Protecting Data Using Snapshots

Snapshots ensure that data stored in volumes is always recoverable.

NOTE: If a volume is deleted, all associated snapshots are also permanently deleted.

Merging primary and backup storage makes snapshots an efficient method to protect data. Because no data needs to be copied outside the array, snapshots can be created and used to restore data almost instantaneously.

You can restore a volume from either the local recovery point or the remote recovery point. The local recovery point is the last local snapshot taken for the volume. The remote recovery point is the last snapshot taken through replication.

Because snapshots are part of the converged storage and backup, and because they are so efficient, consider the implications when creating snapshots. For some applications, the amount of storage used for snapshots may equal or exceed the storage needed for the source volume.

Volume collections let you automate snapshot schedules based on common usage scenarios. Create your own sets, using the predefined collections provided as templates.

Even if you plan to manually take snapshots of volumes or use a third-party program to create backups, create a volume collection without schedules for volumes that are being manually snapshotted.