AWS Introduces Time-Based Snapshot Copy Feature for Amazon EBS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled a new feature for its Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) service that allows users to specify a desired completion duration for copying snapshots. This new feature is designed to help businesses meet time-sensitive compliance and operational requirements. Users can now set a completion window ranging from 15 minutes to 48 hours when copying snapshots either within the same AWS Region or between different Regions and accounts. This enhancement is particularly beneficial for various critical business scenarios, such as testing, development, and disaster recovery.

Key Benefits of Time-Based Snapshot Copy

Testing

For software testing purposes, it is crucial to have access to up-to-date data. This feature enables organizations to distribute the latest test data promptly as part of their Test Data Management (TDM) strategy. Ensuring test data is fresh and timely can significantly enhance the effectiveness of testing processes.

Development

In the development lifecycle, having frequent and regular access to updated snapshot data is essential for developers. This feature allows development teams to work with the most recent data, facilitating more efficient and accurate development processes.

Disaster Recovery

One of the critical aspects of disaster recovery is ensuring that backup copies of data are available when needed. By enabling time-based snapshot copies, businesses can better meet their Recovery Point Objective (RPO) targets, ensuring that critical data is available in case of an unexpected event.

Consistency and Predictability

Regardless of the specific use case, the new feature ensures that snapshot copies are consistent and predictable. This enhancement does not compromise the performance or reliability of standard copies, allowing users to select the most suitable option and timing for their specific needs.

Creating a Time-Based Snapshot Copy

Users can create time-based snapshot copies using the AWS Management Console, Command Line Interface (CLI), or API. The process begins by selecting the source snapshot as usual and then choosing the "Copy snapshot" option from the "Action" menu. Users are required to enter a description for the copy, select the destination AWS Region (such as us-east-1), and enable the "time-based copy" option. For time-critical snapshots, a specific completion duration can be set, such as 15 minutes.

Upon initiating the copy request, AWS verifies whether the account’s throughput quotas are not exceeded due to other active copies being made to the destination region. If the throughput quota is exceeded, the console will display an error message.

Launching the Copy Duration Calculator

AWS offers a "Launch copy duration calculator" tool to help users estimate the minimum achievable copy duration for a snapshot. By entering the account’s throughput limit and selecting an evaluation period, users can get an estimate based on historical data. For instance, a user with an account throughput quota of 2000 MiB/second could copy 1,800,000 MiB of data in 15 minutes.

Monitoring the Copy Process

Users can monitor the progress of the snapshot copy using the AWS Management Console or by calling the DescribeSnapshots API. This API provides information about the status of the copy operation. Additionally, Amazon EventBridge events can be used to take actions based on the copy operation’s progress. If the copy process crosses regions, the event is sent to the destination region.

Two key EventBridge events include:

• copySnapshot: Sent after the copy operation completes.
• copyMissedCompletionDuration: Sent if the copy is still pending past the specified deadline.
  

  Additional Information and Considerations
  

  CloudWatch Metrics
  

  AWS emits the SnapshotCopyBytesTransferred metric in the destination region. This metric reflects the amount of data transferred between the source and destination region in bytes.

  Duration Options
  

  The duration for a snapshot copy can range from 15 minutes to 48 hours, with increments of 15 minutes. This duration is specified on a per-copy basis, allowing users to set different durations for different snapshots based on their specific requirements.

  Concurrency
  

  If a snapshot is being copied and a second copy of the same snapshot is initiated to the same destination, the duration for the second copy will start only after the first one is completed. This ensures that resources are optimally utilized and prevents conflicts.

  Throughput
  

  AWS sets a default per-account limit of 2000 MiB/second for throughput between each source and destination pair. If additional throughput is needed to meet RPO requirements, users can request an increase through the AWS Support Center. The maximum throughput per snapshot is capped at 500 MiB/second and cannot be increased.

  Pricing
  

  Users are advised to refer to the Amazon EBS Pricing page for detailed pricing information related to snapshot copies. Understanding the cost implications is essential for budgeting and planning purposes.

  Availability Across Regions
  

  The time-based snapshot copy feature is available in all AWS Regions, providing global accessibility for businesses with diverse regional requirements.

  Conclusion
  

  AWS’s introduction of the time-based snapshot copy feature for Amazon EBS is a significant enhancement for businesses with time-sensitive data management needs. This feature empowers organizations to better align their data management strategies with business objectives, ensuring timely access to critical data for testing, development, and disaster recovery. By offering consistent and predictable snapshot copies, AWS continues to support businesses in optimizing their cloud infrastructure operations.

  For further details, you can explore the official AWS announcement here.

For more Information, Refer to this article.