# Automated Snapshots

Automated snapshots provide a convenient way to automatically create daily backups of your instances without manual intervention. These snapshots are created on a schedule and automatically cleaned up after a retention period.

## Overview

Automated snapshots complement manual snapshots by providing:

- **Daily automatic backups** of your instances
- **Automatic retention management** - old snapshots are cleaned up automatically
- **Consistent backup schedule** - snapshots are created at the same time every day
- **Peace of mind** - know your data is being backed up regularly

## How It Works

### Schedule

By default, automated snapshots are created daily at **2:00 AM UTC**. A [backup policy](/backups-recovery#backup-policies) replaces that default for one instance: from its **Backups** tab choose **Set your own schedule** and pick the time, the timezone it applies in, and whether snapshots are taken every day, on weekdays or once a week. On the schedule the system will automatically:

1. Create a snapshot for each instance that has automated snapshots enabled
2. Name the snapshot with a standardized format: `automated-YYYYMMDD`
3. Mark the snapshot as automated for easy identification

### Retention Policy

Automated snapshots are retained for **3 days** by default; a backup policy sets any retention from **1 to 90 days**. After this period, they are automatically deleted to free up storage space. This retention policy only applies to automated snapshots - manual snapshots are never automatically deleted.

The cleanup process runs daily at **4:00 AM UTC**, removing snapshots older than the retention period.

## Enabling Automated Snapshots

Automated snapshots are **opt-in** and must be enabled individually for each instance:

### For VPS Instances

1. Navigate to your VPS instance details page
2. Go to the **Settings** or **Snapshots** tab
3. Toggle the **"Enable Automated Snapshots"** option
4. Save your changes

### For Cache Instances

1. Navigate to your Cache instance details page
2. Go to the **Settings** or **Snapshots** tab
3. Toggle the **"Enable Automated Snapshots"** option
4. Save your changes

### For Database Instances

1. Navigate to your Database instance details page
2. Go to the **Settings** or **Snapshots** tab
3. Toggle the **"Enable Automated Snapshots"** option
4. Save your changes

## Viewing Automated Snapshots

You can view all your snapshots (both automated and manual) in two ways:

### Centralized Snapshots Page

Visit the **Snapshots** page from the main navigation menu to see all snapshots across all your instances in one place. You can:

- Filter by instance type (VPS, Cache, Database)
- Filter by automated vs manual snapshots
- Filter by status (ready, creating, failed, etc.)
- Search by instance name
- Sort by various columns

### Instance Details Page

Each instance's details page shows snapshots specific to that instance, including both automated and manual snapshots. Automated snapshots are clearly marked with an "Automated" badge.

## Automated vs Manual Snapshots

| Feature | Automated Snapshots | Manual Snapshots |
|---------|---------------------|------------------|
| Creation | Automatic, daily at 2 AM UTC | Created manually by you |
| Naming | Standardized: `automated-YYYYMMDD` | Custom name of your choice |
| Retention | Automatically deleted after 3 days | Kept until manually deleted |
| Use Case | Regular daily backups | Important milestones, pre-maintenance backups |

## Best Practices

1. **Enable for production instances** - Always enable automated snapshots for production workloads
2. **Use manual snapshots too** - Create manual snapshots before major changes or updates
3. **Monitor snapshot status** - Check the snapshots page regularly to ensure backups are completing successfully
4. **Plan your maintenance** - Schedule maintenance after the automated snapshot time (2 AM UTC) to ensure you have a recent backup

## Restoring from Automated Snapshots

Automated snapshots work exactly like manual snapshots for restoration purposes:

1. Navigate to the snapshot (either from the centralized Snapshots page or the instance details page)
2. Click the **Restore** button
3. Follow the restoration process

**Note:** You can restore from an automated snapshot even after it would normally be deleted, as long as you initiate the restore before the cleanup runs.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I change the schedule?

Yes. Open the instance's **Backups** tab and choose **Set your own schedule**: pick the time and the timezone, and how often (every day, weekdays, or once a week). Instances without their own policy keep the 2:00 AM UTC default.

### Can I change the retention period?

Yes, in the same backup policy: any retention from 1 to 90 days. Shortening it removes older automated snapshots at the next cleanup; manual snapshots are never touched.

### What happens if a snapshot creation fails?

Failed automated snapshots are logged and visible in the snapshots list. The system will attempt to create a new snapshot the next day. You should investigate any persistent failures.

### Do automated snapshots affect instance performance?

Snapshot creation has minimal impact on instance performance. The process is designed to be non-disruptive and runs during typically low-traffic hours.

### Can I disable automated snapshots temporarily?

Yes, you can toggle the automated snapshots setting off at any time. Simply disable the option in your instance settings. You can re-enable it later.

### Are automated snapshots included in my plan?

Snapshot storage follows the same pricing as manual snapshots. Check your billing dashboard for storage costs.

## Related Documentation

- [VPS Snapshots](https://docs.danubedata.ro/vps-snapshots) - Learn about VPS-specific snapshot features
- [Database Backups](https://docs.danubedata.ro/databases-backups) - Understand database backup systems
- [Cache Snapshots](https://docs.danubedata.ro/storage-snapshots) - Learn about cache instance snapshots