When a Grid is attached or detached, a snapshot of the Grid's current state is captured and stored on an external FTP server. You can use these snapshots to reset the Grid to a known state on failure. You can also save snapshot as a template and use it to create multiple Grids of the same DNS, DHCP and IPAM configuration. The snapshot is captured during the attach and detach operations and manually. All the snapshots are stored on an external storage FTP server and can be retrieved at any point of time. The external storage must be up and running to complete the snapshot process. A snapshot archive file is saved as a tar file in the external storage server. This file is not encrypted, however, sensitive information such as passwords are. The Multi-Grid Master follows a definite file format structure to store archive files. For more information, see /wiki/spaces/mgmadminguide/pages/911183748 and /wiki/spaces/mgmadminguide/pages/911183748.
The Failed Snapshot status occurs when there is no:

connection between the Master Grid and the external storage server
space in the external storage server for the snapshot

Note: During the attach or detach operation if the snapshot fails, the attach or detach operation will also fail. The Multi-Grid Manager logs the event in the syslog.

Managing Snapshot Information

Snapshots are captured only if the external storage server is configured and enabled. If it is not configured or enabled, the Snapshot Manager wizard displays an error message when you try to perform any action in the wizard. For more information on external storage server, see /wiki/spaces/mgmadminguide/pages/911183748. Make sure you have appropriate permissions to perform the tasks listed below. For more information on permissions, /wiki/spaces/mgmadminguide/pages/911181481. You must first validate your credentials against a Grid in your User Profile to gain appropriate access permissions. For more information, see /wiki/spaces/mgmadminguide/pages/911180119.
Validating your credentials against a Grid allows you to perform the following tasks from the Multi-Grid Master:

Manually add a snapshot, as described in 19282629
Save a snapshot as a template, as described in 19282629
Create a duplicate copy of a snapshot, as described in 19282629
View the difference between two snapshots, as described in 19282629
Apply snapshot to a Grid to reset its configuration, as described in 19282629.
Delete a snapshot, as described in 19282629

Tip: Alternatively, you can use the Action icon to perform the above tasks.

You can do the following in the Snapshot Manager wizard:

Download: Download the snapshot list.
Export: Export the data in .csv file.
Print: Print the snapshot list.

Adding Snapshot to a Grid

You can manually add a snapshot and save snapshot as a template. Make sure that the external storage server is up and running. You cannot add or save a snapshot if a Grid is offline.
To manually add a snapshot:

Login to the Master Grid.
From the Grid tab, click the List tab.
Select a Grid and click the Snapshot Manager icon.
Click Add.
In the Name text box, enter the name of the snapshot.
Click the drop down list in the Save icon and click Save as Snapshot. The snapshot will be added manually to the list.

Saving Snapshot as a Template

The audit log and lease history information is not preserved when a snapshot is converted to a template.

Login to the Master Grid.
From the Grid tab, click the List tab.
Select a Grid and click the Snapshot Manager icon.
Click Add.
In the Name text box, enter the name of the template.
Click the list in the Save icon and click Save as Template to save as a template. The saved template will be available in the Grid Templates panel.

Cloning Snapshots

You can duplicate an existing snapshot and save it as a template. The snapshot will have a copy of the Grid data. The data in a snapshot is based on the settings in the Snapshot tab of the Grid Editor wizard. You can clone a snapshot only if the external storage server is up and running.
To clone a snapshot:

Log in to the Master Grid.
From the Grid tab, click the List tab.
Select a Grid and click the Snapshot Manager icon.
Click Clone.
In the Name text box, enter the name of the template.
Click Save as Template to save it as a template.

The saved template will be available in the Grid Templates panel.

Disabling Snapshots Synchronization

You can disable synchronization of snapshots from the managed Grids to the Multi-Grid Master. To disable synchronization of snapshots of the managed Grid:

Log in to the managed Grid. Make sure that the Grid remains joined with the Multi-Grid Master.
From the Grid tab, select the Grid Manager tab.
Expand the Toolbar and select Grid Properties -> Edit.
In the Security tab, do the following:

Disable database snapshot sync to MGM: Select this checkbox to disable the synchronization of snapshots from the managed Grid to the Multi-Grid Master. This option is available only when the managed Grid remains joined with the Multi-Grid Master.

Save the configuration.

Delta Viewer

Delta Viewer displays the difference between two snapshots taken at different periods of time. You can view difference if the external storage is up and running. In the Snapshot Manager wizard, you are able to select two different snapshots and launch the Delta Viewer wizard. The Delta Viewer wizard displays the difference between the selected snapshots. Make sure that you select two different snapshots. You can download the delta results in the
.tar.gz format (zip file) to your local folder

Note: There is a small possibility that some of the audit records may not be replicated from the previous Active node to the new one during an HA failover. Therefore, you may not be able to view these records in the Delta Viewer.

To view the difference between two snapshots:

Login to the Master Grid.
From the Grid tab, click the List tab.
Select a Grid and click the Snapshot Manager icon.
Click Delta Viewer.
From the Base Snapshot drop down list, select a snapshot.
From the Delta Snapshot drop down list, select another snapshot. This snapshot cannot be older than the snapshot selected in the Base Snapshot.
Optionally, you can click Clear Selections to clear the data in the drop down list.
You can view the following information:
- Timestamp: The date, time, and time zone the task was performed. The time zone is the time zone configured on the Master Grid.
- Admin: The admin user who performed the task.
- Action: The action performed. This can be CREATED, MODIFIED, DELETED, and CALLED. Note: CALLED function will filter name that contains GET, CHECK, TEST, and FETCH.
- Message: Detailed information about the event.
- Object Type: The object type of the object involved in this task.
- Object Name: The name of the object involved in this task.

Applying Snapshots

You can apply a snapshot to a Grid to reset its configuration. When you apply a snapshot, you can either use the passwords available in the snapshot to login to the Grid or reset password when you login to the Grid. When you apply snapshot to a Grid, all the delegated tasks related to that Grid is deleted from the Task Viewer.
Do the following to apply a snapshot:

Login to the Master Grid.
From the Grid tab, click the List tab.
Select a Grid and click the Snapshot Manager icon.
Select a snapshot.
Click Apply Snapshot.
From the Maintain current password on reset drop down list, do one of the following:
- select Yes to use the passwords available in the template.
- Select No to force the users existing in the template to reset their password at the first login on the reset Grid. Selecting this also enables the global password reset. Any new user created on the Grid should change their password at the first login.

Deleting Snapshots

You cannot schedule the deletion of a snapshot. To delete a snapshot:

Login to the Master Grid.
From the Grid tab, click the List tab.
Select a Grid and click the Snapshot Manager icon.
Click Delete.
Click Yes in the Delete Confirmation message dialog box.

MGM Admin Guide

About Snapshots