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As mentioned earlier, a snapshot can be referenced by a common name, in addition to a system defined snapshot ID. Snapshot names must be unique, and often incorporate a date, timestamp, and other context in their nomenclature.
Most users and applications are interested in referencing a snapshot relative to the HEAD version of data. Common naming schemes include, for example, “latest-weekly” or “latest-monthly,” for which the underlying snapshot ID changes as time goes by. Snapshot aliases provide for snapshot name indirection and enable the administrator to create user-friendly names, which can point at a different underlying snapshot over time.
Aliases are added and modified using the --alias option to the snapshot create and modify CLI subcommands, or through the snapshot schedule configuration pages of the graphical WebUI.
Only one alias per snapshot is allowed, which is enforced in the file system. Aliases also have an alias snapshot ID. This is provided as a convenient reference and to make interfaces consistent when referencing snapshots using IDs.