VFS_SHADOW_COPY(8)

✨ VFS_SHADOW_COPY ✨

okay bestie, pull up a chair 🫶 this is the vfs_shadow_copy(8) page — it lives in section 8 of the manual, the System Administration tools zone, and it's lowkey one of the cutest tricks in the whole Samba lineup. let's get into it 💅

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🌸 NAME 🌸

vfs_shadow_copy — expose snapshots to Windows clients as shadow copies. that's it, that's the vibe ✨

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

vfs objects = shadow_copy

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so this VFS module is part of the samba(7) suite, obviously 💜

vfs_shadow_copy does functionality that is similar to Microsoft Shadow Copy services. and when you set it up properly — key word, properly — it lets Microsoft Shadow Copy clients browse "shadow copies" on Samba shares. the way that Windows machines just see them and go 😌 yes queen. iconic behaviour fr fr.

also: this module is stackable. yes bestie, you can stack it. we love a flexible icon 👑

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🎀 CONFIGURATION 🎀

vfs_shadow_copy relies on a filesystem snapshot implementation. no snapshots, no magic. many common filesystems have native support for this, so check yours first, iykyk 🧚

here's the important part bestie, do not skip this:

Filesystem snapshots must be mounted on specially named directories in order to be recognized by vfs_shadow_copy. The snapshot mount points must be immediate children of the directory being shared. not grandchildren, not cousins, not second-cousins-once-removed. immediate children. periodt 💅

The snapshot naming convention is:

@GMT-YYYY.MM.DD-hh.mm.ss

where:

• YYYY is the 4 digit year
• MM is the 2 digit month
• DD is the 2 digit day
• hh is the 2 digit hour
• mm is the 2 digit minute
• ss is the 2 digit second.

and guess what — the vfs_shadow_copy snapshot naming convention can be produced with the following date(1) command:

TZ=GMT date +@GMT-%Y.%m.%d-%H.%M.%S

literally copy that, paste it, thank me later 🍓

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🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

want shadow copy support on user home directories? say less:

[homes]
vfs objects = shadow_copy

that's the whole thing. slay ✨

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💀 CAVEATS 💀

okay this is the serious part, bestie, listen up because i love you 🫶

This is not a backup, archival, or version control solution.

With Samba or Windows servers, vfs_shadow_copy is designed to be an end-user tool only. It does not replace or enhance your backup and archival solutions and should in no way be considered as such.

Additionally, if you need version control, implement a version control system. like actually. do not use this as your version control. i'm begging 🙈

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⭐ VERSION ⭐

This man page is part of version 4.24.7-Ubuntu-4.24.7+dfsg-1ubuntu1 of the Samba suite. keep that in your notes 📝

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👑 AUTHOR 👑

The original Samba software and related utilities were created by Andrew Tridgell. Samba is now developed by the Samba Team as an Open Source project similar to the way the Linux kernel is developed. legends only, no cap 💜

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and that's the page babes 🎀 shoutout to Samba 4.24.7-Ubuntu-4.24.7+dfsg-1ubuntu1, dated 09/13/2026 — go forth and browse your shadow copies responsibly, mwah 💅✨💖