1.What are Snapshots?

Snapshots are complete copies of your entire virtual server, offering a future point that you can restore to. Unlike the automatic backups that operate on a schedule, Snapshots are created manually with the simple click of a button.

They are particularly valuable for performing updates, testing new applications, or any scenario where restoring system functionality or recovering data requires reverting to a reliable point in the past.

2.Advantages of Interspace Snapshots

• Saved in a Safe Place
  Interspace Cloud Snapshots are stored on RAID-protected storage. Going a step further, Interspace stores these copies in data centers strategically located at least 100 km apart from the data center where the server is currently running. This dual-location strategy significantly enhances data resilience against a wide range of threats, and it is provided at no additional cost.
• Full Server Copies
  Unlike typical snapshots, which capture only the server's changed state to require less storage and enable faster creation, Interspace Cloud Snapshots are designed differently. The conventional method can lead to performance degradation as the demand for storage increases. In Interspace Cloud however, snapshots are created as a complete copy of the virtual server. While these snapshots might take slightly longer to create, noticeable with very large storage sizes, they guarantee that your server's performance remains unaffected.

3.Creating and Restoring Snapshots

Creating and restoring the snapshot copies is intuitive and straightforward. Simply, sign into the My Interspace control panel, open the service related to the server, then open the Snapshots tab. Here, you can easily create or restore a snapshot copy.

• To create a snapshot, click the Create snapshot button. You will be prompted to enter a custom name to your snapshot for easier identification.
• To restore a snapshot, click the Restore button in the list of existing snapshot copies.

4.Managing Snapshot Copies

Within the My Interspace control panel, the Snapshots tab includes tools for managing existing snapshot copies. This interface presents a detailed table listing each snapshot, including creation and deletion dates, storage size, data consistency status, and available actions such as Restore, Delete, Rename, and Notes.

• Restore
  Revert your server to the state captured in a selected snapshot, ensuring rapid recovery from data loss or corruption.
• Delete
  Remove the snapshot copy.
• Rename
  Assign custom names to your snapshots for easier identification, facilitating quicker access and organization.
• Notes
  Add custom notes to each snapshot, allowing you to record important details or reminders about the snapshot's purpose or contents.

5.History of Restored Snapshots

Accessible via the History of restored snapshots button within the "Snapshots" tab, this interface provides a comprehensive overview of all past restoration efforts.

Upon accessing the history, users are presented with a detailed table that lists each restored snapshot by its name, alongside the date and time when the restoration was executed.

6.Data Consistency

When Interspace Cloud creates snapshots, it prioritizes creating a copy of the server with data consistency, aiming to capture the system's state at a moment when all data is synchronized and disk operations are completed. This approach ensures a seamless restoration to a specific point in time, without the need for additional data checks or adjustments.

It's important to note that some older operating systems, like Linux and Windows versions produced before 2012, may not support the creation of a data-consistent copy. In such instances, Interspace Cloud will create a copy without data consistency. These copies can still be used to restore the server to a specific point in time. However, starting the server after restoration may be similar to booting a system after a forced restart while it was running. This occasionally requires performing data integrity checks, such as verifying disk consistency.