Dell PowerVault MD3000 Information Update page 9

After your server has been prepared, refer to the appropriate procedure in "Creating a Snapshot Virtual
Disk" in the User's Guide to either create the snapshot using the simple path or the advanced path.
If you want to use a snapshot regularly, such as for backups, use the Disable Snapshot and Re-create
Snapshot options to reuse the snapshot. Disabling and re-creating snapshots preserves the existing
virtual disk-to-host mappings to the snapshot virtual disk.
Preparations for Reusing Snapshot Virtual Disks
Before re-creating a snapshot virtual disk, refer to the following guidelines.
Disabling a Snapshot Virtual Disk
Disable a snapshot virtual disk if one of the following conditions exists:
• You do not need the snapshot now.
• You intend to re-create the snapshot at a later time and want to retain the associated snapshot
repository virtual disk so that you do not need to create it again.
• You want to maximize storage array performance by stopping copy-on-write activity to the snapshot
repository virtual disk.
The SMdevices utility displays the snapshot virtual disk in its output, even after the snapshot virtual
disk is disabled.
To disable a snapshot virtual disk:
1 Click the Modify tab, then click the Modify snapshot virtual disks link.
2 Click the Disable Snapshot Virtual Disks link.
3 Highlight the snapshot virtual disk to be disabled and click the Disable button beneath the list.
4 In the Confirm Disable Snapshot Virtual Disk dialog box, type yes and then click the OK button.
The snapshot virtual disk is disabled. The associated snapshot repository virtual disk does not change status,
but copy-on-write activity to the disabled snapshot virtual disk stops until the snapshot virtual disk
is re-created.
Preparing Host Servers to Re-create a Snapshot Virtual Disk
NOTICE:
Before you create a new point-in-time image of a source virtual disk, stop any data access (I/O) activity
or suspend data transfer to the source virtual disk and snapshot virtual disk to ensure that you capture an accurate
point-in-time image of the source virtual disk. Close all applications, including Windows Internet Explorer, to make
sure all I/O activity has stopped.
NOTE:
Removing the drive letter of the associated virtual disk in Windows or unmounting the virtual drive in Linux
will help to guarantee a stable copy of the drive for the Snapshot.
Information Update
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