Create a snapshot

Context

Snapshots are point-in-time backups of your applications and their data. They provide a safety net for your research work, allowing you to restore applications to previous states, migrate data, or create archives for long-term preservation.

Since application data sizes can be quite huge (and therefor exhausting the backup routines) and container orchestration is a complex task, there is always a risk, that snapshot creation and restoration could fail or bail out during the process to keep the main system running. 

Therefore, consider snapshots more as an additional oxygen tank than a complete deep-sea diving kit, and treat your system in such a way that you do not have to reset it due to negligence.

What you'll learn

  • Understand what snapshots are and when to use them.
  • Learn how to create snapshots of your applications.
  • Know how to restore applications from snapshots.
  • Develop effective backup strategies for your research data.

Prerequisites

  • At least one deployed application.
  • Familiarity with the Dashboard.
  • Understanding of your applications and their data.

What Are Snapshots?

A snapshot captures the complete state of an application at a specific moment, including:

  • Application data - All files, databases, and configurations.
  • System state - Current settings and customizations.
  • Metadata - Information about when and how the snapshot was created.
  • Integrity verification - Checksums to ensure data hasn't been corrupted.

Snapshot Types by Application

Database Snapshots

  • SQL Databases - Complete database dumps with all tables and data.
  • Triplestores - RDF data exports in N-Quads format.

File System Snapshots

  • Shared Folders - Not (yet) implemented.
  • WissKI Data - Drupal files, uploaded content, and configurations.

Environment Snapshots

  • WissKI Environments - All components within a WissKI environment (Drupal root directory + database + triplestore).
  • Nextcloud - Not possible.
  • JupyterHub - Not possible.
  • Webprotégé - Not possible.

When to Create Snapshots

Before Major Changes

Always create a snapshot before:

  • Updating software or configurations.
  • Importing large datasets.
  • Making structural changes to your data model.
  • Experimenting with new features.
  • Before vacation or extended absences.
  • At project milestones.

Data Preservation

Create snapshots for:

  • Archiving completed projects.
  • Meeting institutional data retention requirements.
  • Sharing data with collaborators.
  • Creating stable versions for publication.

Creating Snapshots

From Your Dashboard

  1. Navigate to your Dashboard.
  2. Find the application you want to back up.
  3. Click on the application to open its detail page.
  4. Look for the "Create Snapshot" option.
  5. Provide a descriptive name for your snapshot.
  6. Add notes explaining what the snapshot contains.
  7. Click "Create" to start the backup process (only two snapshots a a time are allowed).

Snapshot Naming Best Practices

  • Use descriptive names - "pre-migration-backup" rather than "backup1".
  • Include dates - "project-data-2025-01-15".
  • Note the purpose - "before-ontology-update".
  • Add version information - "v2-final-submission".

Managing Your Snapshots

Viewing Snapshots

Access your snapshots through:

  • Individual application detail pages.
  • The Administration area under "SODa SCS Snapshots".
  • Your Dashboard's snapshot management section.

Snapshot Information

Each snapshot displays:

  • Creation date and time
  • Application type and name
  • File size and checksum
  • Description and notes
  • Creator information

Troubleshooting

Snapshot Creation Fails

  • Check available storage space.
  • Ensure the application is running properly.
  • Contact administrators if the issue persists.

Additional Resources