Merge pull request #240751 from khdownie/kendownie060723-2

snapshot concepts refresh

Author: prmerger-automator[bot]

articles/storage/files/storage-files-planning.md

@@ -124,14 +124,14 @@ For more information about encryption in transit, see [requiring secure transfer
 Azure Files has a multi-layered approach to ensuring your data is backed up, recoverable, and protected from security threats.
 
 ### Soft delete
-Soft delete is a storage-account level setting for SMB file shares that allows you to recover your file share when it's accidentally deleted. When a file share is deleted, it transitions to a soft deleted state instead of being permanently erased. You can configure the amount of time soft deleted data is recoverable before it's permanently deleted, and undelete the share anytime during this retention period. 
+Soft delete is a storage-account level setting for SMB file shares that allows you to recover your file share when it's accidentally deleted. When a file share is deleted, it transitions to a soft deleted state instead of being permanently erased. You can configure the amount of time soft deleted shares are recoverable before they're permanently deleted, and undelete the share anytime during this retention period. 
 
-We recommend turning on soft delete for most SMB file shares. If you have a workflow where share deletion is common and expected, you may decide to have a short retention period or not have soft delete enabled at all. Soft delete doesn't work for NFS shares, even if it's enabled for the storage account.
+Soft delete is enabled by default for new storage accounts from January 2021 onward, and we recommend leaving it on for most SMB file shares. If you have a workflow where share deletion is common and expected, you might decide to have a short retention period or not have soft delete enabled at all. Soft delete doesn't work for NFS shares, even if it's enabled for the storage account.
 
 For more information about soft delete, see [Prevent accidental data deletion](./storage-files-prevent-file-share-deletion.md).
 
 ### Backup
-You can back up your Azure file share via [share snapshots](./storage-snapshots-files.md), which are read-only, point-in-time copies of your share. Snapshots are incremental, meaning they only contain as much data as has changed since the previous snapshot. You can have up to 200 snapshots per file share and retain them for up to 10 years. You can either manually take these snapshots in the Azure portal, via PowerShell, or command-line interface (CLI), or you can use [Azure Backup](../../backup/azure-file-share-backup-overview.md?toc=/azure/storage/files/toc.json). Snapshots are stored within your file share, meaning that if you delete your file share, your snapshots will also be deleted. To protect your snapshot backups from accidental deletion, ensure soft delete is enabled for your share.
+You can back up your Azure file share via [share snapshots](./storage-snapshots-files.md), which are read-only, point-in-time copies of your share. Snapshots are incremental, meaning they only contain as much data as has changed since the previous snapshot. You can have up to 200 snapshots per file share and retain them for up to 10 years. You can either manually take snapshots in the Azure portal, via PowerShell, or command-line interface (CLI), or you can use [Azure Backup](../../backup/azure-file-share-backup-overview.md?toc=/azure/storage/files/toc.json). 
 
 [Azure Backup for Azure file shares](../../backup/azure-file-share-backup-overview.md?toc=/azure/storage/files/toc.json) handles the scheduling and retention of snapshots. Its grandfather-father-son (GFS) capabilities mean that you can take daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly snapshots, each with their own distinct retention period. Azure Backup also orchestrates the enablement of soft delete and takes a delete lock on a storage account as soon as any file share within it is configured for backup. Lastly, Azure Backup provides certain key monitoring and alerting capabilities that allow customers to have a consolidated view of their backup estate.
 

articles/storage/files/storage-snapshots-files.md

@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ description: A share snapshot is a read-only version of an Azure file share that
 author: khdownie
 ms.service: storage
 ms.topic: conceptual
-ms.date: 04/25/2023
+ms.date: 06/07/2023
 ms.author: kendownie
 ms.subservice: files
 ---
 
 # Overview of share snapshots for Azure Files
-Azure Files provides the capability to take snapshots of file shares. Share snapshots capture the share state at that point in time. This article describes the capabilities that file share snapshots provide and how you can take advantage of them in your custom use case.
+Azure Files provides the capability to take snapshots of SMB file shares. Share snapshots capture the share state at that point in time. This article describes the capabilities that file share snapshots provide and how you can take advantage of them in your use case.
 
 ## Applies to
 | File share type | SMB | NFS |
@@ -31,18 +31,16 @@ Imagine that you're working on a text file in a file share. After the text file
 
 ### General backup purposes
 
-After you create a file share, you can periodically create a share snapshot of the file share to use it for data backup. A share snapshot, when taken periodically, helps maintain previous versions of data that can be used for future audit requirements or disaster recovery. We recommend using [Azure file share backup](../../backup/azure-file-share-backup-overview.md) as a backup solution for taking and managing snapshots. You may also take and manage snapshots yourself, using the [Azure portal](storage-files-quick-create-use-windows.md#create-a-share-snapshot), [Azure PowerShell](/powershell/module/az.storage/new-azrmstorageshare), or [Azure CLI](/cli/azure/storage/share#az-storage-share-snapshot).
+After you create a file share, you can periodically create a share snapshot of the file share to use it for data backup. A share snapshot, when taken periodically, helps maintain previous versions of data that can be used for future audit requirements or disaster recovery. We recommend using [Azure file share backup](../../backup/azure-file-share-backup-overview.md) for taking and managing snapshots. You can also take and manage snapshots yourself, using the [Azure portal](storage-files-quick-create-use-windows.md#create-a-share-snapshot), [Azure PowerShell](/powershell/module/az.storage/new-azrmstorageshare), or [Azure CLI](/cli/azure/storage/share#az-storage-share-snapshot).
 
 ## Capabilities
 
-A share snapshot is a point-in-time, read-only copy of your data. You can create, delete, and manage snapshots by using the REST API. The same capabilities are also available in the client library, Azure CLI, and Azure portal. 
+A share snapshot is a point-in-time, read-only copy of your data. Share snapshot capability is provided at the file share level. Retrieval is provided at the individual file level, to allow for restoring individual files. You can restore a complete file share by using SMB, the REST API, the Azure portal, the client library, or PowerShell/CLI.
 
 You can view snapshots of a share by using the REST API or SMB. You can retrieve the list of versions of the directory or file, and you can mount a specific version directly as a drive (only available on Windows - see [Limits](#limits)). 
 
 After a share snapshot is created, it can be read, copied, or deleted, but not modified. You can't copy a whole share snapshot to another storage account. You have to do that file by file, by using AzCopy or other copying mechanisms.
 
-Share snapshot capability is provided at the file share level. Retrieval is provided at the individual file level, to allow for restoring individual files. You can restore a complete file share by using SMB, the REST API, the Azure portal, the client library, or PowerShell/CLI.
-
 A share snapshot of a file share is identical to its base file share. The only difference is that a **DateTime** value is appended to the share URI to indicate the time at which the share snapshot was taken. For example, if a file share URI is http:\//storagesample.core.file.windows.net/myshare, the share snapshot URI is similar to:
 
 ```
@@ -53,7 +51,7 @@ Share snapshots persist until they are explicitly deleted. A share snapshot can'
 
 When you create a share snapshot of a file share, the files in the share's system properties are copied to the share snapshot with the same values. The base files and the file share's metadata are also copied to the share snapshot, unless you specify separate metadata for the share snapshot when you create it.
 
-You can't delete a share that has share snapshots unless you delete all the share snapshots first.
+You can't delete a share that has share snapshots unless you first delete all the snapshots for that share.
 
 ## Space usage
 
@@ -63,11 +61,11 @@ To conserve space, you can delete the share snapshot for the period when the chu
 
 Even though share snapshots are saved incrementally, you need to retain only the most recent share snapshot in order to restore the share. When you delete a share snapshot, only the data unique to that share snapshot is removed. Active snapshots contain all the information that you need to browse and restore your data (from the time the share snapshot was taken) to the original location or an alternate location. You can restore at the item level.
 
-Snapshots don't count towards the maximum share size limit, which is 100 TiB for premium file shares and standard file shares with large file shares enabled. There's no limit to how much space share snapshots occupy in total. Storage account limits still apply (5 PiB for standard storage accounts, 100 TiB for premium FileStorage accounts).
+Snapshots don't count towards the maximum share size limit, which is 100 TiB for premium file shares and standard file shares with large file shares enabled. There's no limit to how much space share snapshots occupy in total. Storage account limits still apply.
 
 ## Limits
 
-The maximum number of share snapshots that Azure Files allows today is 200 per share. After 200 share snapshots, you have to delete older share snapshots in order to create new ones. 
+The maximum number of share snapshots that Azure Files allows today is 200 per share. After 200 share snapshots, you have to delete older share snapshots in order to create new ones. You can retain snapshots for up to 10 years.
 
 There's no limit to the simultaneous calls for creating share snapshots. There's no limit to amount of space that share snapshots of a particular file share can consume. 
 
@@ -87,7 +85,7 @@ When a destination file is overwritten with a copy, any share snapshots associat
 
 ## General best practices
 
-We recommend using [Azure file share backup](../../backup/azure-file-share-backup-overview.md) as a backup solution for automating taking snapshots, as well as managing snapshots. When you're running infrastructure on Azure, automate backups for data recovery whenever possible. Automated actions are more reliable than manual processes, helping to improve data protection and recoverability. You can use the Azure file share backup, the REST API, the Client SDK, or scripting for automation.
+Automate backups for data recovery whenever possible. Automated actions are more reliable than manual processes, helping to improve data protection and recoverability. You can use Azure file share backup, the REST API, the Client SDK, or scripting for automation.
 
 Before you deploy the share snapshot scheduler, carefully consider your share snapshot frequency and retention settings to avoid incurring unnecessary charges.