Your Browser is Out of Date

Nytro.ai uses technology that works best in other browsers.
For a full experience use one of the browsers below
Dell PowerStore: Snapshots and Thin Clones
Executive summary Introduction
PowerStore overview
Snapshots overview
Redirect-on-write technology
Terminology
Snapshot operations Snapshot access Snapshot aging Snapshot properties Snapshot rules Snapshot interoperability Thin clone overview Thin clone operations Conclusion Appendix: Technical support and resources

Snapshots overview

Snapshots overview

  • Snapshots are the local data protection solution within a PowerStore system. They provide a method of recovery for data that has been corrupted or accidentally deleted. Snapshots are read-only objects and cannot be modified. This immutable property allows snapshots to serve as ransomware protection in the event production data is compromised. Snapshots are pointer-based objects that provide point-in-time copies of data that is stored in volumes, volume groups, file systems, thin clones, or virtual machines. Snapshots can be created either manually or automatically within a PowerStore system and are considered write-order/crash-consistent. To create application-consistent snapshots, use Dell AppSync where supported. AppSync ensures all incoming I/O for a given application is quiesced and flushed before a snapshot is taken.

    Note:

    • Because snapshots are not full copies of the original data, they should not be relied upon as a backup or as the disaster recovery solution.
    • A write-order/crash-consistent snapshot is not considered application consistent since the snapshot may not be a full representation of the application dataset at that point-in-time.
    • Typically, a host/client caches data with the intention to write it to the storage resource. Cached data is not available within the storage when a snapshot is taken without AppSync.
    • Snapshots also consume overall system storage capacity to preserve the point-in-time. Ensure that the appliance has enough capacity to accommodate snapshots.

    While the following sections outline the creation and management of snapshots in PowerStore Manager, snapshots can also be created and managed using the PowerStore CLI and REST API. Whether administrators take manual snapshots through PowerStore Manager, use the customizable snapshot rules, or create advanced data protection scripts, they can fully manage their storage environments using whichever method that they prefer. This ability leads to a powerful, flexible foundation for managing data protection regardless of the complexity of the use case or environment.