Snapshot of FlashArray PVC

PX-CSI supports snapshot and restore functionality for FlashArray Direct Access volumes. This page describes how to create on-demand snapshots, restore volumes from those snapshots, and delete snapshots when they are no longer needed. Snapshots are useful for point-in-time rollback.

note

FlashArray file services do not support snapshots.

Take a Snapshot

Snapshots enable you to quickly restore data to a specific point in time, reducing downtime and preventing data loss.

1. Create a VolumeSnapshotClass:
   Define a VolumeSnapshotClass with the driver field set to pxd.portworx.com. This class specifies the storage provider for managing snapshots. For example:

   kind: VolumeSnapshotClass
   apiVersion: snapshot.storage.k8s.io/v1
   metadata:
      name: px-fa-direct-access-snapshotclass
      annotations:
         snapshot.storage.kubernetes.io: "true"
   driver: pxd.portworx.com
   deletionPolicy: Delete

2. Create a VolumeSnapshot:
   Define a VolumeSnapshot that links to the VolumeSnapshotClass and the source PVC. This configuration captures the current state of the PVC. For example:

   kind: VolumeSnapshot
   apiVersion: snapshot.storage.k8s.io/v1
   metadata:
     name: volumesnapshot-of-pure-claim-block
   spec:
     volumeSnapshotClassName: px-fa-direct-access-snapshotclass
     source:
       persistentVolumeClaimName: pure-claim-block

3. Confirm the snapshot:
   Apply the snapshot configuration and verify its creation using the following command:

   kubectl get volumesnapshot

   Alternatively, check the array UI under Volume Snapshots, where snapshots are managed like other Pure snapshots.

   note

   • If the snapshot does not appear with the kubectl get volumesnapshot command, retrieve the full CRD path using:

     kubectl get crd

     Then run the command with the full path, for example:

     kubectl get volumesnapshots.snapshot.storage.k8s.io

   • Snapshots of unattached volumes will be empty and unattachable. To create an attachable snapshot with a filesystem, attach and detach the volume before taking the snapshot.

Restore a Snapshot

Restoring a snapshot allows you to create a new PVC from a snapshot, which can be useful for recovering data or creating test environments.

1. Define a new PersistentVolumeClaim:
   Create a PersistentVolumeClaim specification that sets dataSource.kind to VolumeSnapshot and dataSource.name to the snapshot name. This ensures the new PVC is restored from the specified snapshot. For example:

   kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
   apiVersion: v1
   metadata:
     name: pvc-restore
   spec:
     accessModes:
       - ReadWriteOnce
     resources:
       requests:
         storage: 20Gi # Must match the original PVC size
     storageClassName: sc-portworx-fa-direct-access
     dataSource:
       kind: VolumeSnapshot
       name: volumesnapshot-of-pure-claim-block
       apiGroup: snapshot.storage.k8s.io

2. Confirm the restored PVC:
   Apply the PersistentVolumeClaim configuration and verify its creation using the following command:

   kubectl get pvc <pvc-name> -n <pvc-namespace>

   Alternatively, check the FlashArray UI under volume Details, where the source of the new volume will be listed as the snapshot’s original PVC.