Home > Storage > PowerMax and VMAX > Data Protection > Dell PowerMax 2500 and 8500: TimeFinder SnapVX Snapshots and Clones > Creating host-accessible copies
Clone and SnapVX both create host-accessible copies. Clones are taken directly from the application volumes, whereas SnapVX applies the point-in-time image of a snapshot to other volumes by linking the volumes and snapshot together.
Only pointers are changed in both cases, and data is not copied. Host writes increase capacity consumed by linked targets and clones. Target volumes retain data after termination or unlink and can continue to be used.
Clones and linked targets can optionally be tagged as Business Continuance Volumes (BCVs). The BCV tag only helps identify copy volumes and capacity usage, does not affect functionality.
Best practice: SnapVX linked targets are ideal for host-accessible copies that may need to be refreshed periodically, or when multiple copies of a point-in-time are needed.
Clones are ideal to quickly create a single host-accessible copy of the current Storage Group image, and snapshots are not needed to preserve the point-in-time image or for other uses.
Best practice: Single SRP systems are the recommended best practice for simplified management and performance benefits of spreading workloads across all resources in the array. Rather the separating local array resources to protect against internal hardware failures, use SRDF remote replication for a higher level of protection external to the array.