How do I configure my AWS Backup plan to move my Amazon EBS snapshots from warm to cold storage?

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Activate cold storage and set backup frequency

Complete the following steps:

1. Open the AWS Backup console.
2. In the navigation pane, choose Backup plans.
3. In the Backup plan name column, select the backup plan for your EBS volumes.
4. In the Backup rules section, select your backup rule.
5. For Backup frequency, choose at least Monthly or a less frequent duration.
   Important: The EBS snapshot transition to cold storage is available only when the backup frequency is at least monthly or less frequent.
6. In the Lifecycle section, select Move backups from warm to cold storage.
7. For Cold storage for Amazon EBS, select Archive Amazon EBS snapshots.
8. For Time in warm storage, enter how much time you want your backup to remain in warm storage.
   Note: You must have at least 1 day in warm storage.
9. For Total retention period, enter the sum of your time in warm storage and time in cold storage.
   Note: The minimum retention period for snapshots in cold storage is 90 days. So, your total retention period must be at least 90 days for cold storage and at least 1 day for warm storage.
10. Select Archive Amazon EBS snapshots.
11. Choose Save.

Note: A restore from cold storage takes at least 4 hours more than a restore from warm storage.

Check for an expired transition period

Before snapshots transition to cold storage, AWS Backup stores EBS snapshots in warm storage for the time period that you defined in the backup rule.

To check whether the warm storage time period expired, complete the following steps:

1. Open the AWS Backup console.
2. In the navigation pane, choose Vaults.
3. Select the backup vault that you use for your EBS volumes.
4. On the Recovery points tab, select the recovery point that didn't transition to cold storage.
5. In the Move to cold date section, check whether the transition period expired. If it didn't expire, then you must wait for the scheduled transition to cold storage.

Related information

How Amazon EBS snapshots work

Automate backups with Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager