Fixing Pure FlashArray Snapshot Deletion Errors




When working with Pure Storage FlashArray, you may run into situations where snapshots tied to replication cannot be deleted through the normal process. This often happens when a snapshot is still linked to replication or wasn’t properly cleaned up after replication was stopped.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to handle this issue.


The Problem: Snapshot Delete Error

When attempting to delete a snapshot, you might see an error like this:

purevol destroy TestFA01:volume01.rb2

Error message:

Error on TestFA01:volume01.rb2: Snapshot can't be destroyed or eradicated. It is replicating or is baseline.

This indicates that the snapshot is still considered a replication snapshot, preventing normal deletion.


Solution: Use the --replication-snapshot Flag

Since the snapshot is associated with replication, you’ll need to explicitly force its deletion with the --replication-snapshot option:

purevol destroy TestFA01:volume01.rb2 --replication-snapshot

This removes the snapshot from active use but moves it into the destroyed bucket, where it will remain for 24 hours by default.


Step 2: Eradicate to Reclaim Space Immediately

If you want to permanently delete the snapshot and reclaim space without waiting for the 24-hour retention period, use the eradicate command:

purevol eradicate TestFA01:volume01.rb2 --replication-snapshot

This will completely remove the snapshot from the system.


Step 3: Verify Snapshot Deletion

After cleanup, confirm that the snapshot is gone by running:

purevol list --snap

This lists all remaining snapshots so you can verify the deletion.


Summary

  • Normal snapshot deletion may fail if the snapshot is tied to replication.
  • Use --replication-snapshot to force deletion.
  • By default, deleted snapshots sit in the destroyed bucket for 24 hours.
  • Use eradicate for immediate permanent removal and space reclamation.
  • Always verify with purevol list --snap.

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