---
name: vpc-bs_snapshots_manage_mvs
title: Managing snapshot consistency groups
description: Manage snapshot consistency groups by renaming, deleting individual snapshots, or removing entire groups while keeping or deleting member snapshots.
last-updated: 2026-06-26
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Managing snapshot consistency groups
{: #snapshots-vpc-manage-consistency-groups}

Manage snapshot consistency groups by renaming, deleting individual snapshots, or removing entire groups while keeping or deleting member snapshots.
{: shortdesc}

 A snapshot consistency group contains snapshots of multiple volumes that are attached to the same virtual server instance. The snapshots are loosely coupled. So, you can manage the snapshots within a consistency group in the same way that you manage any other snapshot.

When you consider deleting the consistency group, you can choose to delete or keep the individual snapshots. If you update the backup consistency group to keep the individual snapshots after deletion of the group, and delete the group, an activity tracking event is created. However, a backup job is not created because the backup snapshots remain intact.

Creating a consistency group with snapshots of different generations is not supported. Consider [migrating](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-block-storage-vpc-volume-migration&format=markdown) your first-generation volumes to the `sdp` profile. The `sdp` profile provides better value and more flexibility than the first-generation profiles. For more information, see [Block Storage for VPC profiles](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-block-storage-profiles&format=markdown).
{: tip}

## Updating a consistency group in the console
{: #update-consistencygroup-ui}
{: ui}

1. Go to the list of snapshot consistency groups. In the [IBM Cloud console](https://cloud.ibm.com/login){: external}, click the **Navigation menu** ![menu icon](../icons/icon_hamburger.svg) **> Infrastructure** ![VPC icon](../icons/vpc.svg) **> Storage > Block Storage Snapshots**.
1. On the Consistency groups tab, click the name of a group on the list to display the consistency group details.
1. You can change the following attributes:
   * To change the name on the group, click the **Edit icon** ![Edit icon](../icons/edit-tagging.svg "Edit") and enter the new name.
   * Switch the toggle to enable or disable the deletion of the snapshots when the consistency group is deleted.

## Deleting a consistency group in the console
{: #delete-consistencygroup-ui}
{: ui}

1. Go to the list of snapshot consistency groups. In the [IBM Cloud console](https://cloud.ibm.com/login){: external}, click the **Navigation menu** ![menu icon](../icons/icon_hamburger.svg) **> Infrastructure** ![VPC icon](../icons/vpc.svg) **> Storage > Block Storage Snapshots**.
1. On the Consistency groups tab, click the name of a group on the list.
1. Click the Actions > Delete.
1. Type `Delete`.
1. Click **Delete**.

## Updating a consistency group from the CLI
{: #update-consistencygroup-cli}
{: cli}

You can update a consistency group from the CLI by running the following command. You can use the CLI to update the name of the resource and switch the `delete_snapshots_on_delete` property to keep the snapshots after the snapshot consistency group is deleted.

```sh
ibmcloud is snapshot-consistency-group-update CONSISTENCY_GROUP_ID
```
{: pre}

The following example changes the consistency group name. It identifies the consistency group by name. You can also use the ID of the consistency group with this command.

```sh
ibmcloud is snapshot-consistency-group-update multiple-snapshots-consistency-group-1 --name my-consistency-group
```
{: pre}

```sh
Updating snapshot consistency group multiple-snapshots-consistency-group-1 under account Test Account as user test.user@ibm.com...

ID                          r174-ed7c034e-9bd1-4474-83d0-f5b050f1490a
Name                        my-consistency-group
CRN                         crn:v1:bluemix:public:is:us-south:a/a1234567::snapshot-consistency-group:r174-ed7c034e-9bd1-4474-83d0-f5b050f1490a
Href                        https://us-south.iaas.cloud.ibm.com/v1/snapshot_consistency_groups/r174-ed7c034e-9bd1-4474-83d0-f5b050f1490a
Status                      stable
Backup policy job           -
Backup policy plan          -
Delete snapshot on delete   true
Source Snapshot             -
Resource group              ID                                 Name
                            11caaa983d9c4beb82690daab08717e9   Default

Created                     2023-08-25T10:55:37+05:30
Service Tags                -
```
{: screen}


For more information about available command options, see [`ibmcloud is snapshot-consistency-group-update`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-vpc-reference&format=markdown#snapshot-consistency-group-update).

## Deleting a consistency group from the CLI
{: #delete-consistencygroup-cli}
{: cli}

You can delete a consistency group from the CLI by running the following command.

```sh
ibmcloud is snapshot-consistency-group-delete CONSISTENCY_GROUP_ID
```
{: pre}

The following example deletes two consistency groups that are identified by their names.

```sh
ibmcloud is snapshot-consistency-group-delete snapshot-consistency-group-1 snapshot-consistency-group-2
```
{: pre}

```sh
This will delete snapshot consistency group snapshot-consistency-group-1, snapshot-consistency-group-2 and cannot be undone. Continue [y/N] ?> y

Deleting snapshot consistency group snapshot-consistency-group-1, snapshot-consistency-group-2 under account Test account as user test.user@ibm.com...
OK

Deletion request for snapshot consistency groups snapshot-consistency-group-1, snapshot-consistency-group-2 has been accepted.
```
{: screen}

For more information about available command options, see [`ibmcloud is snapshot-consistency-group-delete`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-vpc-reference&format=markdown#snapshot-consistency-group-delete).

## Updating a consistency group with the API
{: #update-consistencygroup-api}
{: api}

You can programmatically update a consistency group by calling the `/snapshot_consistency_groups/{id}` method in the [VPC API](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/apis/vpc/latest#update-snapshot-consistency-group){: external} as shown in the following sample request. You can use the API to update the name of the resource and switch the `delete_snapshots_on_delete` property to keep the snapshots after the snapshot consistency group is deleted.

```sh
curl -X PATCH\
"$vpc_api_endpoint/v1/snapshot_consistency_groups/$consistency_group_id?version=2023-12-05&generation=2"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $iam_token"
-d "{\
   "delete_snapshot_on_delete_snapshot_consistency_group":false,\
   "name":"my-snapshot-consistency-group"}"
```
{: pre}

## Deleting a consistency group with the API
{: #delete-consistencygroup-api}
{: api}

You can programmatically delete a consistency group by calling the `/snapshot_consistency_groups/{id}` method in the [VPC API](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/apis/vpc/latest#delete-snapshot-consistency-group){: external} as shown in the following sample request.

```sh
curl -X DELETE\
"$vpc_api_endpoint/v1/snapshot_consistency_groups/$consistency_group_id?version=2023-12-05&generation=2"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $iam_token"
```
{: pre}

## Updating a consistency group with Terraform
{: #update-consistencygroup-terraform}
{: terraform}

To update a snapshot consistency group, use the `ibm_is_snapshot_consistency_group` resource. You can update the name of the resource, change the `delete_snapshots_on_delete` property, which can be either `true` or `false`. You can also update the tags that are attached to the snapshots.

```terraform
resource "ibm_is_snapshot_consistency_group" "example" {
   delete_snapshots_on_delete = true
   name = "example-snapshot-consistency-group"
   snapshots {
    [
      name = "snapshot-1"
      source_volume = {id = "ibm_is_instance.example.volume_attachments[0].volume_id_1"}
      user_tags = ["my-tag"]
    ].
    [
      name = "snapshot-2"
      source_volume = {id = "ibm_is_instance.example.volume_attachments[0].volume_id_2"}
      user_tags = ["my-tag"]
    ]
   }
}
```
{: codeblock}

Changing the `resource_group` and `source_volume` values of the member snapshots forces Terraform to delete the snapshots and create different snapshots.

For more information about the arguments and attributes, see [ibm_is_snapshot_consistency_group](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/IBM-Cloud/ibm/latest/docs/resources/is_snapshot_consistency_group){: external}.

## Deleting a consistency group with Terraform
{: #delete-consistencygroup-terraform}
{: terraform}

Use the `terraform destroy` command to conveniently delete a remote object such as a snapshot consistency group. The following example deletes `my-snapshot-consistency-group`.

```terraform
terraform destroy --target ibm_is_snapshot_consistency_group.my-snapshot-consistency-group
```
{: codeblock}

For more information, see [terraform destroy](https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/cli/commands/destroy){: external}.

## Activity Tracking events
{: #consistency-groups-at-events}

All multi-volume snapshot operations generate events in IBM Cloud Activity Tracker Event Routing regardless if the consistency group was created manually or by the Backup service. For more information, see [Consistency group events](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-at_events&interface=ui&format=markdown#events-consistency-group).