EC2 Snapshots, Restore, Fast Snapshot Restore Flashcards
What is an Amazon EBS Snapshot?
An Amazon EBS Snapshot is a point-in-time backup of an EBS volume that is stored in Amazon S3. Snapshots capture the volume’s state at the exact time the snapshot request is completed.
How does restoring from an EBS Snapshot work?
Restoring from an EBS Snapshot involves creating a new EBS volume from the snapshot. This new volume begins as an exact replica of the original volume at the time the snapshot was taken.
What is Fast Snapshot Restore (FSR)?
Fast Snapshot Restore (FSR) enables the immediate creation of EBS volumes from snapshots without the need to initialize the volume, thereby providing full performance of the volume as soon as it is created.
How does Fast Snapshot Restore differ from standard snapshot restores?
Standard snapshot restores require volumes to be lazily loaded, meaning data is loaded on access, which can result in slower initial performance. FSR eliminates this need, providing full performance immediately upon volume creation.
Can you enable FSR on any snapshot?
FSR can be enabled on any snapshot but it incurs additional costs. It is most beneficial for workloads that require quick scaling from snapshots and demand immediate, full performance from new volumes.
What are the use cases for EBS Snapshots?
EBS Snapshots are used for backup and disaster recovery purposes, migrating EBS volumes across AWS regions or accounts, and as a baseline for creating new EBS volumes.
How are EBS Snapshots charged?
AWS charges for EBS Snapshots based on the amount of changed data stored in Amazon S3. The first snapshot contains all the volume data and subsequent snapshots only store the changed data, which makes it cost-efficient.
What happens to EBS Snapshots when the original EBS volume is deleted?
EBS Snapshots persist in Amazon S3 even after the original EBS volume is deleted, unless the snapshot itself is manually deleted.
Is it possible to automate the creation of EBS Snapshots?
Yes, it is possible to automate the creation of EBS Snapshots using AWS Backup or Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) policies. These services allow you to define backup frequencies and retention periods.
What is the impact of Fast Snapshot Restore on the restore time of an EBS volume?
FSR significantly reduces the restore time of an EBS volume from a snapshot, allowing the volume to be fully operational with peak performance immediately after creation, unlike standard restores that can take time to reach full performance.
