> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.plenit.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.plenit.com/docs-en/productos/servers/how-to/how-to-snapshot-and-restore-a-server.md).

# How to Take a Server Snapshot and Restore It Later

A snapshot, or instant snapshot, is a capture of a server's state at a specific moment.

It lets you quickly roll back when you're about to do something risky (a system update, a software change) and want a safety net in case it goes wrong.

> #### 👍 What you get
>
> A rollback point for the server before an important change, and the way to revert to it in minutes if needed.

> #### 📘 A snapshot is not a backup
>
> The snapshot is a quick, temporary rollback, meant to be used before a change and deleted afterward.
>
> It does not replace the backup, which is your long-term protection. Keeping snapshots alive for a long time hurts server performance.

### Before you start

* Log in to the Plenit platform.
* Have a **Servers** with a deployed server.

> #### 🚧 Maximum three snapshots per server
>
> Each server supports up to three active VM snapshots. Delete them when you no longer need them: accumulating them fragments the data and degrades performance.

### Step 1. Access the server details page

1. Enter the **Servers** subscription
2. Open the subsection **Servers** from the side menu, or from the Servers box of the **Overview**.
3. In the server's context menu, click **Edit**.

{/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 1 · server context menu with the Edit option \*/}

![Access the server details page from the Edit option](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/servidores-howto-snapshot-01.png)

### Step 2. Create the snapshot

With the details page open, the recommended thing is **shut down the machine** before taking the snapshot. It is not mandatory, but taking the snapshot with the server powered off ensures data consistency.

1. Shut down the server and wait for confirmation.
2. Open the **Snapshot** option from the top menu.
3. Write a **name** for the snapshot (in the example, `sysprep`) and click **Continue**.

The platform indicates that the snapshot is being created and, when it's done, you'll see it in the **VM Snapshot** tab of the details page. Then you can turn the machine back on and make your changes with a safety net.

{/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 2 · Snapshot option in the top menu and the snapshot name field \*/}

![Snapshot creation with its name from the server details page](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/servidores-howto-snapshot-02.png)

> #### 📘 If you can't shut it down, ensure consistency
>
> For workloads with a database, capturing live may leave data incomplete. If you can't shut it down, stop the service just before the snapshot and resume it afterward.

> In Windows, from PowerShell as administrator:
>
> ```powershell
> Stop-Service -Name "MSSQLSERVER"
> ```
>
> On Linux:
>
> ```shell
> sudo systemctl stop <service>
> ```

### Step 3. Restore the server from the snapshot

1. Go back to the server details page and open the **VM Snapshot**.
2. Select the snapshot you want and click **Revert**.
3. Confirm. The server returns to the state saved in that snapshot.

{/\* 📸 SCREENSHOT 3 · VM Snapshot tab with the Revert button and confirmation \*/}

![Server restoration with the Revert button from VM Snapshot](https://REEMPLAZA-URL/servidores-howto-snapshot-03.png)

> #### 🚧 Reverting discards everything after it
>
> When you revert, the server goes back exactly to the snapshot state: anything that changed afterward is lost.&#x20;
>
> Make sure that's what you want before accepting.

### Best practices

* Create the snapshot **just before** the change, not days before.
* **Delete it** once you verify that the change went well.
* Do not use snapshots as a backup: that's what backups are for.

<br>


---

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