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Create snapshot volume

You create a snapshot volume to provide host access to a snapshot image of a volume or snapshot consistency group. You can designate the snapshot volume as either read-only or read-write.

About this task

The snapshot volume creation sequence lets you create a snapshot volume from a snapshot image and provides options to allocate reserved capacity if the volume is read/write. A snapshot volume can be designated as one of the following:
  • A read-only snapshot volume provides a host application with read access to a copy of the data contained in the snapshot image, but without the ability to modify the snapshot image. A read-only snapshot volume does not have associated reserved capacity.
  • A read-write snapshot volume provides the host application with write access to a copy of the data contained in the snapshot image. It has its own reserved capacity that is used to save any subsequent modifications made by the host application to the base volume without affecting the referenced snapshot image.

The process to create a snapshot volume is a multi-step procedure.

  1. Step 1: Review members for a snapshot volume
    Select either a snapshot image of a base volume or a snapshot consistency group. If you select a snapshot consistency group snapshot image, the member volumes of the snapshot consistency group appear for review.
  2. Step 2: Assign snapshot volume to host
    Select a specific host or host cluster to assign it to the snapshot volume. This assignment grants a host or host cluster access to the snapshot volume. You can choose to assign a host later, if needed.
  3. Step 3: Reserve capacity for a snapshot volume
    Associate reserved capacity to a read/write snapshot volume. System Manager suggests the volumes and capacity based on the properties of the base volume or snapshot consistency group. You can accept the recommended reserved capacity configuration or customize the allocated storage.
  4. Step 4: Edit settings for a snapshot volume
    Change the settings for a snapshot volume such as its name, caching, reserved capacity alert thresholds, and so on.