Questions about the server Snapshots feature

The snapshots are "free", but they use your disk space. Downloading a snapshot isn't free. Some number of downloads is included, additional downloads can be purchased.

Quote from qixue

I saw that SCP has a Snapshots feature, but I didn't see any billing rules for this feature in SCP and CCP. Is this feature completely free?

As NaN has already explained, each product comes with an initial amount of download "slots" and additional slots can be purchased for 1,50 € per snapshot download through CCP - Products - (select your server product) - Backups. There is also a discount and ordering 10 snapshots for 10,00 € makes them a little more affordable

Open the server product in the CCP and select the tab "Backups" to see the currently still free backup downloads (the text "Number of backups available" is somehow misleading ... but these are the still available download slots of existing snapshots.

netcup_en_CCP_Products-Backups_snapshot_costs.png

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English text from the Backups page: (screenshot above)

Quote

Backups

For products with which you can create snapshots, you can optionally purchase backups. A backup can be exported from a created offline snapshot and is automatically backed up externally. For this purpose, the backup is stored as an image file on a protected S3 server for download for 48 hours after it has been created. If you want to restore a backup, you can upload it again via S3 and import it into your vServer as an image.

You can also import the image files in your office, at home or on another vServer, provided that the import of images is supported here. KVM-based vServers from netcup can import such image files.

We charge a fee for each backup that can be created. This fee is used in particular to finance the traffic generated when downloading the image file

Purchase backups

Number of backups available:1

Purchase additional backups:

- 1 Piece 1,50 Euro
- 2 Piece 2,80 Euro
- 3 Piece 3,90 Euro
- 4 Piece 4,80 Euro
- 5 Piece 5,50 Euro
- 10 Piece 10,00 Euro

Conditions of sale

The fee charged includes VAT at the rate as applicable in Germany. The netcup GmbH T&Cs apply. The fee will be included on the next invoice due or invoiced in 30 days, whichever is the sooner.

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Quote from qixue

Thanks for your answer. If I create a snapshot but don’t download it, I won’t be charged, right? It will just take up hard drive space?

Exactly - that is like NaN has already explained - the snapshot will be permanently stored on the storage space on your server ... and be available for download for 48 hours through the external S3 space after the export is selected and why netcup charges you for downloading the image from the external S2 storage space. (thanks aRaphael for clarification)

The actual snapshot is created in the SCP - Media - Snapshots where you can also select the disk in case there are multiple in your server product. (in my case there is just vda)

nc_SCP_Media_Snapshots_Create_Snapshots.png

FYI: The process to create the snapshot can also be automated using the netcup API.

Quote from Copro

... and be available for download for 48 hours...

It is available for export and download the whole time it exists, only after you export it (which costs) the expoerted image is available only this limited timespan for download or for creating a new server from the snapshot. (For the latter, no download is needed)