Cloud VPS Snapshots and 5 Best Ways to Use Them

Our new High-Availability Cloud VPS product has a new feature called Snapshots. With this feature, you can create a single backup of the state of your entire container, including running processes, and restore it back to that point at any time. The difference between snapshots and regular backups is that:

• A conventional backup file is a compressed, possibly encrypted archive
  • You can extract individual files from a compressed zip, tar.gz, etc.
  • You can extract the archive elsewhere to test the integrity
• A snapshot is a proprietary save point stored within a cloud infrastructure
  • You cannot restore individual files from a snapshot
  • You cannot usually restore a snapshot elsewhere to test the integrity

You can store the Snapshot free of charge for up to 7 days from their creation date before it is automatically deleted from the system. Within these 7 days you can choose whether or not to move that snapshot into any available Long-term Storage Slot in the Account Management Panel (AMP). Long-term slots can be purchased if none are available.

Weekly automatically scheduled snapshots will no longer be created by default. Note that you are limited to one Snapshot. The option for weekly scheduled Snapshots will still be available. You may re-enable it in AMP if needed. If you have already made changes to your Snapshot schedule from the default schedule, we will retain your customized schedule.

Below we’ll cover:

• Best Ways to Use Snapshots
  • Additional Snapshot Fees
• Create a Snapshot in AMP
  • Restore your Snapshot in AMP
  • Delete a Snapshot in AMP

Best Ways to Use Snapshots

Here are a few important reasons this technology is beneficial for your Linux server environment:

• Automated disaster recovery method to supplement a server backup schedule
• An easy and free recovery option without the need to download to a local machine or tape drive
• Secondary option to restore your server to a last known best configuration if compressed backups are outdated or corrupt
• Quickly revert to a last stable setup, instead of uninstalling software, if a recent misconfiguration disrupts application stability or availability
• A last line of defense to recover from cyber attacks

Additional Snapshot Fees

Long-term Storage Slots cost a pro-rated amount of $1.00 per month until your next renewal. For example, if you renew your server hosting package every six months and you have 4 months left, you would be charged $4.00. Then, you would be charged $6.00 once your plan is renewed to continue using the additional storage slot.

This fee is on a per storage slot basis. In the same situation, if you needed 3 storage slots you’d be charged $12.00 for the remainder of your term and $18.00 once your plan is up for renewal.

Create a Snapshot in AMP

1. In AMP, select Server Snapshots or Manage My Cloud Server within your Server Management panel and click Create Snapshot
   
    
    
2. Enter a name for your Snapshot and click the Create Snapshot button
    
    
3. You will see the following message letting you know the snapshot is being created
    
    
4. The page will automatically refresh and display your Snapshot
    
    
    
    

Restore your Snapshot in AMP

1. Select Server Snapshots, or Manage My Cloud Server, within your Server Management panel and click the Revert link to the right of your Snapshots name
    
    
2. A window will appear to have you confirm the restoration
    
    
3. This message will display letting you know the restoration is in progress
    

   Do not try to use any other server management tools in AMP while this is taking place.

Delete a Snapshot in AMP

1. Select Server Snapshots, or Manage My Cloud Server, within your Server Management panel and click the Delete link to the right of your Snapshots name
   
    
2. A window will appear to have you confirm the deletion
    
    

   After you confirm the process, this message will display letting you know the deletion is in progress

    

Any snapshot residing under “Free Snapshots” (short term storage) will be automatically deleted after 7 days from its creation date. If you’ve created a snapshot and need to hold on to it for long-term use you can easily drag that created snapshot from the Free Snapshots area to any of your available Long-Term Storage Slots.

You will not be able to move a snapshot from a Long-term slot back to the Free snapshots list after 7 days from the initial creation date. However, you can permanently delete it. Deleting a Snapshot from a Long-term Storage Slot immediately makes that slot available for storage of any other snapshot residing under “Free Snapshots.”

Check out related server configuration guides in our Managed VPS Hosting Product Guide.