A snapshot is a complete picture of the files and directories in your file system at a specific point in time. Snapshots are either manually initiated, or automatically performed as part of a Snapshot Schedule that you specify.
The snapshot process includes saving both the data and the associated metadata to cloud object storage. For this reason, a snapshot consists of both a data phase (sometimes called “phase 1”) and a metadata phase (sometimes called “phase 2”). To be sure that data is protected in the cloud, both phases of each snapshot must complete successfully. Only then can you be certain that no unprotected data remains in the cache.
Various procedures, including the recovery of an Edge Appliance, require you to perform a snapshot, and to then verify that the snapshot has completed successfully. This ensures that no unprotected data remains in the cache.
This section describes how to verify that a snapshot has completed successfully.
Verifying that a snapshot completed successfully
To verify that a snapshot has completed successfully, follow these steps:
Log in to the NMC.
Click the bell-shaped Notifications icon at the top right.
Figure B-1: Notifications icon.
Click View all Notifications. The Notifications page appears.
In the Filter text box, type “snapshot”, then click "Apply Filter". The list is limited to notifications that include the word “snapshot”.
Figure B-2: Notifications list showing snapshot entries.
For the most recent snapshot, find the “Snapshot started” notification for your Edge Appliance and for your volume that contains the label “Data”.
For that notification, find the corresponding “Snapshot completed” notification for the same Edge Appliance, volume, and version number.
This verifies that the data phase of this snapshot completed.
Similarly, for the most recent snapshot, find the “Snapshot started” notification for your Edge Appliance and for your volume that contains the label “Metadata”.
For that notification, find the corresponding “Snapshot completed” notification for the same Edge Appliance, volume, and version number.
This verifies that the metadata phase of this snapshot completed.
Unprotected Files list
The Unprotected Files list on the Edge Appliance UI or the NMC is not sufficient verification that a snapshot has completed. The files in the Unprotected Files list are not yet protected, so any snapshots containing any of those files have not completed.
However, even if the Unprotected Files list has no files in it, that does not mean that all snapshots have completed. It could be, for example, that the data phase of a snapshot has completed, but that the metadata phase has not completed.
“New Data in Cache (not yet protected)” chart
The “New Data in Cache (not yet protected)” chart on the Edge Appliance UI is not sufficient verification that a snapshot has completed. The files in the “New Data in Cache (not yet protected)” chart are not yet protected, so any snapshots containing any of those files have not completed.
However, even if the “New Data in Cache (not yet protected)” chart has no files in it, that does not mean that all snapshots have completed. It could be, for example, that the data phase of a snapshot has completed, but that the metadata phase has not completed.