Periodic Snapshot Tasks Screens

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Last Modified 2025-04-25 15:14 EDT

The Data Protection screen Periodic Snapshot Task widget displays periodic snapshot tasks created on the system. A periodic snapshot task allows scheduling the creation of read only versions of pools and datasets at a given point in time.

Periodic snapshot tasks display the machine time, browser time, or both depending on individual user timezone settings. Users can update timezone settings by utilizing the General Settings screen.

The Periodic Snapshot Task widget displays a list of tasks configured on the system.

PeriodicSnapshotTasksWidget

If a periodic snapshot task is not yet configured No Periodic Snapshot Task configured displays in the widget.

PeriodicSnapshotTaskWidgetNoTasks

Add opens the Add Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

VMware Snapshot Integration opens the VMware Snapshots screen. Snapshots opens the Snapshots screen.

Each task listed is a link that opens the Edit Periodic Snapshot Task screen populated with with the settings for that task. Click on the Description, Frequency, or Next Run column entry to open the edit task screen.

State displays the status of the next cloud sync task. While on the widget, click on the state for the task to display a Logs window for that task. Click Download Logs to save a copy of the current task logs.

PeriodicSnapshotTaskLog

The delete Delete icon opens a simple delete dialog where you confirm before the system deletes the saved periodic snapshot task.

Periodic Snapshot Task List Screen

Periodic snapshot tasks display on both the Data Protection widget and Periodic Snapshot Tasks list screen.

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Click on the Periodic Snapshot Task header to open the Data Protection > Periodic Snapshot Task list screen.

If a task is not added, the list view displays Add Periodic Snapshot Tasks which opens the Add Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

Columns displays a dropdown list of options to customize the list view. Options are Select All, Recursive, Naming Schema, When, Frequency, Next Run, Keep snapshot for, VMWare Sync, Enabled, State, and Reset to Defaults.

The State on the list view does not link to the log file or anything else. It just displays the current state of the task.

Click the expand_more expand icon at the right of the task to open the details for the selected task.

Edit opens the Edit Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

Delete opens the delete dialog that removes the task from the system.

Add and Edit Periodic Snapshot Screens

The Add Periodic Snapshot Task and Edit Periodic Snapshot Task display the same settings.

Dataset Options

The Dataset setting options display on both the add and edit configuration screens.

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Setting	Description
Dataset	Select a pool, dataset, or zvol.
Exclude	Exclude specific child datasets from the snapshot. Use with recursive snapshots. List paths to any child datasets to exclude. Example: `pool1/dataset1/child1`. A recursive snapshot of pool1/dataset1 includes all child datasets except child1. Separate entries by pressing `Enter`.
Recursive	Select to take separate snapshots of the dataset and each of its child datasets. Leave checkbox clear to take a single snapshot only of the specified dataset without child datasets.

Schedule Options

These Schedule setting options display on both the add and edit configuration screens.

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Setting	Description
Snapshot Lifetime	Enter the length of time to retain the snapshot on this system using a numeric value and a single lowercase letter for units. Examples: 3h is three hours, 1m is one month, and 1y is one year. Does not accept minute values. After the time expires, the snapshot is removed during the next snapshot scheduled execution finds the snapshot lifetime is expired. Snapshots replicated to other systems are not affected.
Naming Schema	Snapshot name format string. The default is `auto-%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M`. Must include the strings `%Y`, `%m`, `%d`, `%H`, and `%M`, which are replaced with the four-digit year, month, day of month, hour, and minute as defined in strftime(3). For example, snapshots of pool1 with a Naming Schema of `customsnap-%Y%m%d.%H%M` have names like pool1@customsnap-20190315.0527.
Schedule	Select a presets from the dropdown list. Select Custom to open the advanced scheduler.
Begin	Displays when Schedule is set to Hourly. Enter the hour and minute when the system can begin taking snapshots.
End	Displays when Schedule is set to Hourly. Enter the hour and minute the system must stop creating snapshots. Snapshots already in progress continue until complete.
Allow Taking Empty Snapshots	Select to Create dataset snapshots even when there are no changes to the dataset from the last snapshot. Recommended for long-term restore points, multiple snapshot tasks pointed at the same datasets, or compatibility with snapshot schedules or replications created in TrueNAS 11.2 and earlier. For example, you can set up a monthly snapshot schedule to take monthly snapshots and still have a daily snapshot task taking snapshots of any changes to the dataset.
Enabled	Select to activate this periodic snapshot schedule. To disable this task without deleting it, leave the checkbox cleared.