rocksdb/docs/_posts/2015-11-10-use-checkpoints-for-efficient-snapshots.markdown

---
title: Use Checkpoints for Efficient Snapshots
layout: post
author: rven2
category: blog
redirect_from:
  - /blog/2609/use-checkpoints-for-efficient-snapshots/
---

**Checkpoint** is a feature in RocksDB which provides the ability to take a snapshot of a running RocksDB database in a separate directory. Checkpoints can be used as a point in time snapshot, which can be opened Read-only to query rows as of the point in time or as a Writeable snapshot by opening it Read-Write. Checkpoints can be used for both full and incremental backups.

<!--truncate-->


The Checkpoint feature enables RocksDB to create a consistent snapshot of a given RocksDB database in the specified directory. If the snapshot is on the same filesystem as the original database, the SST files will be hard-linked, otherwise SST files will be copied. The manifest and CURRENT files will be copied. In addition, if there are multiple column families, log files will be copied for the period covering the start and end of the checkpoint, in order to provide a consistent snapshot across column families.


A Checkpoint object needs to be created for a database before checkpoints are created. The API is as follows:


`Status Create(DB* db, Checkpoint** checkpoint_ptr);`


Given a checkpoint object and a directory, the CreateCheckpoint function creates a consistent snapshot of the database in the given directory.


`Status CreateCheckpoint(const std::string& checkpoint_dir);`


The directory should not already exist and will be created by this API. The directory will be an absolute path. The checkpoint can be used as a read-only copy of the DB or can be opened as a standalone DB. When opened read/write, the SST files continue to be hard links and these links are removed when the files are obsoleted. When the user is done with the snapshot, the user can delete the directory to remove the snapshot.


Checkpoints are used for online backup in MyRocks. which is MySQL using RocksDB as the storage engine . ([MySQL on RocksDB](https://github.com/facebook/mysql-5.6))
-												Migrate the RocksDB Worpdress blog over to Jekyll

Summary:
Tried to:

- preserve existing links
- move existing images over (there were 2)
- preserve codeblocks (modified where apprporiate)
- etc.

Also as agreed upon:

- All blog posts are preserved.
- Comments are not preserved.
- Not turning on comments for future blog posts (use the FB developer group instead).
- Like button at the end of the blog post.

Depends on https://reviews.facebook.net/D63051

Test Plan: Visual

Reviewers: IslamAbdelRahman, lgalanis

Reviewed By: lgalanis

Subscribers: andrewkr, dhruba, leveldb

Differential Revision: https://reviews.facebook.net/D63105

											
										
										
											2016-09-02 00:28:49 +00:00
+								---
 								title: Use Checkpoints for Efficient Snapshots
 								layout: post
 								author: rven2
 								category: blog
-												Add redirects from old blog posts link to new format

Summary:
The new blog post links will be formatted differently coming over to gh-pages. But
we can redirect from the old style over to the new style for existing blog posts.

Test Plan:
Visual

https://www.facebook.com/pxlcld/pvWQ

Reviewers: lgalanis, sdong

Reviewed By: sdong

Subscribers: andrewkr, dhruba, leveldb

Differential Revision: https://reviews.facebook.net/D63513

											
										
										
											2016-09-07 04:07:13 +00:00
+								redirect_from:
 								  - /blog/2609/use-checkpoints-for-efficient-snapshots/
-												Migrate the RocksDB Worpdress blog over to Jekyll

Summary:
Tried to:

- preserve existing links
- move existing images over (there were 2)
- preserve codeblocks (modified where apprporiate)
- etc.

Also as agreed upon:

- All blog posts are preserved.
- Comments are not preserved.
- Not turning on comments for future blog posts (use the FB developer group instead).
- Like button at the end of the blog post.

Depends on https://reviews.facebook.net/D63051

Test Plan: Visual

Reviewers: IslamAbdelRahman, lgalanis

Reviewed By: lgalanis

Subscribers: andrewkr, dhruba, leveldb

Differential Revision: https://reviews.facebook.net/D63105

											
										
										
											2016-09-02 00:28:49 +00:00
+								---
 								**Checkpoint** is a feature in RocksDB which provides the ability to take a snapshot of a running RocksDB database in a separate directory. Checkpoints can be used as a point in time snapshot, which can be opened Read-only to query rows as of the point in time or as a Writeable snapshot by opening it Read-Write. Checkpoints can be used for both full and incremental backups.
-												Truncate posts on the main /blog/ page

											
										
										
											2016-10-04 21:20:26 +00:00
+								<!--truncate-->
-												Migrate the RocksDB Worpdress blog over to Jekyll

Summary:
Tried to:

- preserve existing links
- move existing images over (there were 2)
- preserve codeblocks (modified where apprporiate)
- etc.

Also as agreed upon:

- All blog posts are preserved.
- Comments are not preserved.
- Not turning on comments for future blog posts (use the FB developer group instead).
- Like button at the end of the blog post.

Depends on https://reviews.facebook.net/D63051

Test Plan: Visual

Reviewers: IslamAbdelRahman, lgalanis

Reviewed By: lgalanis

Subscribers: andrewkr, dhruba, leveldb

Differential Revision: https://reviews.facebook.net/D63105

											
										
										
											2016-09-02 00:28:49 +00:00
 								The Checkpoint feature enables RocksDB to create a consistent snapshot of a given RocksDB database in the specified directory. If the snapshot is on the same filesystem as the original database, the SST files will be hard-linked, otherwise SST files will be copied. The manifest and CURRENT files will be copied. In addition, if there are multiple column families, log files will be copied for the period covering the start and end of the checkpoint, in order to provide a consistent snapshot across column families.
 								A Checkpoint object needs to be created for a database before checkpoints are created. The API is as follows:
 								`Status Create(DB* db, Checkpoint** checkpoint_ptr);`
 								Given a checkpoint object and a directory, the CreateCheckpoint function creates a consistent snapshot of the database in the given directory.
 								`Status CreateCheckpoint(const std::string& checkpoint_dir);`
 								The directory should not already exist and will be created by this API. The directory will be an absolute path. The checkpoint can be used as a read-only copy of the DB or can be opened as a standalone DB. When opened read/write, the SST files continue to be hard links and these links are removed when the files are obsoleted. When the user is done with the snapshot, the user can delete the directory to remove the snapshot.
 								Checkpoints are used for online backup in MyRocks. which is MySQL using RocksDB as the storage engine . ([MySQL on RocksDB](https://github.com/facebook/mysql-5.6))