FlashArray volume snapshots are a very fast way to create recovery points for MySQL instances. MySQL provides for a number of possible volume and file system architectural layouts, each of which will affect the process of creating a storage snapshot on FlashArray.
Regardless of volume and file system architectural layout there are two methods of creating a MySQL Database volume snapshot:
- Application Consistent - An application consistent volume snapshot is typically performed by coordinating with the application and operating system to ensure everything is in a state that recovery is assured and possible to a point in time.
- Crash Consistent - A crash consistent volume snapshot ignores the presence or possibility of an application. No effort is made to ensure that the application is in a specific state and recovery to a point in time cannot be guaranteed.
Note:
This knowledge article covers the creation of volume snapshots for the entire MySQL Instance.
To move an individual database/schema using volume snapshots see Moving Individual Databases Between Instances Using Volume Snapshots.
Note:
The concepts and instructions explained here can be applied to both MySQL and MariaDB.