Snapshot Management - Backup, Restore & Disaster Recovery | Nife

Snapshots provide point-in-time backups of your persistent storage volumes, enabling quick recovery and disaster management.

What are Snapshots?#

Snapshot Overview#

A snapshot is a complete backup of a volume at a specific moment in time:

Snapshot Features

Point-in-time backup: Captures complete volume state
Quick recovery: Restore volume to specific point
Data preservation: Protects against data loss
Versioning: Multiple snapshots for different times
Zero-downtime creation: Snapshots don't disrupt operations
Space-efficient: Only stores changes from previous version

Snapshot Benefits

Disaster recovery capability
Testing and development support
Accidental deletion protection
Version control for data
Regulatory compliance requirements
Rapid recovery point objectives (RPO)

Accessing Snapshots#

Opening Snapshots Dialog#

From Volumes Dashboard

Navigate to Volumes section
Locate application with volumes
Click application to expand
Find volume in the table
Click "Snapshots" button
Snapshots management dialog opens

Snapshots Dialog

Shows all existing snapshots
Displays snapshot details
Create Snapshot button
Restore button for each snapshot

Creating Snapshots#

Snapshot Creation Process#

Step 1: Open Create Dialog

Open Snapshots dialog for volume
Click "Create Snapshot" button
Create Snapshot dialog opens
Shows volume being backed up

Step 2: Enter Snapshot Details

Snapshot Name (Required)

Unique identifier for snapshot
Must be provided to create
Descriptive names recommended
Examples:
- backup-2024-12-29
- before-upgrade-v2.1.0
- pre-maintenance
- daily-backup

Snapshot Description (Optional)

Additional context about snapshot
Reason for creating snapshot
Data state information
Recovery notes
Team communication

Example Details

Name: backup-2024-12-29-morning
Description: Daily backup before scheduled maintenance. Database includes latest transactions and user data as of 2024-12-29 09:00 UTC.

Step 3: Create Snapshot

Enter snapshot name
Add description (optional)
Click "Create Snapshot" button
Confirm creation
Snapshot creation begins

Step 4: Monitor Creation

Snapshot appears in list immediately
Status shows "Pending" or "In Progress"
Creation may take several minutes
Status updates to "Completed"
Notification shows when complete

Snapshot Time#

Creation Time

Shows when snapshot was created
Records exact date and time
Helps identify snapshot point
Useful for choosing restore point

Duration

Snapshot creation usually quick
May take longer for large volumes
Size and system load affect duration
Completed status indicates readiness

Snapshot List#

Viewing Snapshots#

Snapshots Table

Column	Information
Snapshot Name	User-defined identifier
Description	Optional notes about snapshot
Status	Current snapshot state
Size	Storage size in GB
Created	Date and time snapshot was created
Actions	Restore button

Snapshot Status

Status	Meaning	Usable
Pending	Creation in progress	No
Completed	Ready for use	Yes
Failed	Creation unsuccessful	No
Restoring	Restore operation underway	No
Deleted	Marked for deletion	No

Snapshot Information#

Snapshot Name

User-provided identifier
Unique within the volume
Helps identify snapshot purpose
Displayed in list and dialogs

Description

Optional additional information
Shows reason for snapshot
Notes about data state
Context for recovery decisions
Displayed as "-" if not provided

Status

Current state of snapshot
Indicates readiness
"Completed" means ready to use
Affects available operations

Size

Storage space used by snapshot
Measured in GB
May be smaller than volume
Shows as "N/A" if not available

Created Date

Date and time snapshot was created
Formatted for readability
Helps choose appropriate restore point
Shows timezone information

Restoring Snapshots#

Before Restoring#

warning

Restoring a snapshot will replace current volume data with snapshot data. Any changes made after the snapshot was created will be lost.

Pre-Restoration Checklist

Verify you're restoring correct snapshot
Create backup of current data if needed
Check if data after snapshot is needed
Notify team members
Plan for application downtime
Have rollback plan ready
Verify snapshot status is "Completed"

Restoration Process#

Step 1: Select Snapshot

Open Snapshots dialog
Locate snapshot to restore
Review snapshot details
Verify correct snapshot selected

Step 2: Initiate Restore

Click "Restore" button on snapshot
Confirmation dialog appears
Shows volume being restored
Displays restoration warning
Requires explicit confirmation

Step 3: Confirm Restoration

Read confirmation message carefully
Understand data will be overwritten
Confirm you want to proceed
Click "Confirm" button
Restoration begins

Step 4: Monitor Restoration

Restoration starts immediately
May show progress indicator
Takes time based on volume size
Status updates to "Completed"
Notification appears when done

Step 5: Verify Recovery

Check volume is restored
Verify data is correct
Test application functionality
Confirm no data corruption
Check business logic works

Application During Restoration#

Service Behavior

Application may experience downtime
Services may be restarted
Connections may drop
Data temporarily unavailable
Plan for user impact

Recovery Time

Depends on volume size
Larger volumes take longer
Network speed affects time
System load impacts duration
Usually completes in minutes

After Restoration#

Post-Restoration Steps

Verify volume data
Test application functionality
Run smoke tests
Check user-facing features
Monitor for issues
Review logs for errors
Confirm data integrity

What Changed

Volume data matches snapshot
Any changes after snapshot lost
Application sees restored data
Previous version data gone
Current state overwritten

Snapshot Retention#

Retention Policy#

Define Your Policy

How long to keep snapshots
Based on regulatory requirements
Consider backup needs
Plan storage costs
Balance recovery needs

Retention Examples

Production

Keep 30+ days of snapshots
Daily snapshots
Weekly snapshots
Monthly archives
Quarterly retention

Staging

Keep 14+ days of snapshots
2-3 times per week
Less frequent than production
Testing recovery procedures
Cost optimization

Development

Keep 7 days of snapshots
Minimal retention
Quick cleanup possible
Less critical data
Lower cost

Deleting Snapshots#

Before Deleting

Verify snapshot not needed
Check recent restores
Confirm no compliance holds
Review organizational policy
Get approvals if required

Delete Snapshot

Locate snapshot in list
Look for delete option
Confirm deletion
Snapshot is removed
Storage freed up

After Deletion

Data permanently lost
Cannot be recovered
Storage space freed
No longer available for restore
May reduce monthly costs

Snapshot Best Practices#

Naming Convention#

Recommended Format

[purpose]-[date]-[optional-info]

Examples:
backup-2024-12-29
before-upgrade-v2.1.0
daily-backup-morning
pre-maintenance-week-52
recovery-test-2024-12-20

Naming Guidelines

Descriptive and clear
Include date when created
Indicate purpose of snapshot
Make it searchable
Avoid special characters
Keep reasonably short

Snapshot Frequency#

Critical Volumes

Multiple per day
Hourly for critical data
Daily minimum
Keep extended history
Test recovery regularly

Important Volumes

Daily snapshots
Weekly archives
Monthly long-term
Regular testing
Documented procedures

Non-Critical Volumes

2-3 per week
Weekly minimum
Monthly cleanup
Less frequent testing
Standard retention

Testing Recovery#

Validate Snapshots

Create test volume
Restore snapshot to test volume
Verify data integrity
Test application with restored data
Document any issues
Update recovery procedures

Recovery Drills

Test restoration process quarterly
Document actual recovery time
Train team on procedures
Identify bottlenecks
Improve processes

Documentation#

Snapshot Records

Document purpose of snapshot
Record creation date and time
Note any issues encountered
Track restoration history
Plan recovery strategy

Team Communication

Notify team of critical snapshots
Share snapshot locations
Document recovery procedures
Train on restoration process
Keep runbooks updated

Snapshot Monitoring#

Tracking Snapshots#

Monitor Snapshot Count

Don't accumulate too many
Delete old/unused snapshots
Clean up regularly
Prevent storage waste
Reduce management overhead

Monitor Snapshot Size

Track total snapshot storage
Identify large snapshots
Plan storage growth
Budget for costs
Optimize retention

Alerts and Notifications#

Get Notified

Snapshot creation completion
Snapshot restoration status
Storage capacity warnings
Retention policy violations
Failed snapshot operations

Snapshot Limitations#

Know the Limitations#

Snapshot Scope

Captures single volume only
Not application-level backup
Need separate backup strategy
Multiple snapshots for app
Coordination required

Recovery Point

Only to specific snapshot time
Lost changes after snapshot
Cannot partially restore
All-or-nothing operation
Must choose right snapshot

Operational Limits

Snapshot creation takes time
Restoration causes downtime
Large volumes take longer
System resource intensive
Plan accordingly

Troubleshooting#

Snapshot Issues#

Snapshot Creation Failed

Check volume status
Verify available storage
Check system resources
Review error message
Try again after waiting
Contact support if persists

Snapshot Not Appearing

Refresh the dashboard
Check volume exists
Verify permissions
Try different browser
Clear cache and reload

Restore Failed

Verify snapshot valid
Check volume accessible
Ensure sufficient space
Confirm application stopped
Review error details
Try again or contact support

Restore Takes Too Long

Check system load
Verify network connectivity
Monitor resource usage
Be patient, large volumes take time
Check for errors in logs

Snapshot Use Cases#

Backup and Disaster Recovery#

Regular backups for protection
Quick recovery from data loss
Disaster recovery planning
Compliance documentation
Long-term archival

Testing and Development#

Test destructive operations
Restore to pre-test state
Development environment cloning
Regression testing
Performance testing

Version Control#

Multiple versions of data
Time-based data history
Rollback capability
Change tracking
Audit trail

Compliance and Audit#

Meeting retention requirements
Regulatory compliance
Data preservation
Audit documentation
Incident investigation

Snapshot Best Practices Summary#

Creating Snapshots:

Create before major changes (deployments, updates, migrations)
Use descriptive names with dates
Include descriptions for context and recovery decisions

Restoring Snapshots:

Always test restore procedures quarterly
Verify correct snapshot before restoration
Create backup of current data if uncertain
Plan for downtime during restoration

Retention Strategy:

Production: 30+ days of snapshots
Standard: 14-30 days
Development: 7-14 days
Archive critical backups longer-term

Monitoring:

Clean up old snapshots monthly
Track snapshot storage costs
Monitor creation failures
Test restoration procedures regularly

Next Steps#

Managing Volumes - Create and manage volume storage
Volume Details - View volume information and properties
Export and Analysis - Export and analyze snapshot data
Volumes Overview - Return to volumes dashboard guide