---
title: "File Storage Service - Managing share snapshots"
description: "Tip: Refer to the OVHcloud API console for exact operations, HTTP methods, and request schemas."
url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/file-storage/create-snapshot
lang: en
---
> For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt.

# File Storage Service - Managing share snapshots

**Note:**

**Tip:** Refer to the [OVHcloud API console](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=%2Fauth\&branch=v1) for exact operations, HTTP methods, and request schemas.

 

## Requirements

- A [Public Cloud project](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/) with File Storage Service enabled.
- An existing share in the `available` state.
- API credentials with sufficient permissions to manage shares and snapshots.
- Understanding of key API concepts: `serviceName` (project ID), `regionName`, `shareId`, and optional `snapshotId`.

 

## Instructions

### Step 1: Identify your share

List all shares in your target region to find the share ID:

[GET /cloud/project/{serviceName}/region/{regionName}/share](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/cloud&branch=v1#get-/cloud/project/-serviceName-/region/-regionName-/share)

Confirm that the share is in the `available` state before creating snapshots.

 

### Step 2: List existing snapshots

Retrieve all snapshots for a given share:

[GET /cloud/project/{serviceName}/region/{regionName}/share/{shareId}/snapshot](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/cloud&branch=v1#get-/cloud/project/-serviceName-/region/-regionName-/share/-shareId-/snapshot)

Use the response to retrieve snapshot IDs and statuses before deleting or automating operations.

 

### Step 3: Create a snapshot

Create a snapshot with a JSON payload specifying a human-readable name (and optional description):

[POST /cloud/project/{serviceName}/region/{regionName}/share/{shareId}/snapshot](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/cloud&branch=v1#post-/cloud/project/-serviceName-/region/-regionName-/share/-shareId-/snapshot)

- Execute the API call in Step 2 until the snapshot reaches `available` status.
- Snapshot creation time depends on allocated capacity, I/O activity, and platform load.
- Plan snapshots during low I/O periods to ensure consistency.

**Warning:**

**NOTE:** Snapshots are crash-consistent unless your application explicitly pauses writes before they are taken.

 

### Step 4: Retrieve snapshot details (optional)

Retrieve a single snapshot by ID:

[GET /cloud/project/{serviceName}/region/{regionName}/share/{shareId}/snapshot/{snapshotId}](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/cloud&branch=v1#get-/cloud/project/-serviceName-/region/-regionName-/share/-shareId-/snapshot/-snapshotId-)

Use this for automated checks after backups or to verify snapshot metadata.

 

### Step 5: Delete a snapshot

Free the storage consumed by a snapshot:

[DELETE /cloud/project/{serviceName}/region/{regionName}/share/{shareId}/snapshot/{snapshotId}](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/console/?section=/cloud&branch=v1#delete-/cloud/project/-serviceName-/region/-regionName-/share/-shareId-/snapshot/-snapshotId-)

**Warning:**

**WARNING:** Deletion is irreversible. Ensure the snapshot is no longer required.

 

## Go further

- [File Storage Service – Key Concepts](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/file-storage/key-concepts.md)
- [File Storage Service – Getting Started](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/file-storage/getting-started.md)
- [Preparing an environment for using the OpenStack API](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/cross-functional/compute-prepare-openstack-api-environment.md)

Browse all the [File Storage guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/storage-and-backup/file-storage/landing-page-file-storage.md).

Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services.

Learn more about [File Storage](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/file-storage/) on the OVHcloud US website.