# Managing FlashCopy backups

Note: You cannot use the ServeRAID Manager console create a FlashCopy for an enclosure-based logical device. To create a FlashCopy backup, you must use the command line interface provided with your IBM DS300 or DS400 storage enclosure. Or you can use the `sstool` command provided with the FlashCopy agent.

A FlashCopy backup creates a point-in-time backup of logical drive data. It sets up a link between the source and target logical drives. When data on the source drive changes, the differences are captured on the target drive, maintaining the data as it looked at the time the backup was created. You can use the backup copy of data for tape backup, drive cloning, and multi-server rollout.

Initially, a FlashCopy backup starts at 10% the size of the FlashCopy source. As new data are written to the source drive, the FlashCopy backup grows to the size of FlashCopy source. This is known as the FlashCopy virtual size.

The ServeRAID Manager displays both the virtual size and actual size of a FlashCopy backup, depending on the situation:

- In the Logical devices view, it displays the virtual size:
- In the Configuration wizard, it displays the actual size of the first FlashCopy backup. It displays 0 for all other FlashCopy backups.
- In the logical drive Properties panel, it displays both the virtual size and actual size.

You cannot perform any action on a FlashCopy target. You can only delete a FlashCopy target, using the Delete logical drive action.

## More information

- Deleting a logical drive

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