column family names
-        let meta_cf_descriptor = ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(SlotMeta::NAME, get_cf_options());
-        let data_cf_descriptor = ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Data::NAME, get_cf_options());
+        let meta_cf_descriptor =
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(SlotMeta::NAME, get_cf_options(SlotMeta::NAME));
+        let data_cf_descriptor =
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Data::NAME, get_cf_options(Data::NAME));
         let dead_slots_cf_descriptor =
-            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(DeadSlots::NAME, get_cf_options());
-        let erasure_cf_descriptor = ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Coding::NAME, get_cf_options());
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(DeadSlots::NAME, get_cf_options(DeadSlots::NAME));
+        let erasure_cf_descriptor =
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Coding::NAME, get_cf_options(Coding::NAME));
         let erasure_meta_cf_descriptor =
-            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(ErasureMeta::NAME, get_cf_options());
-        let orphans_cf_descriptor = ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Orphans::NAME, get_cf_options());
-        let root_cf_descriptor = ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Root::NAME, get_cf_options());
-        let index_cf_descriptor = ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Index::NAME, get_cf_options());
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(ErasureMeta::NAME, get_cf_options(ErasureMeta::NAME));
+        let orphans_cf_descriptor =
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Orphans::NAME, get_cf_options(Orphans::NAME));
+        let root_cf_descriptor =
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Root::NAME, get_cf_options(Root::NAME));
+        let index_cf_descriptor =
+            ColumnFamilyDescriptor::new(Index::NAME, get_cf_options(Index::NAME));
 
         let cfs = vec![
             meta_cf_descriptor,
@@ -152,6 +160,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Coding {
     fn index(key: &[u8]) -> (u64, u64) {
         cf::Data::index(key)
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index.0
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        (slot, 0)
+    }
 }
 
 impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Data {
@@ -170,6 +186,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Data {
         let index = BigEndian::read_u64(&key[8..16]);
         (slot, index)
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index.0
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        (slot, 0)
+    }
 }
 
 impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Index {
@@ -185,6 +209,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Index {
     fn index(key: &[u8]) -> u64 {
         BigEndian::read_u64(&key[..8])
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        slot
+    }
 }
 
 impl TypedColumn<Rocks> for cf::Index {
@@ -204,6 +236,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::DeadSlots {
     fn index(key: &[u8]) -> u64 {
         BigEndian::read_u64(&key[..8])
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        slot
+    }
 }
 
 impl TypedColumn<Rocks> for cf::DeadSlots {
@@ -223,6 +263,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Orphans {
     fn index(key: &[u8]) -> u64 {
         BigEndian::read_u64(&key[..8])
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        slot
+    }
 }
 
 impl TypedColumn<Rocks> for cf::Orphans {
@@ -242,6 +290,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::Root {
     fn index(key: &[u8]) -> u64 {
         BigEndian::read_u64(&key[..8])
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        slot
+    }
 }
 
 impl TypedColumn<Rocks> for cf::Root {
@@ -261,6 +317,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::SlotMeta {
     fn index(key: &[u8]) -> u64 {
         BigEndian::read_u64(&key[..8])
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        slot
+    }
 }
 
 impl TypedColumn<Rocks> for cf::SlotMeta {
@@ -284,6 +348,14 @@ impl Column<Rocks> for cf::ErasureMeta {
         BigEndian::write_u64(&mut key[8..], set_index);
         key
     }
+
+    fn slot(index: Self::Index) -> Slot {
+        index.0
+    }
+
+    fn as_index(slot: Slot) -> Self::Index {
+        (slot, 0)
+    }
 }
 
 impl TypedColumn<Rocks> for cf::ErasureMeta {
@@ -334,11 +406,27 @@ impl std::convert::From<rocksdb::Error> for Error {
     }
 }
 
-fn get_cf_options() -> Options {
+fn get_cf_options(name: &'static str) -> Options {
+    use crate::blocktree::db::columns::{Coding, Data};
+
     let mut options = Options::default();
-    options.set_max_write_buffer_number(32);
-    options.set_write_buffer_size(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE);
-    options.set_max_bytes_for_level_base(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE as u64);
+    match name {
+        Coding::NAME | Data::NAME => {
+            // 512MB * 8 = 4GB. 2 of these columns should take no more than 8GB of RAM
+            options.set_max_write_buffer_number(8);
+            options.set_write_buffer_size(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE as usize);
+            options.set_target_file_size_base(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE / 10);
+            options.set_max_bytes_for_level_base(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE);
+        }
+        _ => {
+            // We want smaller CFs to flush faster. This results in more WAL files but lowers
+            // overall WAL space utilization and increases flush frequency
+            options.set_write_buffer_size(MIN_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE as usize);
+            options.set_target_file_size_base(MIN_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE);
+            options.set_max_bytes_for_level_base(MIN_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE);
+            options.set_level_zero_file_num_compaction_trigger(1);
+        }
+    }
     options
 }
 
@@ -349,8 +437,5 @@ fn get_db_options() -> Options {
     options.increase_parallelism(TOTAL_THREADS);
     options.set_max_background_flushes(4);
     options.set_max_background_compactions(4);
-    options.set_max_write_buffer_number(32);
-    options.set_write_buffer_size(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE);
-    options.set_max_bytes_for_level_base(MAX_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE as u64);
     options
 }
diff --git a/core/src/ledger_cleanup_service.rs b/core/src/ledger_cleanup_service.rs
index c464602419..3cc36c1be5 100644
--- a/core/src/ledger_cleanup_service.rs
+++ b/core/src/ledger_cleanup_service.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use std::thread;
 use std::thread::{Builder, JoinHandle};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
-pub const DEFAULT_MAX_LEDGER_SLOTS: u64 = DEFAULT_SLOTS_PER_EPOCH * 5;
+pub const DEFAULT_MAX_LEDGER_SLOTS: u64 = 3 * DEFAULT_SLOTS_PER_EPOCH;
 
 pub struct LedgerCleanupService {
     t_cleanup: JoinHandle<()>,
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ impl LedgerCleanupService {
         max_ledger_slots: u64,
         exit: &Arc<AtomicBool>,
     ) -> Self {
+        info!(
+            "LedgerCleanupService active. Max Ledger Slots {}",
+            max_ledger_slots
+        );
         let exit = exit.clone();
         let t_cleanup = Builder::new()
             .name("solana-ledger-cleanup".to_string())
diff --git a/multinode-demo/fullnode.sh b/multinode-demo/fullnode.sh
index 206e8d6757..ce45fe643e 100755
--- a/multinode-demo/fullnode.sh
+++ b/multinode-demo/fullnode.sh
@@ -259,6 +259,9 @@ while [[ -n $1 ]]; do
     elif [[ $1 = --no-sigverify ]]; then
       args+=("$1")
       shift
+    elif [[ $1 = --limit-ledger-size ]]; then
+      args+=("$1")
+      shift
     elif [[ $1 = --rpc-port ]]; then
       args+=("$1" "$2")
       shift 2