Why snapshots if Time Machine works?

[blackxacto]

19,1 iMac, macOS 12.4, Carbon Copy Cloner 6:

1. If Time Machine is working, why do I need Monterey to make Snapshots?
2. Why do I need CCC6 snapshots if Time Machine works in Monterey 12.4?
3. Do Snapshots take up data space?
4. I keep 3 backups of my internal SSD+TimeMachine external backup. Why do I need CCC6 Safety Net & CCC6 Snapshots?

I don't understand why the snapshots with all my external backups?

 

[Mike Boreham]

1. Two reasons: (a) The internal snapshots are complementary to Time Machine external backups and provide backup protection even if the external TM drive is disconnected. (b) Rolling back the whole machine to an internal snapshot is the fastest way of 'going back to yesterday" (but can't roll back an OS update)

2. Your don't. CCC snapshots are identical to TM internal snapshots, but CCC gives customisation over how long they are kept.

3. Yes they take up data space. BUT it is not supposed to be counted by Finder as used space, and is supposed to be released in case of need. In practice IME these don't always happen or take a while to happen. The easiest way to delete the internal snapshots is in now in Disk Utility (View > Show APFS Snapshots), which gives visibility and means of deletion.

4. You don't. IMHO. I don't use CCC snapshots or Safety Net, but Safety Net does provide a form of versioned backups....you could recover something you deleted six months ago. Time Machine does as well of course if you have everything backed up to TM .

 

[blackxacto]

Dude, that is a fantastic reply. Clear and helpful. Thank you so much. I kept thinking i was missing something important. To me its just overkill. TM always provides reliable versions. Then all my backups. Thanks again.