Creating instant volume snapshots

Last published : Jul 06, 2026
Instant snapshots let you create snapshots of volumes using compatible volumes in the same disk group or by creating compatible volumes and using them for snapshots. Using the Management Server console you can create instant snapshots for the volumes.
The operation is not supported on Windows host.
To perform this task, your user group must be assigned the Admin role on the host or the Server perspective. The permission on the host may be explicitly assigned or inherited from a parent Organization.
To create an instant volume snapshot
  1. In the Management Server console, go to the Server perspective and expand Manage in the left pane.
  2. Expand the Organization, Applications, or Uncategorized Hosts to locate the host.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Click on the Databases tab and locate the required database. Right-click on the database and select Create Snapshot.
    • Expand the host. Expand Disk Groups and select the required disk group. Right-click and select Create Snapshot.
    • Expand the host. Expand Volumes to locate and select the required volume. Right-click and selectSnapshot>Create.
  4. In the Snapshot level selection panel options wizard panel, select the Create volume level snapshot option. ClickNext.
See Snapshot level selection panel options.
  1. In the Create snapshot - snapshot type selection page panel options wizard panel, select the snapshot type as Instant. Click** Next**.
  2. In the Create snapshot - disk selection page panel options wizard panel, select the free disks from the list of disks. To search for disks using one or more filter criteria, click Edit. Click** Next**.
See Create Volume Snapshot - disk selection page panel options.
  1. If you want to create a different snapshot type for each volume, then on the Create snapshot - snapshot type selection page panel options click the Advanced button. In the Create snapshot - Advanced Options panel options wizard panel, clickConfiguration to configure the volume details of the instant snapshot selected.
See Create Volume Snapshot - Advanced Options.
  1. In the Create snapshot - Create instant snapshot wizard panel, configure the snapshot volume. Click Save to go back to the Create snapshot - Advanced Options wizard panel. ClickNext.
See Create Volume Snapshot - Instant Snapshot panel options.
  1. In the Configure snapshot - Configure snapshots summary panel, verify the configuration information. Click Finish.
  2. In the Result panel, verify that the snapshots have been configured successfully.
See About managing Storage Foundation volumes.
More Information
Creating space optimized snapshots for volumes
Creating mirror break-off snapshots for volumes