How to make backups with ZFS snapshots (quick and easy)

Post by **rychy** » Thu Apr 16, 2026 9:06 am

What is a ZFS snapshot?

A snapshot is a point-in-time copy of your data.

It is created in seconds and does not take much space.

Creating a snapshot

sudo zfs snapshot mypool/data@snapshot1

📂 List the snapshots
sudo zfs list -t snapshot

🔄 Restore a snapshot
sudo zfs rollback mypool/data@snapshot1

🗑️ Delete
sudo zfs destroy mypool/data@snapshot1

🔥 Why is it useful?
backup in seconds
protection against mistakes
easy recovery
ideal for VPS and storage servers

For more background on the technology see what ZFS storage is and why it matters.