Azure Files Snapshots (file share snapshots)
What it is
A file share snapshot is a read-only, point-in-time copy of an entire Azure Files share. You take it on the whole share, then later mount/restore individual files or the full share from it.
Why it exists
To protect file data against accidental changes, corruption, or ransomware without running a separate backup product — instant, share-level, low-overhead point-in-time protection you can revert to.
Key ideas
- Share-level only: you snapshot the whole share, not one file/directory (you restore files from that snapshot).
- Snapshots are incremental in cost (like blob snapshots) — a snapshot only stores the changed blocks, so many snapshots are cheap.
- Read-only: you cannot modify a snapshot; you copy files out / restore from it.
- Scheduling: snapshots must be taken on your own schedule (CLI/PowerShell/SDK or portal), except when using Azure Backup.
- vs soft delete for shares: a snapshot is a point-in-time copy you restore from; soft delete automatically keeps a deleted share recoverable for a retention period. The two are complementary — soft delete answers “I deleted the share,” snapshots answer “the share was corrupted/garbled.”
How it fits (diagram)
Exam notes
- Snapshot = read-only point-in-time image of a whole share; you restore files from it.
- Snapshots protect from corruption/garbling; soft delete protects from accidental deletion — know the difference.
- Typically combined: snapshots on a schedule + soft delete with a retention window.
Related
azure-files · storage-account · vm-snapshot · blob-versioning
📘 Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure Files snapshots