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Snapshots are a implementation of copy on write that allows for a file system to quickly take a point in time copy of the file system and provide access to the data through a .snapshot directory.
Snapshots are a implementation of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copy-on-write copy-on-write] that allows for a file system to quickly take a point-in-time copy of the file system and provide access to the data through a .snapshot directory. Snapshots provide a fast, user-accessible way to recover data that has been accidentally deleted or corrupted within a recent time window, rather than having to retrieve the data from comparatively slow tape backups. They also help to span the time gap between full backups.


We provide [[Snapshots]] on our [[ONStor]], [[SnapshotsNexenta | Nexenta]] and [[Snapshots:FluidFS | FluidFS]] filers to certain file systems.
We provide snapshots on our Isilon, ZFS, and FluidFS filers to certain file systems. If you are ever unsure if a particular volume has snapshots enabled, please contact the [[HelpDesk | Help Desk]].


Please see [[SnapshotFileSystems]] for a list of our file systems that have snapshots in the department.
==Snapshot Retention Policy==
Our core file systems in the department are on a 4 hour snapshot cycle.


==Snapshot Policy==
{| class="wikitable"
 
!Snapshot Name
Our core file systems in the department are on a 4 hour snapshot cycle.  Snapshots are taken at,
!Retention Length
 
!When is it taken?
{| style="color:green; background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|-
| 12am
|'''Hourly'''
| 4am
|24-32 hours
| 8am
|Every day 12am, 4am, 8am, 12pm, 4pm
| 12pm
|-
| 4pm
|'''Daily'''
| 8pm
|2 days
|Every day 8pm or 12am
|-
|'''Weekly'''
|1 week
|Every Saturday 8pm or Sunday 12am
|}
|}


We retain up to 8 hourly snapshots, 2 daily snapshots and 1 weekly snapshot.
In other words, we retain up to either 6 or 8 hourly snapshots, 2 daily snapshots and 1 weekly snapshot. Hourly snapshots may be superseded by daily snapshots, and daily snapshots may be superseded by the weekly snapshot.
 
The [[OpenLAB]] filesystems on which snapshots are available are listed on the [[SnapshotFileSystems]] page.


==Snapshot Restoring==
==Snapshot Restoring==
If you have deleted a file by mistake and you need to get it back, you can use the snapshots directory to recopy the file.


If you have deleted a file by mistake and you need to get it back, you can use the snapshots directory to recopy the file.  This directory can typically be found in your home directory; it will be prepended by a ., so you will need to use the command "ls -a" to find it. It will be one of three:
This directory can typically be found in your home directory. It generally will not be visible, even when viewing hidden directories.


* .snapshot for the [[ONStor]] (will be removed soon!) / [[Snapshots:NetApp | NetApp]] filers
'''It will be either''':
* .snapshots for the [[Snapshots:FluidFS | FluidFS]] filer
* .snapshot for the Isilon filer
* .zfs/snapshots for the [[SnapshotsNexenta | Nexenta]] / [[Snapshots:ZFS | ZFS]] filers
* .zfs/snapshot for the ZFS filer
* .snapshots for the FluidFS filer


An example:
The inside of one of these will look like:


Changing to my quotes directory.
Isilon filesystem:
<pre>
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ pwd
sattwood@coffee:~$ pwd
/nfshomes/derek/work/quotes
/nfshomes/sattwood
sattwood@coffee:~$ cd .snapshot
sattwood@coffee:~/.snapshot$ ls
nfshomes_2018-06-14_00:00  nfshomes_2018-06-15_04:00
nfshomes_2018-06-14_16:00  nfshomes_2018-06-15_08:00
nfshomes_2018-06-14_20:00  nfshomes_2018-06-15_12:00
nfshomes_2018-06-15_00:00  Weekly_nfshomes_2018-06-10_00:00
</pre>
</pre>
I see that i have a quote called  '''redhat_sole_source_2007.doc'''.
 
ZFS filesystem:
<pre>
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ ls
sattwood@swirl:~$ pwd
dlt_pdf_quote2007.pdf  Quote_300086759.html        redhat_solesource.pdf
/nmhomes/sattwood
dlt_pdf_quote.pdf      Quote_353511914.html        soleSource2007.pdf
sattwood@swirl:~$ cd .zfs/snapshot
dlt_quote.pdf          Quote_367512608.html        soleSource.pdf
sattwood@swirl:~/.zfs/snapshot$ ls
dy1014.xls            Quote_367884529.html        UMD_008.xls
zfs-auto-snap_daily-2018-06-13-01h00  zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-28-00h00
Quote_250530976.html   redhat_sole_source_2007.doc
zfs-auto-snap_daily-2018-06-14-01h00  zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-29-00h00
zfs-auto-snap_daily-2018-06-15-01h00   zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-06-03-16h00
zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-24-00h00  zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-06-10-08h00
zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-25-00h00  zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-06-15-12h00
zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-26-00h00  zfs-auto-snap_weekly-2018-06-09-03h00
</pre>
</pre>
FluidFS filesystem:
<pre>
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ ls -la redhat_sole_source_2007.doc
sattwood@zaphod:~$ pwd
-rw-r--r-- 1 derek derek 39936 Jan 23 2007 redhat_sole_source_2007.doc
/nfshomes/sattwood
sattwood@zaphod:~$ cd .snapshots
sattwood@zaphod:~/.snapshots$ ls
daily_2018_06_14__20_00  hourly_2018_06_14__12_00  hourly_2018_06_15__04_00  weekly_2018_06_09__20_00
daily_2018_06_15__20_00  hourly_2018_06_14__16_00  hourly_2018_06_15__08_00 
hourly_2018_06_14__08_00  hourly_2018_06_14__00_00  hourly_2018_06_15__12_00  
</pre>
</pre>
I will remove it from the current file system.
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ rm redhat_sole_source_2007.doc
</pre>
As you can see it no longer is there.
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ ls
dlt_pdf_quote2007.pdf  Quote_250530976.html  Quote_367884529.html  UMD_008.xls
dlt_pdf_quote.pdf      Quote_300086759.html  redhat_solesource.pdf
dlt_quote.pdf          Quote_353511914.html  soleSource2007.pdf
dy1014.xls            Quote_367512608.html  soleSource.pdf
</pre>
I am going to go into the last hourly snapshot '''hourly.0'''
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ cd .snapshot/hourly.0
</pre>
As you can see the quote is still here.
<pre>
[derek@novelty hourly.0]$ ls
dlt_pdf_quote2007.pdf  Quote_300086759.html        redhat_solesource.pdf
dlt_pdf_quote.pdf      Quote_353511914.html        soleSource2007.pdf
dlt_quote.pdf          Quote_367512608.html        soleSource.pdf
dy1014.xls            Quote_367884529.html        UMD_008.xls
Quote_250530976.html  redhat_sole_source_2007.doc
</pre>
I copy it back to the original directory.
<pre>
[derek@novelty hourly.0]$ cp redhat_sole_source_2007.doc /nfshomes/derek/work/quotes/
</pre>
Change back to the original directory.
<pre>
[derek@novelty hourly.0]$ cd /nfshomes/derek/work/quotes/
</pre>
And it is back.
<pre>
[derek@novelty quotes]$ ls
dlt_pdf_quote2007.pdf  Quote_300086759.html        redhat_solesource.pdf
dlt_pdf_quote.pdf      Quote_353511914.html        soleSource2007.pdf
dlt_quote.pdf          Quote_367512608.html        soleSource.pdf
dy1014.xls            Quote_367884529.html        UMD_008.xls
Quote_250530976.html  redhat_sole_source_2007.doc
</pre>


[[Category:Snapshots]]
For an example of file restoration, please see [[Snapshots:Example | this page]].
__NOTOC__

Revision as of 22:01, 6 December 2021

Snapshots are a implementation of copy-on-write that allows for a file system to quickly take a point-in-time copy of the file system and provide access to the data through a .snapshot directory. Snapshots provide a fast, user-accessible way to recover data that has been accidentally deleted or corrupted within a recent time window, rather than having to retrieve the data from comparatively slow tape backups. They also help to span the time gap between full backups.

We provide snapshots on our Isilon, ZFS, and FluidFS filers to certain file systems. If you are ever unsure if a particular volume has snapshots enabled, please contact the Help Desk.

Snapshot Retention Policy

Our core file systems in the department are on a 4 hour snapshot cycle.

Snapshot Name Retention Length When is it taken?
Hourly 24-32 hours Every day 12am, 4am, 8am, 12pm, 4pm
Daily 2 days Every day 8pm or 12am
Weekly 1 week Every Saturday 8pm or Sunday 12am

In other words, we retain up to either 6 or 8 hourly snapshots, 2 daily snapshots and 1 weekly snapshot. Hourly snapshots may be superseded by daily snapshots, and daily snapshots may be superseded by the weekly snapshot.

Snapshot Restoring

If you have deleted a file by mistake and you need to get it back, you can use the snapshots directory to recopy the file.

This directory can typically be found in your home directory. It generally will not be visible, even when viewing hidden directories.

It will be either:

  • .snapshot for the Isilon filer
  • .zfs/snapshot for the ZFS filer
  • .snapshots for the FluidFS filer

The inside of one of these will look like:

Isilon filesystem:

sattwood@coffee:~$ pwd
/nfshomes/sattwood
sattwood@coffee:~$ cd .snapshot
sattwood@coffee:~/.snapshot$ ls
nfshomes_2018-06-14_00:00  nfshomes_2018-06-15_04:00
nfshomes_2018-06-14_16:00  nfshomes_2018-06-15_08:00
nfshomes_2018-06-14_20:00  nfshomes_2018-06-15_12:00
nfshomes_2018-06-15_00:00  Weekly_nfshomes_2018-06-10_00:00

ZFS filesystem:

sattwood@swirl:~$ pwd
/nmhomes/sattwood
sattwood@swirl:~$ cd .zfs/snapshot
sattwood@swirl:~/.zfs/snapshot$ ls
zfs-auto-snap_daily-2018-06-13-01h00   zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-28-00h00
zfs-auto-snap_daily-2018-06-14-01h00   zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-29-00h00
zfs-auto-snap_daily-2018-06-15-01h00   zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-06-03-16h00
zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-24-00h00  zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-06-10-08h00
zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-25-00h00  zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-06-15-12h00
zfs-auto-snap_hourly-2018-05-26-00h00  zfs-auto-snap_weekly-2018-06-09-03h00

FluidFS filesystem:

sattwood@zaphod:~$ pwd
/nfshomes/sattwood
sattwood@zaphod:~$ cd .snapshots
sattwood@zaphod:~/.snapshots$ ls
daily_2018_06_14__20_00   hourly_2018_06_14__12_00  hourly_2018_06_15__04_00  weekly_2018_06_09__20_00
daily_2018_06_15__20_00   hourly_2018_06_14__16_00  hourly_2018_06_15__08_00  
hourly_2018_06_14__08_00  hourly_2018_06_14__00_00  hourly_2018_06_15__12_00  

For an example of file restoration, please see this page.