> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.weka.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.weka.io/weka-filesystems-and-object-stores/snapshot-policies/manage-snapshot-policies-using-the-cli.md).

# Manage snapshot policies using the CLI

Manage snapshot policies using the CLI, ensuring efficient data protection and disaster recovery.

## Overview

Creating policies using the CLI involves leveraging policy templates for efficient and consistent policy management that align with organizational requirements.

**Process overview:**

1. **Export an existing policy to a template**:\
   The first step in creating a policy template is exporting an existing policy. If this is your first time, you can use the `sys-default` policy (json file), a predefined system policy that serves as a baseline. The `sys-default` policy is not editable, so it is ideal for use as an initial template.
2. **Edit the exported policy template**:\
   After exporting the `sys-default` policy, you can modify the exported json file to suit your specific requirements. This customization allows you to create tailored templates for different groups of policies, streamlining policy creation for various scenarios.
3. **Create a policy from a policy template**:\
   Create a new policy from the desired policy template and customize it further as needed to address specific use cases. This approach provides flexibility while ensuring consistency across policies derived from the same template.
4. **Attach filesystems to a snapshot policy**:\
   Attach the relevant filesystems to the snapshot policy to ensure that the policy governs the creation, management, and retention of snapshots for these specific filesystems. This step links the policy to the filesystems, enabling consistent enforcement of snapshot rules and schedules.

After understanding the workflow for creating policies using the CLI, you can use the following commands to manage snapshot policies:

* List snapshot policies
* Show snapshot policy details
* Export snapshot policy
* Create snapshot policy
* Attach filesystems to a snapshot policy
* Detach filesystems from a snapshot policy
* Update snapshot policy
* Delete snapshot policy

## List snapshot policies

Lists the snapshot policies defined on the cluster.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy list`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy list
```

<details>

<summary>Example: List snapshot policies</summary>

```bash
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy list
SNAPSHOT POLICY ID  NAME         IS ENABLED  DESCRIPTION                                                                                         ATTACHED FILESYSTEMS
0                   sys-default  True        This snapshot policy is a fixed example configuration, it can be used as-is but cannot be modified
1                   weekly       True        Create a snapshot weekly on Saturdays                                                               fs1
2                   Policy1      True        Schedule daily snapshots                                                                            fs1, default
```

</details>

## Show snapshot policy details

Shows the schedule and retention rules of a single snapshot policy.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy show`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy show <name>
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter | Description  |
| --------- | ------------ |
| `name`\*  | Policy name. |

<details>

<summary>Example: Show snapshot policy details</summary>

```
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy show Policy1
{
    "daily": {
        "days": "monday, wednesday, friday",
        "enable": true,
        "retention": 7,
        "time": "22:05",
        "upload": "local"
    },
    "description": "Policy description",
    "enabled": true,
    "filesystems": [
        "fs1",
        "default"
    ],
    "hourly": {
        "days": "monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday",
        "enable": false,
        "hours": "09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18",
        "minuteOffset": 10,
        "retention": 10,
        "upload": "none"
    },
    "monthly": {
        "days": "07",
        "enable": false,
        "months": "all",
        "retention": 12,
        "time": "00:05",
        "upload": "local"
    },
    "name": "Policy1",
    "periodic": {
        "days": "monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday",
        "enable": false,
        "end_time": "18:00",
        "interval": 30,
        "retention": 4,
        "start_time": "09:00",
        "upload": "none"
    },
    "weekly": {
        "days": "saturday",
        "enable": false,
        "retention": 4,
        "time": "23:05",
        "upload": "local"
    }
}
```

</details>

## Export snapshot policy

Writes a snapshot policy to a JSON file you can edit and reapply.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy export`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy export <name> <path>
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter | Description                                              |
| --------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name`\*  | The snapshot policy to export.                           |
| `path`\*  | The path where the exported policy file will be located. |

<details>

<summary>Example: Export snapshot policy</summary>

```
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy export sys-default /tmp/policy_template
Exported snapshot policy to /tmp/policy_template
```

</details>

### Customize the policy template

To customize a policy template, follow these steps:

1. **Open the exported template**:\
   Use a text editor, such as `vi`, to open the policy template file that you exported from the `sys-default` template or an existing snapshot policy.
2. **Modify configuration details**:\
   Edit the template to customize the policy's configuration, such as schedules, retention rules, or other relevant settings, to meet your specific requirements.
3. **Reuse the customized template**:\
   Save your changes. The modified template can now be used to create new policies tailored to your needs.

<details>

<summary>Example: Customize the policy template</summary>

In this example, the daily schedule is set for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The remaining schedules are disabled (`"enable"=false,`).

```
$ vi /tmp/policy_template

{
    "daily": {
        "days": "monday, wednesday, friday",
        "enable": true,
        "retention": 7,
        "time": "12:10",
        "upload": "local"
    },
    "hourly": {
        "days": "monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday",
        "enable": false,
        "hours": "09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18",
        "minuteOffset": 5,
        "retention": 10,
        "upload": "none"
    },
    "monthly": {
        "days": "07",
        "enable": false,
        "months": "all",
        "retention": 12,
        "time": "00:05",
        "upload": "local"
    },
    "periodic": {
        "days": "monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday",
        "enable": false,
        "end_time": "18:00",
        "interval": 30,
        "retention": 4,
        "start_time": "09:00",
        "upload": "none"
    },
    "weekly": {
        "days": "saturday",
        "enable": false,
        "retention": 4,
        "time": "23:05",
        "upload": "local"
    }
}
-- INSERT --
```

</details>

## Create snapshot policy

Creates a snapshot policy from a JSON template that defines its schedule and retention rules.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy add`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy add <name> <path> [--description <string>] [--enabled]
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter                 | Description                                                                                              |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name`\*                  | Snapshot policy name. (up to 12 alphanumeric characters, hyphens (-), underscores (\_), and periods (.)) |
| `path`\*                  | Path to snapshot policy file. Policy file must be in JSON format.                                        |
| `--description` \<string> | Policy description.                                                                                      |
| `--enabled`               | Set snapshot policy status. Possible values: `true` or `false`                                           |

<details>

<summary>Example: Create a snapshot policy from a policy template</summary>

In this example, a new snapshot policy named `policy2` is created using the template file located at `/tmp/policy_template`. The system returns the newly created policy's ID.

```
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy add policy2 /tmp/policy_template
SnapPolicyId: 3
```

</details>

## Attach filesystems to a snapshot policy

**Command:** **weka fs protection snapshot-policy attach**

This command attaches existing filesystems to a snapshot policy. Before proceeding, ensure each filesystem is attached to an object store.

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy attach <name> [<filesystems>]...
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter           | Description                                             |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name`\*            | The snapshot policy name.                               |
| `filesystems`... \* | A list of filesystems you want to attach to the policy. |

<details>

<summary>Example:</summary>

This command attaches the snapshot policy `policy1` to the filesystems `fs1` and `default`.

```
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy attach policy1 fs1 default
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy list
SNAPSHOT POLICY ID  NAME         IS ENABLED  DESCRIPTION                     ATTACHED FILESYSTEMS
0                   sys-default  True        Cluster default configuration  
1                   policy1      False       Schedule daily snapshots        fs1, default
```

</details>

## Detach filesystems from a snapshot policy

Detaches filesystems from a snapshot policy, stopping scheduled snapshots for them.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy detach`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy detach <name> <filesystems> [--force] [--remove-waiting-tasks]
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter                | Description                                                                      |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name`\*                 | Snapshot policy name.                                                            |
| `filesystems`\*          | Filesystems to detach from the policy.                                           |
| `-f`, `--force`          | Force action. Perform this action without further confirmation.                  |
| `--remove-waiting-tasks` | Remove waiting tasks. Delete all waiting tasks corresponding to the filesystems. |

<details>

<summary>Example: Detach a snapshot policy from filesystems</summary>

```
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy detach pol1 fs1

Warning: You are about to detach filesystems. This action detach existing filesystem from the snapshot policy and cannot be undone.
Are you sure you want to continue (yes/no)? yes
Filesystems detached successfully
```

</details>

## Update a snapshot policy

Replaces a snapshot policy's schedule and retention rules with those in a JSON template.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy update`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy update <name> [--description <string>] [--enabled] [--new-name <string>] [--path <string>]
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter                 | Description                                                           |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name`\*                  | Snapshot policy name.                                                 |
| `--description` \<string> | Policy description.                                                   |
| `--enabled`               | Set snapshot policy status. Possible values: `true` or `false`        |
| `--new-name` \<string>    | New policy name.                                                      |
| `--path` \<string>        | Path to new or modified snapshot policy file. Must be in JSON format. |

## Delete a snapshot policy

Deletes a snapshot policy. Detach all filesystems from the policy first.

**Command:** `weka fs protection snapshot-policy remove`

```sh
weka fs protection snapshot-policy remove <name> [--force]
```

**Parameters**

| Parameter       | Description                                                     |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `name`\*        | Existing snapshot policy name.                                  |
| `-f`, `--force` | Force action. Perform this action without further confirmation. |

<details>

<summary>Example: Delete a snapshot policy</summary>

```
$ weka fs protection snapshot-policy remove policy2
Warning: You are about to delete a snapshot policy. This action deletes the snapshot policy and cannot be undone.

Are you sure you want to continue (yes/no)? yes
```

</details>


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