Ubuntu Manpages

zfs-clone

clone snapshot of ZFS dataset

zfs clone [-pu] [-o property=value]… snapshot filesystem|volume

See the Clones section of zfsconcepts(7) for details. The target dataset can be located anywhere in the ZFS hierarchy, and is created as the same type as the original.

property=value
Sets the specified property; see zfs create for details.
Creates all the non-existing parent datasets. Datasets created in this manner are automatically mounted according to the property inherited from their parent. If the target filesystem or volume already exists, the operation completes successfully.
Do not mount the newly created file system.

The following command creates a writable file system whose initial contents are the same as pool/home/bob@yesterday.

# zfs clone pool/home/bob@yesterday pool/clone

The following commands illustrate how to test out changes to a file system, and then replace the original file system with the changed one, using clones, clone promotion, and renaming:

# zfs create pool/project/production
  populate /pool/project/production with data
# zfs snapshot pool/project/production@today
# zfs clone pool/project/production@today pool/project/beta
  make changes to /pool/project/beta and test them
# zfs promote pool/project/beta
# zfs rename pool/project/production pool/project/legacy
# zfs rename pool/project/beta pool/project/production
  once the legacy version is no longer needed, it can be destroyed
# zfs destroy pool/project/legacy

zfs-promote(8), zfs-snapshot(8)