08 The snapshot feature

Topics:

• Snapshot features
• Difference between a storage space snapshot and a smart folder snapshot
• Automatic snapshots
• Creating a manual snapshot
• Applying a manual snapshot
• Creating an automatic snapshot
• Disabling/enabling automatic snapshot scheduling
• What happens when you delete a snapshot
• Deleting a snapshot

A snapshot is a copy of the contents of a storage space at a specific point in time. By restoring a snapshot (rollback), you can recover the contents that were present in the storage space when the snapshot was created.
You can create a snapshot of the entire Smart Storage space or of specific folders (smart folders) that you have created.

A snapshot of a smart folder is created only for that specific folder.
A Smart Storage snapshot is created for the entire storage space, excluding smart folders.

For example, if your Smart Storage space contains:

• 10 files
• 4 folders
• smart folder A
• smart folder B

The snapshot of smart folder A includes only smart folder A.
The snapshot of smart folder B includes only smart folder B.
The storage space snapshot (e.g. SSU1234567890) includes only the 10 files and 4 folders, including all their contents.
 

When creating an automatic snapshot, you must specify the number of iterations, i.e. how many copies of that specific snapshot you want to keep available (retention).
The number of iterations you specify will be deducted from the number of snapshots that remain available.

• Go to the Smart Storage details page;
• scroll down and select the Snapshot tab;
• in the Created snapshots / Manual (Available x of y) area, select + Create Manual Snapshot;
• in the Create manual snapshot window, choose what you want to create the snapshot for:
  • the entire Smart Storage space (e.g. SSU1234567890)
  • a specific smart folder, if available (e.g. smart-folder-name);
• select Create snapshot;
• the newly created snapshot will be listed in the Created snapshots / Manual section.

Applying a created manual snapshot

• Find the snapshot you created and select the three dots at the end of the corresponding row;
• select Apply from the list;
• in the window that opens, confirm the Apply snapshot operation;
• the snapshot is now updated to the time when it was applied.

To apply a snapshot, proceed as follows:

• go to the Smart Storage details page;
• select the Snapshot tab;
• in the Created snapshots section, find the snapshot you want to apply;
• select the corresponding Apply button.

For example, suppose you created:

• 1 manual snapshot A (Monday);
• 1 manual snapshot B (Thursday);
• 1 automatic snapshot (daily, starting on Tuesday).
  
  

If on Friday you decide to apply the automatic snapshot created on Tuesday:

• the manual snapshot from Monday will remain (because it was created earlier);
• the snapshot from Thursday will be deleted (because it was created later);
• the automatic snapshots from Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be deleted (because they were created later).
  
  

On the following day (Saturday), the automatic snapshot schedule will continue and retain the configured number of iterations.

• Go to the Smart Storage details page;
• scroll down and select the Snapshot tab;
• in the Scheduled / automatic snapshots area, select + Create snapshot;
• in the Schedule automatic snapshot window, choose:
  • what you want to create the snapshot for:
    • the entire Smart Storage space (e.g. SSU1234567890)
    • a specific smart folder, if available (e.g. smart-folder-name);
• choose the required parameters:
  • the snapshot status (enabled or disabled);
  • the frequency (hourly, daily, weekly or yearly) and any additional parameters (day of the month, week, hour or minutes);
  • the number of iterations, which must not exceed the number of available snapshots included in your Smart Storage plan;
• select Schedule snapshot to complete the setup;
• the newly created snapshot will be listed in the Scheduled / automatic snapshots section.

Disabling

• Find the automatic snapshot (Active) and select the three dots at the end of the corresponding row;
• select Disable from the list;
• in the Disable snapshot window that opens, confirm the operation;
• the snapshot status will change to Inactive;
• disabling an automatic snapshot does not delete it: snapshot scheduling is suspended.

Enabling

• Find the automatic snapshot (Inactive) and select the three dots at the end of the corresponding row;
• select Enable from the list;
• in the Enable snapshot window that opens, confirm the operation;
• the snapshot status will change to Active.

Deleting a snapshot is irreversible and results in the complete loss of the data saved in that snapshot.

Related guides:

Signing in to Smart Storage

The smart folder

Freeing up Smart Storage space

Renewing and upgrading Smart Storage