Blockchain Snapshots: Saving the State of the Network
Snapshot is a documentation of the state of a blockchain at a certain block height.
What is a snapshot?
The ability to record the state of something at a precise point in time is called a snapshot. In the world of blockchain, a snapshot is the act of documenting the state of a blockchain at a specific block height. It is used to track the total number and balance of token holders at any given time.
Traditional interpretation.
Obtaining a snapshot, also known as a storage snapshot, is similar to taking a picture of your server data at a particular point in time. Snapshots are not a complete duplicate of the data on your hard drive; for the most part, they are metadata that define the state of the information. In addition, they can only be stored on the local server or device where they were created.
Because live data, such as when testing a new application or program or trying out new settings, can put your system at risk, snapshots are commonly used for test/dev. They give you access to an infinite number of clones of your data, allowing you to work on development without affecting your normal work. Automating, testing, iterating, and dismounting workflows doesn’t take up much extra storage space. If an error occurs, you can roll back the server to an earlier point.
A full backup can take several hours, and in some cases it has to be done overnight because it requires a lot of system resources. Snapshots, on the other hand, can be created in seconds and as often as needed. It is also possible to deduplicate the data created by snapshots using technologies such as modified block tracking (CBT).
Snapshots are only meant to be stored for a limited period of time, but if not handled correctly, they can lead to incredibly complex data chains and very long consolidation times.
Cryptographic snapshots.
A snapshot in cryptocurrency is a blockchain state protocol at a certain block height. It captures the entire blockchain, including all existing addresses and related data.
What are snapshots in cryptocurrency airdrop events?
Snapshots are often taken before each round of an airdrop event. Tokens are distributed based on the balance of each blockchain address available during the snapshot period. Snapshots are taken to capture the balance of each token holder at a particular point in time (i.e., the height of the block). Users can typically move their funds after receiving the snapshot without jeopardizing their eligibility to participate in a given payout round.
