# Setting the maximum amount of shadow copy storage
<a name="shadow-copy-storage"></a>

You define the maximum amount of storage that shadow copies can consume on a file system using the `Set-FsxShadowStorage` custom PowerShell command. You can specify the maximum size that shadow copies can grow to by using either the `-Maxsize` or the `-Default` parameters. Using `Default` sets the maximum to 10% of the file system's storage capacity. You cannot specify the `-Maxsize` and `-Default` parameters in the same command.

Using `-Maxsize`, you can define shadow copy storage as follows: 
+ In bytes: `Set-FsxShadowStorage -Maxsize 2500000000` 
+ In kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, or other units: `Set-FsxShadowStorage -Maxsize (2500MB)` or `Set-FsxShadowStorage -Maxsize (2.5GB)` 
+ As a percentage of the overall storage: `Set-FsxShadowStorage -Maxsize "20%"` 
+ As unbounded: `Set-FsxShadowStorage -Maxsize "UNBOUNDED"` 

 Use `-Default` to set shadow storage to use up to 10 percent of the file system: `Set-FsxShadowStorage -Default`. To learn more about using the default option, see [Configuring shadow copies to use the default storage and schedule](setting-up-fsx-shadow-copies.md).

**To set the amount of shadow copy storage on an FSx for Windows File Server file system**

1. Connect to a compute instance that has network connectivity with your file system as a user that is a member of the file system administrators group. In AWS Managed Microsoft AD, that group is **AWS Delegated FSx Administrators**. In your self-managed Microsoft AD, that group is **Domain Admins** or the custom group that you specified for administration when you created your file system. For more information, see [Connecting to Your Windows Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/WindowsGuide/connecting_to_windows_instance.html) in the *Amazon EC2 User Guide*. 

1.  Open a Windows PowerShell window on the compute instance. 

1.  Use the following command to open a remote PowerShell session on your Amazon FSx file system. Replace `FSxFileSystem-Remote-PowerShell-Endpoint` with the Windows Remote PowerShell endpoint of file system that you want to administer. You can find the Windows Remote PowerShell endpoint in the Amazon FSx console, in the **Network & Security** section of the file system details screen, or in the response of the `DescribeFileSystem` API operation. 

   ```
   PS C:\Users\delegateadmin> enter-pssession -computername FSxFileSystem-Remote-PowerShell-Endpoint -configurationname fsxremoteadmin
   ```

1. Verify that shadow copy storage is not already configured on the file system using the following command.

   ```
   [fs-1234567890abcef12]: PS>Get-FsxShadowStorage
   No Fsx Shadow Storage Configured
   ```

1.  Set the amount of shadow storage to 10 percent of the volume and the maximum number of shadow copes to 20 using the `-Default` option.

   ```
   [fs-1234567890abcef12]: PS>Set-FsxShadowStorage -Default
   FSx Shadow Storage Configuration
   
   AllocatedSpace UsedSpace    MaxSpace MaxShadowCopyNumber
   -------------- ---------    -------- -------------------
                0         0 32530536858                  20
   ```

You can limit the maximum number of shadow copies allowed on your file system by using the `Set-FSxShadowStorage` command with the `-MaxShadowCopyNumber` parameter and specifying a value from 1-500. By default, the maximum number of shadow copies is set to 20, as recommended for by Microsoft for active workloads.