Difference between snapshot and backups. Which one is better?

Backups are random and can’t be relied upon. Usually they’re every few days but I’ve gone twelve days in between backups before. <br> <br>If you need a backup at a specific time, then snapshot it.

Hey everyone!

The main difference between Droplet Snapshots and Droplet Backups in DigitalOcean lies in their creation and use cases. Droplet Backups are automatic, scheduled copies of your Droplet, providing a straightforward way to recover from potential data loss. In contrast, Droplet Snapshots are created manually by you at any time, offering a more flexible, on-demand option for saving the state of a Droplet before making changes or for duplicating or moving Droplets. While both serve as safety nets, backups are for regular, automated protection, and snapshots are for user-initiated, specific point-in-time preservation.

Quick update here, great news for those who’ve been waiting for more control over Droplet backups! Starting October 23rd, 2023, DigitalOcean has revamped the backup system. Now, each backup has its own deletion date, separate from the parent Droplet. This means your backups will stick around for four weeks, regardless of what happens to the original Droplet. It’s a real game-changer, especially if you’ve ever worried about losing data due to accidental deletion or other mishaps.

You can check out the deletion dates for each backup right in the cloud console. This update gives you more freedom and less worry about protecting your data. Plus, restoring your original Droplet or creating a new one from these backups is super easy, even if the original is long gone.

Hope this makes managing your projects a bit more stress-free!

https://www.digitalocean.com/blog/independent-deletion-dates-for-backups

Best,

Bobby