Periodic Snapshot Tasks Screens

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Last Modified 2025-08-11 10:29 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

The Periodic Snapshot Task header opens the Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

Add opens the Add Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

VMware Snapshot Integration opens the VMware Snapshots screen.

Snapshots opens the Snapshots screen.

The vertical ellipses more_vert icon at the right of the task on the Periodic Task Widget opens a dropdown menu with thow task options: Edit and Delete.

The delete Delete opens a delete dialog. Confirm activates the Delete. Delete deletes the saved periodic snapshot task.

Edit opens the Edit Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

State show the status of the next cloud sync task, and when clicked, opens a Logs window for that task.

Logs Window

PeriodicSnapshotTaskLog

Download Logs saves a copy of the current task logs.

Periodic Snapshot Task Screen

Periodic snapshot tasks show on both the Periodic Snapshot Task widget on the Data Protection screen and the Periodic Snapshot Tasks screen.

DataProtectionPeriodicSnapshotTasksList

Add opens the Add Periodic Snapshot Task screen.

DataProtectPeriodicSnapshotTasksDetailsNoTasks

The Columns dropdown list shows 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.

State shows the current state of the task.

The expand_more expand icon at the right of the task opens the details for the selected task.

DataProtectionPeriodicSnapshotTasksDetails

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 show the same settings.

Dataset Options

Dataset settings show on both the add and edit configuration screens.

AddPeriodicSnapshotTaskScreen

Dataset Settings

Setting	Description
Dataset	Sets the pool, dataset, or zvol you want to take a snapshot of.
Exclude	Excludes 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	Sets the task 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 Settings

Schedule settings show on both the add and edit configuration screens.

Setting	Description
Snapshot Lifetime	Sets the length of time to retain a snapshot on this system. Enter 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	Sets the schedule to a preset selected from the dropdown list. Select Custom to open the advanced scheduler.
Begin	Sets the start time for a snapshot. shows when Schedule is set to Hourly. Enter the hour and minute when the system can begin taking snapshots.
End	Sets the end time for a snapshot. Shows 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	Sets the task to allow taking a snapshot and creating a dataset 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	Activates this periodic snapshot schedule. To disable this task without deleting it, leave the checkbox cleared.