---
title:  Cache and Region Snapshots
---

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Snapshots allow you to save region data and reload it later. A typical use case is loading data from one environment into another, such as capturing data from a production system and moving it into a smaller QA or development system.

In effect, you can load data from one distributed system into another distributed system. Administrators export a snapshot of a region or an entire cache (multiple regions) and later import the snapshot into another region or distributed system by using the `RegionSnapshotService` or `CacheSnapshotService` interface and the `Region.getSnapshotService` or `Cache.getSnapshotService` method.

The snapshot file is a binary file that contains all data from a particular region. The binary format contains serialized key/value pairs and supports PDX type registry to allow the deserialization of PDX data. The snapshot can be directly imported into a region or read entry-by-entry for further processing or transformation into other formats.

**Note:**
The previous `Region.loadSnapshot` and `Region.saveSnapshot` APIs have been deprecated. Data written in this format is not compatible with the new APIs.

-   **[Usage and Performance Notes](using_cache_and_region_snapshots.html)**

    Optimize the cache and region snapshot feature by understanding how it performs.

-   **[Exporting Cache and Region Snapshots](exporting_a_snapshot.html)**

    To save <%=vars.product_name%> cache or region data to a snapshot that you can later load into another distributed system or region, use the `cache.getSnapshotService.save` API, `region.getSnapshotService.save` API, or the `gfsh` command-line interface (`export data`).

-   **[Importing Cache and Region Snapshots](importing_a_snapshot.html)**

    To import a <%=vars.product_name%> cache or region data snapshot that you previously exported into another distributed system or region, use the `cache.getSnapshotService.load` API, `region.getSnapshotService.load` API, or the `gfsh` command-line interface (`import data`).

-   **[Filtering Entries During Import or Export](filtering_snapshot_entries.html)**

    You can customize your snapshot by filtering entries during the import or export of a region or a cache.

-   **[Reading Snapshots Programmatically](read_snapshots_programmatically.html)**

    You can read a snapshot entry-by-entry for further processing or transformation into other formats.


