Restore from a snapshot
Create a new instance from a restore point, or a new volume or instance from a volume snapshot, and recover single files from a snapshot.
Restoring creates a new resource from a snapshot. The original instance or volume doesn't change: there's no way to roll an existing instance or volume back in place. After the restore, you move your workload or your data to the new resource.
| You have | You can create |
|---|---|
| An instance restore point | A new instance with copies of all the disks in the restore point. |
| A volume snapshot | A new volume, or a new instance that boots from the snapshot. |
Before you begin
- To create an instance, you need the Owner or Contributor role, or a custom role with Manage access to Compute / Instances, on the subscription or on the project. To create a volume, you need Manage access to Block & Object Storage instead.
- The snapshot must be Available.
- The new instance or volume counts toward the subscription's quota and the project's allocation, like any other.
Create an instance from a restore point
In the console, go to ComputeInstance snapshots, and select the restore point.
Select the Create instance tab, and select Continue to launch.
The creation wizard opens with the Snapshot boot source and the restore point selected. Complete the wizard, and create the instance. See Create a virtual machine.
The new instance gets:
- An OS disk created from the restore point's copy of the OS disk, at least as large as the restore point's allocated size. You can make it larger in OS disk size (GB).
- A data volume for each other disk in the restore point, at its original size, attached to the new instance. These volumes appear in Block Storage like any other volume, and they're billed as volumes.
The instance that the restore point was taken from keeps running unchanged. If you replace it with the new instance, move its Floating IP to the new instance, and delete the old instance when you no longer need it.
Create a volume from a volume snapshot
In the console, go to StorageVolume snapshots.
Open the actions menu (⋯) at the end of the snapshot's row, and select Create volume from snapshot. The volume form opens with From snapshot and the snapshot selected.
Enter a name, and select a size and a type. The size must be at least the snapshot's size.
Select Create volume.
The new volume holds the data of the snapshot. Its Source links to the snapshot, and the snapshot's page counts it under Derived volumes. For the form's other options, see Create a volume.
Create an instance that boots from a volume snapshot
Use this for a snapshot of a bootable volume, such as an OS disk. The wizard's list also includes snapshots of data volumes, so select a snapshot of an OS disk.
In the console, go to ComputeInstances, and select Create instance. On the Basics step, select the Snapshot boot source.
Select the snapshot. Volume snapshots are marked Volume snapshot.
Complete the wizard, and create the instance. The OS disk is at least as large as the snapshot.
For the boot sources of the wizard, see Boot sources.
Recover files from a volume snapshot
To get single files back without replacing a volume:
Create a volume from the snapshot, as described in Create a volume from a volume snapshot.
Attach the new volume to an instance. See Attach and detach a volume.
In the instance's operating system, mount the volume, and copy the files that you need.
Unmount the volume, detach it, and delete it.