Dell Solutions Enabler 10.0.0 TimeFinder SnapVX CLI User Guide

TimeFinder SnapVX overview

Dell EMC TimeFinder SnapVX creates and manages point-in-time snapshots of critical data that can be used for backups, decision support, and to refresh data warehouse, test, and development environments. SnapVX snapshots do not require target volumes. SnapVX snapshots share back-end allocations with the source volume and other snapshots on the source volume.

TimeFinder SnapVX is supported on arrays running HYPERMAX OS 5977, PowerMaxOS 5978 and higher, and snapshots are always consistent. Consistency across multiple arrays is achieved when source devices are in a composite group.

SnapVX reduces the steps to create and use point-in-time copies using two distinct activities:

• Create snapshot—SnapVX creates snapshots by storing changed tracks (deltas) directly in the Storage Resource Pool (SRP) of the source device. You are not required to specify a target device and source/target pairs to create a snapshot. A single source volume is allowed up to 256 manual snapshots, or a total of 1024 snapshots consisting of manual, snapshots, automated snapshot policies, and legacy TimeFinder snapshots. Each snapshot can be assigned a user-defined name and (optional) expiration date, both of which can be modified. One command creates a snapshot of single volume or an entire storage group.

• Link to target—Access SnapVX snapshots by linking them to a host accessible volume (target). Up to 1024 target volumes can link to snapshot(s) on a single source volume. The 1024 limit can consist of 1024 links to the same snapshot on a source volume or multiple links to multiple snapshots on the source volume.

  Snapshots can be cascaded from linked targets, and targets can be linked to snapshots of linked targets.

  If there are multiple snapshots and an application must find a particular one, you can link and relink until the correct snapshot is located.