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What is the command to turn off automatic snapshot?

Published in NetApp Snapshot Management 2 mins read

To disable automatic snapshot copies on a volume, the command you need to use is vol options volume_name nosnap on.

Disabling automatic snapshots is a common task for storage administrators who need to manage data protection policies and storage efficiency. This command is specifically used within NetApp ONTAP environments.

Understanding the Command

The command vol options volume_name nosnap on consists of several key components:

  • vol options: This is the base command used to modify various options for a storage volume.
  • volume_name: This is a placeholder that you must replace with the actual name of the storage volume for which you want to disable automatic snapshots. For example, if your volume is named data_vol1, you would substitute volume_name with data_vol1.
  • nosnap: This option specifically targets the automatic snapshot capability.
  • on: When nosnap is set to on, it effectively disables or turns off the automatic creation of snapshots for the specified volume.

How to Use the Command

To turn off automatic snapshots for a specific volume, you would execute the command in your ONTAP command-line interface (CLI).

Here's an example:

vol options sales_data_vol nosnap on

In this example, sales_data_vol is the name of the volume where automatic snapshots will be turned off.

Practical Considerations

  • Impact on Data Protection: Disabling automatic snapshots means that the system will no longer create scheduled point-in-time copies of your data. This can affect your recovery capabilities in case of data corruption or accidental deletion. Ensure you have alternative data protection strategies in place, such as manual snapshots, replication, or backup solutions.
  • Performance and Space: Automatic snapshots consume storage space and can sometimes impact volume performance during their creation. Turning them off can free up space and potentially improve performance, especially on busy volumes.
  • Re-enabling Automatic Snapshots: If you later decide to re-enable automatic snapshots for a volume, you would use a similar command: vol options volume_name nosnap off.

By understanding and correctly using this command, you can effectively manage the snapshot behavior of your NetApp volumes according to your specific storage and data protection requirements.