Adaptec Storage Manager's snapshot feature creates application-consistent snapshots of your storage space for backup purposes. Snapshots are “pictures” of your data at a particular point in time. A snapshot sets up a link between one logical device in your storage space (the "source") and another logical device in your storage space (the "target"). When data on the source drive changes, the differences are captured on the snapshot drive.
If an error occurs on the logical device, you can roll back the data to the point in time when the snapshot was created. You can also use snapshots for tape backup, drive cloning, and multi-server roll-out.
There are two snapshot options: Snapshot Backup and Snapshot Nobackup .
You can create a snapshot on systems running Windows or Linux only.
You can create a snapshot of only one controller at a time.
The source logical device (the logical drive that you’re copying) and the target logical device (the logical device that you’re copying to) must be on the same controller.
The source and target logical devices may have the same or different RAID levels.
You can create up to four snapshots on each controller.
The size of the target logical device must be greater than or equal to the size of the source logical device.
You can not create a snapshot of a booted operating system volume.
You can not modify any information on a snapshot. (The data is read-only.)
To Create a Snapshot with Backup:
Caution! To avoid a corrupted snapshot, ensure that no files are open or in use on the source logical device before you begin this task.
To create a snapshot with backup:
In the Logical Devices View, click the logical device you want to copy.
In the menu bar, select Actions, click Create snapshot, select with backup to, then click the name of the target logical device.
Only logical devices that can support the snapshot are listed.
Click Yes to create the snapshot.
The snapshot is created on the target logical device; it appears in Adaptec Storage Manager with a camera icon beside it. (Show Me!)
To Create a Snapshot without Backup:
In the Logical Devices View, right-click the logical device you want to copy.
In the menu bar, select Actions, select Create snapshot, select without backup to, then click the name of the target logical device.
Click logical device to create the snapshot.
The snapshot is created on the target logical device; it appears in Adaptec Storage Manager with a camera icon beside it. (Show Me!)
Use your operating system- or third-party data backup tool to move the snapshot onto a tape drive or other server.
When a snapshot is no longer needed, you can delete it from Adaptec Storage Manager.
To delete a snapshot:
In the Logical Devices View, right-click the snapshot you want to delete.
Click Remove snapshot.
Click Yes to delete the snapshot.
The snapshot is deleted.