Snapshots allow you to save the state of a stopped instance’s disk, which you can then use as a template to create new instances. This is useful for saving a configured environment, so you can quickly launch new instances with the same setup. Conveniently, snapshots also compress your data and place it on cheaper HDDs vs standard SSD storage. This cuts cost by about 75% for long-term storage.
Creating a snapshot typically takes 2-3 minutes to complete.

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Creating a Snapshot

You can create a snapshot from any stopped instance using either the Thunder Compute Console or the CLI.

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Using the Console

  1. Navigate to the Thunder Compute Console.
  2. Find the instance you want to snapshot. The instance must be in a STOPPED state.
  3. Check the box next to the instance, and click the “Snapshot” button in the action bar.

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Using the CLI

To create a snapshot with the CLI, use the tnr snapshot command: 
tnr snapshot <instance_ID> <snapshot_name>
  • <instance_ID>: The ID of the instance to snapshot. The instance must be stopped. You can find the instance ID by running tnr status.
  • <snapshot_name>: A unique name for your snapshot.
    • Must contain only lowercase letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and hyphens (-).
    • Must be between 1 and 62 characters long.

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Creating an Instance from a Snapshot

Once you’ve created a snapshot, you can use it to launch new instances.

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Using the Console

  1. Navigate to the “Snapshots” tab in the Thunder Compute Console.
  2. Find the snapshot you want to use.
  3. Click the “Create Instance” button.
  4. Configure your new instance as desired. The new instance’s disk size must be equal to or greater than the snapshot’s disk size.

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Using the CLI

You can use a snapshot as a template when creating a new instance with the tnr create command. The snapshot defines the initial disk content and size. 
tnr create --template <snapshot_name>
While the snapshot defines the disk, you can modify other configuration options like the vCPU count or GPU type.
The new instance’s disk size must be equal to or greater than the original instance’s disk size. Decreasing the disk size is not supported.
For example, to create a new instance from a snapshot with a different GPU: 
tnr create --template <snapshot_name> --gpu t4

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Managing Snapshots

You can list and delete your snapshots using the CLI.

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List Snapshots

To see all your available snapshots and their details, including their compressed size: 
tnr snapshot --list

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Delete a Snapshot

To delete a snapshot by name: 
tnr snapshot --delete <snapshot_name>
This action permanently deletes the snapshot. It does not affect any instances that were created from this snapshot.