How-To: Working with Snapshots and the Powershell SDK v2

Volume Snapshots

Creating snapshots for volumes is done using the New-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot cmdlet.

PS >New-Pfa2VolumeSnapshots -Array $FlashArray -SourceNames 'SDKv2-sample-1','SDKv2-sample-2' -Suffix 'EXAMPLE'

To create a new volume from a snapshot, we must first create a Reference Object for the snapshot. The first output from Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot is trimmed to only show the necessary objects.

PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Name 'SDKv2-sample-1.EXAMPLE'
    Id            : 47f25a22-fda3-f163-c695-94a6c984b0af
    Name          : SDKv2-sample-1.EXAMPLE
    ...
PS >$src = New-Pfa2ReferenceObject -Id 47f25a22-fda3-f163-c695-94a6c984b0af -Name SDKv2-sample-1.EXAMPLE

Now, we will create a new volume from the snapshot using New-Pfa2Volume.

PS >New-Pfa2Volume -Name SDKv2-volumecopy -Source $src

Protection Group Snapshots

A Protection Group snapshot creates a point-in-time snapshot of the contents of a Protection Group. The New-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot cmdlet is used.

PS >New-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -SourceNames DEMO-PGGROUP -Suffix TEST
Name          : demo-pggroup.TEST
Created       : 8/1/2020 3:13:39 PM
Destroyed     : False
Pod           : class FixedReference {
                  Id:
                  Name:
                }

Source        : class FixedReference {
                  Id:
                  Name: demo-pggroup
                }

Space         :
Suffix        : TEST
TimeRemaining :

Volume Snapshots

To Destroy a snapshot, use the Update-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot cmdlet. The -Id and -Name parameters must be specified.

PS >Update-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Id <ID_of_snapshot> -Name <Name_of_snapshot>

To make it easier to obtain the snapshot information, you can also use it with the Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot cmdlet and pipeline the results to the Update-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot cmdlet. You can also perform the action against multiple snapshots in a single command.

# For a single snapshot named DEMO-VOL1.TEST
PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Name 'DEMO-VOL1.TEST' | Update-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot

# For multiple snapshots that have similiar names
PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray | Where-Object { $_.name -like 'DEMO*' } | Update-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot

To Eradicate the snapshot, add the -Eradicate and optional -Confirm parameter.

# For a single snapshot amed DEMO-VOL1.TEST
PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Name 'DEMO-VOL1.TEST' | Remove-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Eradicate -Confirm

# For multiple snapshots that have similiar names
PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray | Where-Object { $_.name -like 'DEMO*' } | Remove-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Eradicate -Confirm

Protection Group Snapshots

To Destroy a Protection Group snapshot using a cmdlet pipeline, the Update-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot cmdlet is added to the Get-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot cmdlet with the -Destroyed parameter to set the "Destroyed" property to $true.

PS >Get-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Name 'DEMO-PGGROUP.TEST' | Update-Pfa2ProtectiongroupSnapshot -Destroyed $true
Name          : demo-pggroup.TEST
Created       : 8/1/2020 3:13:39 PM
Destroyed     : True
Pod           : class FixedReference {
                  Id:
                  Name:
                }

Source        : class FixedReference {
                  Id:
                  Name: demo-pggroup
                }

Space         :
Suffix        : TEST
TimeRemaining : 86399000

To Eradicate the snapshot, use the Remove-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot cmdlet.

PS >Get-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Name 'DEMO-PGGROUP.TEST' | Remove-Pfa2ProtectionGroupSnapshot

Host Volumes

The process of creating a Reference Object for a snapshot is similar across the use cases. Obtain the snapshot information, set the Reference Object, and execute against that object. The New-Pfa2ReferenceObject cmdlet is used to set a variable for the snapshot object. When creating a Reference Object use either the -Id or -Name but not both. Examples shown below.

Using -Id parameter.

# Retrieve the snapshot information
# This will retrieve the ID of the snapshot
PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Name 'DEMO-VOL1.TEST' | Format-Table -Property ID
# Create the reference object fot the snapshot and set the variable
PS >$src = New-Pfa2ReferenceObject -Id <returned snapshot ID>

Using -Name parameter.

# Retrieve the snapshot information
# This will retrieve the Name of the snapshot
PS >Get-Pfa2VolumeSnapshot -Array $FlashArray -Name 'DEMO-VOL1.TEST' | Format-Table -Property Name
# Create the reference object fot the snapshot and set the variable
PS >$src = New-Pfa2ReferenceObject -Name <returned snapshot Name>

Now that the $src variable has been set with either the -Id or -Name parameter with the Reference Object of the snapshot, we can create a volume using the New-Pfa2Volume cmdlet as shown.

PS >New-Pfa2Volume -Array $FlashArray -Name volumecopy -Source $src