Azure Files Snapshots (file share snapshots)
What it is
A file share snapshot is a read-only, point-in-time view of an entire Azure Files share. You create the snapshot at share level, then browse, copy, or restore individual files from that historical view.
Why it exists
It helps recover file data after an accidental change, deletion, or application corruption. A snapshot is a fast file-level recovery option; it is not automatically a complete backup, an off-account copy, or a guarantee against every ransomware or account-deletion scenario.
Key ideas
- Share-level capture, file-level recovery. You cannot snapshot only one directory or file, but can retrieve or copy individual files from the snapshot.
- Read-only and incremental. A snapshot cannot be changed. Azure stores changed content incrementally, but snapshots still consume storage and need retention planning.
- Copy is the restore mechanism. Restoring a file means copying the version from the snapshot to the original or another location; the snapshot is not “promoted” to become the live share.
- Snapshots persist until explicitly deleted or the share is deleted. Azure Files supports up to 200 snapshots per share and documents retention of up to 10 years; choose frequency and retention deliberately.
- Protection boundaries matter. Snapshots share the file share’s redundancy. They provide file-level recovery but do not prevent accidental deletion of the file share or storage account. Combine soft delete and/or resource locks for those deletion risks, and use Azure Backup when its managed policy and recovery design fit.
Northwind example
Before deploying a new invoice-generation service, Northwind snapshots the Azure Files share that holds invoice templates. The deployment corrupts one template. Luis opens the snapshot taken before deployment and copies that one file back, leaving other current files untouched. If someone deletes the entire storage account, this snapshot cannot rescue it on its own; Northwind relies on its separately designed deletion and backup controls.
How it fits (diagram)
Exam notes
- Snapshot = read-only point-in-time view of a whole share; recovery can be at file level.
- Snapshot helps with changed or deleted files; soft delete and locks address different deletion risks.
- Do not call a snapshot alone a complete backup or disaster-recovery plan.
Related
azure-files · storage-account · vm-snapshot · blob-versioning
📘 Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure Files snapshots