Expire Snapshots

Snapshots in Iceberg tables represent consistent views of the table's data at a specific point in time. Each snapshot is created whenever changes are made to the table, such as adding, updating, or deleting data. These snapshots enable features like time travel, allowing users to query the table as it existed at a previous state.

Over time, as new snapshots are created, old ones may become irrelevant or redundant, consuming unnecessary storage. Snapshot expiration is the process of removing these outdated snapshots based on predefined policies, freeing up storage while maintaining the table's integrity and performance.

The Expire Snapshots tab lets you monitor the status of snapshot expiration in the table. It tracks the expiration process using the following parameters:

history.expire.max-snapshot-age-ms: The maximum age of snapshots to retain on the table and its branches during expiration.
history.expire.min-snapshots-to-keep: The minimum number of snapshots to retain on the table and its branches during expiration.

When the expire snapshots job runs, it checks for snapshots eligible for expiration based on these parameters. Once the job completes, the expired snapshots are deleted, and their storage is reclaimed.

Per Snapshot Expiration Job run, you will be able to track the following KPIs:

Last updated 3 days ago