---
title: "Cloud server network volume snapshots"
sidebar_label: "Disk snapshots"
sidebar_position: 7
description: "What snapshots can be used for, how to create a snapshot, restore data from it, and delete a snapshot"
---

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs'
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem'
import MoreVerticalIcon from '@selectel/docux/icons/more-vertical'
import {CustomTable} from '@selectel/docux/components'
import {TabItemLabel} from '@selectel/docux/components'
import Formbricks from '@theme/MDXComponents/Formbricks'

# Cloud server network volume snapshots

A snapshot is an instant image of a network volume's state, a copy of its file system.

You can use a snapshot to capture the state of a disk without interrupting its operation, in order to:

* clone a disk — to do this, you can [create a new disk](/cloud-servers/volumes/create-volume.mdx) from a snapshot or [restore data to a new disk](#restore-data-from-snapshot). You can restore to a disk immediately after creating a snapshot;
* clone a cloud server — [create a new cloud server](/cloud-servers/create/create-server.mdx) from a snapshot;
* change the disk type — save the state of a disk using a snapshot and create an identical disk, but with a different type.

Access to snapshots is controlled by a role model. For more details, see the instructions [Manage access to cloud server network volumes and snapshots](/cloud-servers/volumes/manage-access.mdx).

## How it works \{#principle-of-operation}

The size of a snapshot can exceed the actual volume of data and files on the disk. The snapshot size includes file system blocks and "dirty data" that appears when files are overwritten or deleted.

![](https://423.selcdn.ru/kb/volumes-snapshots-principle-of-operation-LANG-THEME.png)

Snapshots can only be created for [network volumes](/cloud-servers/volumes/about-network-volumes.mdx). A maximum of five snapshots can be created for each disk.

A snapshot is not a backup of a cloud server network volume — it is stored on the same hardware, requires the primary storage to be available for any operation, and is deleted along with the disk. If you need to capture the state of a disk and store it for a long period, [create a backup](/cloud-servers/backups/create-backup.mdx#create-backup) or [create a disk image](/cloud-servers/images/create-image.mdx#create-image-from-volume) instead of a snapshot. If you want to configure automatic backup of a network volume, [configure scheduled backups](/cloud-servers/backups/create-backup.mdx#configure-scheduled-backups).

A snapshot cannot be downloaded, but you can [create a disk image](/cloud-servers/images/create-image.mdx#create-image-from-volume) and [download the image](/cloud-servers/images/download-image.mdx).

You can view alternative ways to back up cloud servers in the [Backup methods](/cloud-servers/backups/backup-methods.mdx#backup-methods) table.

## Pricing \{#price}

Snapshots are billed according to the [cloud platform payment model](/cloud-servers/about/payment.mdx#payment-model).

Every GB of snapshots in `AVAILABLE` or `RESTORING` status is billed. Snapshots in other statuses are not billed.

The cost of a snapshot is equal to the cost of the network volume from which it was created and depends on the [disk type](/cloud-servers/volumes/about-network-volumes.mdx#network-volume-types). The storage cost of a created snapshot does not change when the disk size is changed.

:::note

For example, you have a network volume of the Base HDD type with a size of 5 GB, and the snapshot size is 1 GB.

The cost of a 5 GB disk per hour is 0.05 ₽. For a snapshot, you pay the same as for the original disk size (5 GB) — 0.05 ₽ per hour.

If you increase the disk size, for example to 7 GB, the snapshot will continue to be billed as before.

:::

<br />

Every disk snapshot is billed, even if there are multiple snapshots.

:::note

For example, you have a 5 GB network volume. The cost of a 5 GB disk per hour is 0.05 ₽. You created three snapshots; each costs 0.05 ₽ per hour, regardless of the size of the data on the disk. For three snapshots, you pay 0.15 ₽ per hour.

:::

<br />

The actual size of a snapshot can be viewed in the [Control Panel](https://my.selectel.ru/vpc/default/volumes/): in the top menu, click **Products** → **Cloud Servers** → the **Volumes** section → the volume page → the **Snapshots**. You can also view the total billable volume of snapshots in the [Control Panel](https://my.selectel.ru/vpc/cost): in the top menu, click **Products** → **Cloud Servers** → the **Platform Consumption** section → the **Current cost**.

You can view the cost per GB of snapshots at [selectel.ru](https://selectel.ru/prices/).

## Create a snapshot \{#create-snapshot}

For each disk, you can create no more than five snapshots. To increase the limit, [create a ticket](https://my.selectel.ru/tickets/create/).

<Tabs queryString="create-snapshot">
  <TabItem value="panel" default>
    <TabItemLabel>
      Control panel
    </TabItemLabel>

    A snapshot can be created for network volumes in `AVAILABLE` and `IN-USE` statuses. When creating a snapshot, the name is set automatically as `snap-creationdate_creationtime`, for example `snap-14.05.21_14.43`

    1. In the [control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/vpc/default/images/), in the top menu, click **Products** and select **Cloud Servers**.
    2. Go to the **Disks** section.
    3. Open the disk page → **Snapshots** tab.
    4. Click **Create snapshot**.
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem value="openstack">
    <TabItemLabel>
      OpenStack CLI
    </TabItemLabel>

    1. [Open the OpenStack CLI](/cloud-servers/tools/openstack-cli/).
    2. Create a snapshot:

       ```bash
       openstack volume snapshot create --volume <volume> <snapshot_name>
       ```

       Specify:

       * `<volume>` — volume ID or name. You can view the list using `openstack volume list`
       * `<snapshot_name>` — snapshot name.
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Restore data from a snapshot \{#restore-data-from-snapshot}

You can create a new network volume from a snapshot. The disk will be a copy of the state that was on the original disk at the moment the snapshot was created.

1. In the [control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/vpc/default/images/), in the top menu, click **Products** and select **Cloud Servers**.
2. Go to the **Disks** section.
3. Open the disk page → **Snapshots** tab.
4. In the <MoreVerticalIcon /> menu for the snapshot, select **Create disk from snapshot**.
5. Optional: [replace the boot disk](/cloud-servers/volumes/attach-detach-volume.mdx#replace-boot-volume) of the cloud server with the restored one or [attach the restored disk](/cloud-servers/volumes/attach-detach-volume.mdx#attach-network-volume-to-server) to the server as an additional volume.

## Snapshot statuses \{#snapshot-statuses}

1. In the [control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/vpc/default/images/), in the top menu, click **Products** and select **Cloud Servers**.
2. Go to the **Disks** section.
3. Open the disk page → **Snapshots** tab.
4. View the status in the snapshot row → **Status** column.

   <CustomTable>
     <table>
       <tbody>
         <tr>
           <th>CREATING</th><td>The snapshot is being created</td>
         </tr>

         <tr>
           <th>AVAILABLE</th><td>The snapshot has been successfully created; you can restore data from it. Snapshots in this status are billable</td>
         </tr>

         <tr>
           <th>RESTORING</th><td>Snapshot data is being restored to the disk. Snapshots in this status are billable</td>
         </tr>

         <tr>
           <th>ERROR</th><td>An error occurred during snapshot creation</td>
         </tr>

         <tr>
           <th>ERROR-DELETING</th><td>An error occurred during snapshot deletion</td>
         </tr>

         <tr>
           <th>DELETING</th><td>The snapshot is being deleted</td>
         </tr>

         <tr>
           <th>DELETED</th><td>The snapshot has been deleted</td>
         </tr>
       </tbody>
     </table>
   </CustomTable>

## Delete a snapshot \{#delete-snapshot}

You can delete a snapshot when [deleting a disk](/cloud-servers/volumes/delete-volume.mdx) or separately.

<Tabs queryString="delete-snapshot">
  <TabItem value="panel" default>
    <TabItemLabel>
      Control panel
    </TabItemLabel>

    1. In the [control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/vpc/default/volumes/), in the top menu, click **Products** and select **Cloud Servers**.
    2. Go to the **Disks** section.
    3. Open the disk page → **Snapshots** tab.
    4. In the <MoreVerticalIcon /> menu for the snapshot, select **Delete**.
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem value="openstack">
    <TabItemLabel>
      OpenStack CLI
    </TabItemLabel>

    1. [Open the OpenStack CLI](/cloud-servers/tools/openstack-cli/).
    2. Delete the snapshot:

       ```bash
       openstack volume snapshot delete <snapshot>
       ```

       Specify `<snapshot>` — snapshot ID or name. You can view the list using `openstack volume snapshot list`
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

<Formbricks />