Intent
Preserve configuration state so changes can be reviewed or restored.
When to use
- Before applying major updates or migrations.
- Compliance or audit requires historical snapshots.
- You need to compare drift over time.
Core mechanics
- Collect config files and settings.
- Store snapshots with timestamps and metadata.
- Diff snapshots across versions.
Implementation checklist
- Define scope (files, services, settings).
- Collect and normalize config outputs.
- Store snapshots securely with metadata.
- Generate diffs between snapshots.
- Document restoration steps.
Failure modes and mitigations
- Incomplete capture -> define scope and verify coverage.
- Sensitive data exposure -> redact or encrypt secrets.
- Inconsistent formats -> normalize before storing.
Observability and validation
- Snapshot inventory with timestamps.
- Diff summaries for each snapshot.
Artifacts
- Snapshot archives and manifest.
- Diff reports.
- Restoration guide.