What is a snapshot in data recovery terminology?

In data recovery terminology, a snapshot refers to a mirror of the data at a specific point in time. This means that it captures the current state of the data, including all files and their content, allowing users to restore that exact version in the future if needed. This is especially useful in recovering from accidental deletions, corruption, or other data loss scenarios, as it allows the restoration of the system to that precise moment without needing to recover the entire database or environment.

Snapshots can be thought of as backups that do not require all underlying data to be copied in its entirety but rather capture the state of data at a certain moment, enabling efficient recovery. This is crucial in environments where data is frequently updated, as it allows for quick restoration with minimal disruption.