Snapshots allow you to back up and restore cloud computer disks. Before performing operations that could impact system stability, such as modifying registries or key system files, we recommend that you create snapshots. If a system error occurs, you can use these snapshots to restore the disks. This topic describes how to use snapshots effectively.
Background information
A snapshot is a stateful data file capturing the status of a disk at a specific point in time, enabling data backup and restoration.
This feature is currently in public preview and free to use. Once the preview ends, charges will apply based on billing rules. The end of the preview period will be announced in advance, so we recommend that you stay updated with our latest announcement.
Snapshots can be created either manually or automatically.
Manual snapshots: You can create a snapshot at any specific point in time to meet your business needs. During creation, you can define the disk scope. If the local administrator permissions are granted to end users, they can create, restore, and delete snapshots through their Alibaba Cloud Workspace terminals.
Automatic snapshots: By default, the system automatically generates snapshots for the system and data disks of each cloud computer. These snapshots are retained for three days and then automatically deleted. Additionally, you can set up an automatic snapshot policy tailored to your business requirements. The system automatically creates snapshots for cloud computers in the following scenarios:
For cloud computers associated with an automatic snapshot policy, snapshots are created at the times specified in the policy.
Snapshots are automatically generated before an administrator updates cloud computers or custom images. If the update fails, the system can roll back by using these snapshots. If the update succeeds, the system deletes the system disk snapshots but retains the data disk snapshots.
When changing the image for a cloud computer, a snapshot is automatically created if the image is a deleted custom image. The snapshot is deleted after the image change is complete.
Before an end user updates a cloud computer through an Alibaba Cloud Workspace client, the system creates a snapshot to enable automatic rollback in case of update failure. The system can create up to three snapshots for a cloud computer, each retained for a maximum of three days before being automatically deleted.
Automatic snapshot creation times:
No automatic snapshot policy applied:
Cloud computers created on or after August 19, 2024, 12:00 (UTC+8) in all regions: 22:00 to 06:00 (UTC+8) the next day.
Cloud computers created between June 7, 2024, 17:42 (UTC+8) and August 19, 2024, 12:00 (UTC+8) in the China (Hangzhou) region: 02:00 daily.
All other cloud computers: 01:00 daily.
To disable automatic snapshot creation, go to the Snapshots page, navigate to the Snapshot Management tab, and then turn off the System Snapshot switch.
NoteThis feature is in invitational preview. If you want to use the feature, submit a ticket.
Cloud computers associated with an automatic snapshot policy: The snapshots will be created by the system at the times specified in the policy.
Prerequisites
Before you create a snapshot for a cloud computer, the cloud computer must be in the Running or Stopped state.
Before you restore data from a snapshot, the cloud computer must be in the Stopped state.
Create a manual snapshot
Log on to the EDS Enterprise console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, select a region.
On the Cloud Computers page, find the cloud computer from which you want to manually create a snapshot and proceed with one of the following methods:
Click the ⋮ icon in the Actions column and select Create Snapshot.
Click the ID of the cloud computer from which you want to create a snapshot in the Cloud Computer ID/Name column. On the page that appears, click the Snapshots tab. On the Snapshots tab, click Create Snapshot.
In the Create Snapshot panel, configure the following parameters as needed and click Create Snapshot.
Parameter
Description
Disk
The range of disks for which you want to back up data. Valid values: System Disk and Data Disk, Only System Disk, and Only Data Disk.
Restore Point Name
The name of the restore point. The name must be 2 to 128 characters in length, and can contain letters, digits, colons (.), underscores (_), and hyphens (-). It must start with a letter but cannot start with
http://,https://, orauto.System Disk Snapshot Name
The name of the system disk snapshot. The name must be 2 to 256 characters in length and cannot start with
auto.System Disk Description
The description of the system disk from which the snapshot is created. The description must be 1 to 128 characters in length.
Data Disk Snapshot Name
The name of the data disk snapshot. The name must be 2 to 256 characters in length and cannot start with
auto.Data Disk Description
The description of the data disk from which the snapshot is created. The description must be 1 to 128 characters in length.
On the Snapshots tab, you can view the snapshot creation progress. After the status of the snapshot changes from In Progress to Succeeded, the snapshot is created.
Create and apply an automatic snapshot policy
Once you create an automatic snapshot policy, you can apply it to your cloud computers. The system will then automatically create snapshots for these cloud computers at the scheduled times.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, select a region.
On the Snapshots page, click the Automatic Snapshot Policy tab. On the Automatic Snapshot Policy tab, click Create Policy.
In the Create Policy panel, configure the following parameters as needed and click OK.
Parameter
Description
Policy Name
The name of the policy. Make sure that the name meets the on-screen instructions.
Repeat On
The days in a week on which the system automatically creates snapshots.
Created At
The points in time (UTC+8) at which the system automatically creates snapshots in a day.
Retention Period
The period of time for which snapshots are retained. Valid values: 1 to 180. Unit: days.
If the system creates more than 30 snapshots for a cloud computer, it automatically deletes the oldest one to keep the latest snapshot.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, select a region.
On the Cloud Computers page, find the cloud computer to which you want to apply an automatic snapshot policy, click the ⋮ icon in the Actions column, and then select Change Automatic Snapshot Policy.
In the Change Automatic Snapshot Policy panel, turn on the Automatic Snapshot Policy switch, select a policy, and then click OK.
In the confirmation message that appears, click OK.
After you apply the automatic snapshot policy to the cloud computer, click the ID of the cloud computer. In the Other Information section of the Details page, check the applied policy.
Restore data
If data is lost on a cloud computer due to system errors or incorrect operations, you can use snapshots to restore it to a specific point in time.
However, this process is irreversible, so proceed with caution. Restoring a disk from a snapshot reverts its data to the state when the snapshot was created, erasing any data generated between the snapshot creation and the restoration time. Before restoring, you must back up any important data to avoid permanent loss. You can create a snapshot for backup purposes or save data to another disk for future restoration.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, select a region.
On the Cloud Computers page, find the cloud computer whose data you want to restore and click its ID.
On the Snapshots tab, find the snapshot that you want to use and click Restore Cloud Computer in the Actions column.
If the cloud computer is not stopped, a message appears. Click OK in the message and wait for the cloud computer to stop. After the cloud computer is stopped, proceed as prompted.
In the Restore Cloud Computer panel, confirm the snapshot information and click Restore Cloud Computer.
ImportantYou can restore data for one disk at a time. Avoid performing other operations on the disk during the restoration process. Once the restoration is complete, the data on the disk will revert to the state captured in the snapshot.
After restoration, you will receive a notification to check the restoration result.
Delete a snapshot
You can delete any snapshots, whether manual or automatic, that you no longer need. Take note that the system automatically deletes snapshots once they exceed the specified retention period.
Before you proceed with the delete operation, review region-specific snapshots and assess whether they align with your business needs. Once a snapshot is deleted, any operations relying on its data will no longer be possible.
You can delete a snapshot by using one of the following methods:
Delete on the Cloud Computers page
On the Cloud Computers page, find the cloud computer whose snapshot you want to delete and click its ID.
On the page that appears, click the Snapshots tab. On the Snapshots tab, find the snapshot that you want to delete and click Delete in the Actions column. In the confirmation message that appears, click Confirm.
Delete on the Snapshots page
On the Snapshots tab of the Snapshots page, find the snapshot that you want to delete and click Delete in the Actions column. In the confirmation message that appears, click Confirm.
What to do next
If a snapshot is created from a system disk, you can create an image from the snapshot. For more information, see Create an image.