diff --git a/first-network/base/docker-compose-base.yaml b/first-network/base/docker-compose-base.yaml
index 09d0023f..3601b703 100644
--- a/first-network/base/docker-compose-base.yaml
+++ b/first-network/base/docker-compose-base.yaml
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ services:
     - ../channel-artifacts/genesis.block:/var/hyperledger/orderer/orderer.genesis.block
     - ../crypto-config/ordererOrganizations/example.com/orderers/orderer.example.com/msp:/var/hyperledger/orderer/msp
     - ../crypto-config/ordererOrganizations/example.com/orderers/orderer.example.com/tls/:/var/hyperledger/orderer/tls
+    - orderer.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production/orderer
     ports:
       - 7050:7050
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ services:
         - /var/run/:/host/var/run/
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org1.example.com/peers/peer0.org1.example.com/msp:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/msp
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org1.example.com/peers/peer0.org1.example.com/tls:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/tls
+        - peer0.org1.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
     ports:
       - 7051:7051
       - 7053:7053
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ services:
         - /var/run/:/host/var/run/
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org1.example.com/peers/peer1.org1.example.com/msp:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/msp
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org1.example.com/peers/peer1.org1.example.com/tls:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/tls
+        - peer1.org1.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
 
     ports:
       - 8051:7051
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ services:
         - /var/run/:/host/var/run/
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org2.example.com/peers/peer0.org2.example.com/msp:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/msp
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org2.example.com/peers/peer0.org2.example.com/tls:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/tls
+        - peer0.org2.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
     ports:
       - 9051:7051
       - 9053:7053
@@ -103,6 +107,7 @@ services:
         - /var/run/:/host/var/run/
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org2.example.com/peers/peer1.org2.example.com/msp:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/msp
         - ../crypto-config/peerOrganizations/org2.example.com/peers/peer1.org2.example.com/tls:/etc/hyperledger/fabric/tls
+        - peer1.org2.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
     ports:
       - 10051:7051
       - 10053:7053
diff --git a/first-network/byfn.sh b/first-network/byfn.sh
index cfa78955..7f2f803d 100755
--- a/first-network/byfn.sh
+++ b/first-network/byfn.sh
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ function printHelp () {
   echo "    -f <docker-compose-file> - specify which docker-compose file use (defaults to docker-compose-cli.yaml)"
   echo "    -s <dbtype> - the database backend to use: goleveldb (default) or couchdb"
   echo "    -i <imagetag> - pass the image tag to launch the network using the tag: 1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.3, 1.0.4 (defaults to latest)"
-  echo "    -p - persist the ledgers of the containers to the ./ledgers/<container> directory"
   echo
   echo "Typically, one would first generate the required certificates and "
   echo "genesis block, then bring up the network. e.g.:"
@@ -113,20 +112,10 @@ function networkUp () {
     replacePrivateKey
     generateChannelArtifacts
   fi
-  if $PERSIST ; then
-      echo "Persisting ledgers to ./ledgers/"
-      mkdir -p ./ledgers/
-      if [ "${IF_COUCHDB}" == "couchdb" ]; then
-          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH up -d 2>&1
-      else
-          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST up -d 2>&1
-      fi
+  if [ "${IF_COUCHDB}" == "couchdb" ]; then
+      IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH up -d 2>&1
   else
-      if [ "${IF_COUCHDB}" == "couchdb" ]; then
-          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH up -d 2>&1
-      else
-          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE up -d 2>&1
-      fi
+      IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE up -d 2>&1
   fi
   if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "ERROR !!!! Unable to start network"
@@ -138,12 +127,11 @@ function networkUp () {
 
 # Tear down running network
 function networkDown () {
-  docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE down
-  docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH down
-  # Don't remove containers, images, etc if restarting
+  docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE down --volumes
+  docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH down --volumes
+  # Don't remove the generated artifacts -- note, the ledgers are always removed
   if [ "$MODE" != "restart" ]; then
-    #Delete any persisted ledgers
-    docker run -v $PWD:/tmp/first-network --rm hyperledger/fabric-tools:$IMAGETAG rm -Rf /tmp/first-network/ledgers
+    # Bring the containers down deleting their volumes
     #Cleanup the chaincode containers
     clearContainers
     #Cleanup images
@@ -331,11 +319,8 @@ COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose-cli.yaml
 COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH=docker-compose-couch.yaml
 # default image tag
 IMAGETAG="latest"
-# By default, to not use volume mounts for the ledgers
-PERSIST="false"
-COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST=docker-compose-persist.yaml
 # Parse commandline args
-while getopts "h?m:c:t:d:f:s:i:p" opt; do
+while getopts "h?m:c:t:d:f:s:i:" opt; do
   case "$opt" in
     h|\?)
       printHelp
@@ -355,8 +340,6 @@ while getopts "h?m:c:t:d:f:s:i:p" opt; do
     ;;
     i)  IMAGETAG=`uname -m`"-"$OPTARG
     ;;
-    p)  PERSIST=true
-    ;;
   esac
 done
 
diff --git a/first-network/docker-compose-cli.yaml b/first-network/docker-compose-cli.yaml
index 32ca66e9..0d3a40e2 100644
--- a/first-network/docker-compose-cli.yaml
+++ b/first-network/docker-compose-cli.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@
 
 version: '2'
 
+volumes:
+  orderer.example.com:
+  peer0.org1.example.com:
+  peer1.org1.example.com:
+  peer0.org2.example.com:
+  peer1.org2.example.com:
+
 networks:
   byfn:
 
diff --git a/first-network/docker-compose-persist.yaml b/first-network/docker-compose-persist.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 6e12b173..00000000
--- a/first-network/docker-compose-persist.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright IBM Corp. All Rights Reserved.
-#
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-#
-
-version: '2'
-
-networks:
-  byfn:
-
-services:
-
-  orderer.example.com:
-    volumes:
-      - ./ledgers/orderer.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production/orderer
-
-  peer0.org1.example.com:
-    volumes:
-      - ./ledgers/peer0.org1.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
-
-  peer1.org1.example.com:
-    volumes:
-      - ./ledgers/peer1.org1.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
-
-  peer0.org2.example.com:
-    volumes:
-      - ./ledgers/peer0.org2.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
-
-  peer1.org2.example.com:
-    volumes:
-      - ./ledgers/peer1.org2.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production