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Element Software

Create a snapshot schedule

Contributors netapp-pcarriga amgrissino netapp-yvonneo
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You can schedule a snapshot of a volume or volumes to automatically occur at specified intervals.

When you configure a snapshot schedule, you can choose from time intervals based on days of the week or days of the month. You can also create a recurring schedule and specify the days, hours, and minutes before the next snapshot occurs.

If you schedule a snapshot to run at a time period that is not divisible by 5 minutes, the snapshot will run at the next time period that is divisible by 5 minutes. For example, if you schedule a snapshot to run at 12:42:00 UTC, it will run at 12:45:00 UTC. You cannot schedule a snapshot to run at intervals of less than 5 minutes.

Beginning with Element 12.5, you can enable serial creation and select to retain the snapshots on a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) basis from the UI.

  • The Enable Serial Creation option specifies that only one snapshot is replicated at a time. The creation of a new snapshot fails when a previous snapshot replication is still in progress. If the checkbox is not selected, a snapshot creation is allowed when another snapshot replication is still in progress.

  • The FIFO option adds the capability to retain a consistent number of the latest snapshots. When the checkbox is selected, snapshots are retained on a FIFO basis. After the queue of FIFO snapshots reaches its maximum depth, the oldest FIFO snapshot is discarded when a new FIFO snapshot is inserted.

Steps

  1. Select Data Protection > Schedules.

  2. Select Create Schedule.

  3. In the Volume IDs CSV field, enter a single volume ID or a comma-separated list of volume IDs to include in the snapshot operation.

  4. Enter a new schedule name.

  5. Select a schedule type and set the schedule from the options provided.

  6. Optional: Select Recurring Schedule to repeat the snapshot schedule indefinitely.

  7. Optional: Enter a name for the new snapshot in the New Snapshot Name field.

    If you leave the field blank, the system uses the time and date of the snapshot's creation as the name.

  8. Optional: Select the Include Snapshots in Replication When Paired check box to ensure that the snapshots are captured in replication when the parent volume is paired.

  9. Optional: Select the Enable Serial Creation check box to ensure that only one snapshot is replicated at a time.

  10. To set the retention for the snapshot, select from the following options:

    • Optional: Select the FIFO (First In First out) check box to retain a consistent number of the latest snapshots.

    • Select Keep Forever to retain the snapshot on the system indefinitely.

    • Select Set Retention Period and use the date spin boxes to choose a length of time for the system to retain the snapshot.

  11. Select Create Schedule.