US Patent 11442893 Database-aware snapshotting

Database-aware snapshotting is disclosed. It is determined that a first snapshot of a database having a plurality of shards should be taken. Each shard has a corresponding snapshot sidecar container of a plurality of snapshot sidecar containers. A consensus state among the plurality of snapshot sidecar containers that the first snapshot should be taken is determined. A snapshot controller is directed to take the first snapshot of the database, the first snapshot generating a shard volume snapshot for each shard of a plurality of shards. Subsequent to the snapshot controller taking the first snapshot of the database, each snapshot sidecar container is informed to allow activity on the corresponding shard.