> Source: [sk98068](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk98068)
# sk98068 - Gaia Limitations after Snapshot Recovery
| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk98068 |
| Date Created | 2014-01-16 |
| Last Modified | 2024-11-12 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Security Gateway, Security Management Server |
| Versions | R82, R81.20, R81.10 (EOS), R82, R81.20, R81 (EOS), R81.10 (EOS), R81 (EOS) |
| OS | Gaia |
| Platform | Smart-1, 15000, 3000, 5000, Maestro Orchestrator, TE |
## Solution
### Introduction
The Gaia Image Management feature lets the administrator create a new image (a snapshot) of the system. The administrator can then revert to the image.
The snapshot creates a binary image of the root (`lv_current`) disk partition. This includes all of the operating system files and different Check Point software files. Because the *log* partition is ***not*** included in the snapshot, some data is not saved, such as FireWall logs and events (see "Limitations" section below).
Revert to a snapshot in one of these ways:
* Gaia Clish
* Gaia Portal - "Snapshot Management" page
* Gaia Portal First Time Wizard - "Import existing snapshot" option
Gaia OS supports exporting an image from one server, and importing and restoring that image on a different server of the same type (example: can be used during RMA cases).
**Note** : If on the original server a network configuration was performed in ***Gaia Portal*** (example: changing an IP address of an interface), then the MAC addresses of the *original* server will be saved as well. MAC addresses will be exported and then imported and deployed on another server.
### Limitations of the Gaia Image Management feature
#### (1) General
* Snapshot and Revert operations must be performed on Check Point appliances of the same model / Open Servers with the same hardware.
* Any user data saved in the `/var/log/` partition is ***not*** saved as part of the snapshot.
* When reverting to a snapshot taken on a server other than the current server, the license may be invalid and may require re-activation, due to a MAC address change.
* You cannot import a snapshot, if a snapshot with the same name already exists on the server.
* You cannot revert to a Gaia AutoSnapshot in this scenario:
1. You took a manual Gaia snapshot on a server.
2. You upgraded the server to another version (the upgrade mechanism creates a Gaia AutoSnapshot).
3. You reverted to the manual Gaia snapshot you took before the upgrade.
4. You cannot revert to the Gaia AutoSnapshot that the upgrade mechanism created.
* Because Gaia Snapshot copies only the root partition, if there are any symbolic links from one partition to another that change between versions, the revert might affect the symbolic links.
**Example** : In R80.10, **/var/log/link** points to **/opt/dest1** , and in R80.20 it points to **/opt/dest2** . As a result, reverting a snapshot from one version to another might cause the symbolic link to be a broken link (because **/var/log/link** will still point to **dest1** when in R80.20 it should pointing to **dest2** ).
The same applies to the other direction: That is, if **/opt/link** points to **/var/log/dest1** in R80.10, and to **/var/log/dest2** in R80.20, the link might be broken here, too, when you revert the snapshot.
* **Renaming** the exported image is ***not*** supported. It is ***not*** possible to revert from a snapshot image that was renamed (the same applies to renaming snapshots directly on the Gateway). If a snapshot file was renamed, you may see errors such as the following when trying to revert:
>
> ```
> Checking all file systems.
> [/sbin/fsck.ext3 (1) -- /] fsck.ext3 -a /dev/mapper/vg_splat-lv_Backup
> fsck.ext3: No such file or directory while trying to open /dev/mapper/vg_splat-lv_Backup
> /dev/mapper/vg_splat-lv_Backup:
> The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2
> filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2
> filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock
> is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock:
> e2fsck -b 8193
>
> [FAILED]
>
> *** An error occurred during the file system check.
> *** Dropping you to a shell; the system will reboot
> *** when you leave the shell.
> (Repair filesystem) 1 #
> ```
* **Different Filesystem** - It is not possible to revert from a snapshot image that upgraded from a previous version that used Ext-3 file system.
Starting in R80.20, Gaia Fresh Install has a default XFS filesystem.
Solution:
Fresh install to your FireWall version and revert from snapshot again.
#### (2) SmartLog
* Firewall logs are *not* restored during reverting.
#### (3) Threat Emulation
* Threat Emulation updated engine, images, detection rules and logic may need to be downloaded again after reverting.
#### (4) DLP
* All DLP quarantined e-mails are *not* restored during reverting.
* If the DLP Fingerprint data type was used before reverting on Security Gateways, another reboot is required after the first policy installation.
* DLP Fingerprint data types will *not* be enforced until the next successful repository scan.
* DLP Whitelist will *not* bypass files until the next successful repository scan.
* DLP Dynamic Dictionary data types will *not* be enforced until the next successful periodic scan.
#### (5) SmartUpdate
* All packages that were uploaded with SmartUpdate to the Security Management Server before reverting are invalid after reverting. To fix this, delete the packages from SmartUpdate and upload them again.
---
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