OSDOCS-18456#GCP PD images snapshot class

Author: Lisa Pettyjohn

modules/persistent-storage-csi-snapshots-operator.adoc

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 [id="persistent-storage-csi-snapshots-operator_{context}"]
 = About the CSI Snapshot Controller Operator
 
-The CSI Snapshot Controller Operator runs in the `openshift-cluster-storage-operator` namespace. It is installed by the Cluster Version Operator (CVO) in all clusters by default.
+The Container Storage Interface (CSI) Snapshot Controller Operator runs in the `openshift-cluster-storage-operator` namespace. It is installed by the Cluster Version Operator (CVO) in all clusters by default.
 
 The CSI Snapshot Controller Operator installs the CSI snapshot controller, which runs in the `openshift-cluster-storage-operator` namespace.
 
@@ -32,10 +32,53 @@ The `VolumeSnapshot` CRD is namespaced. A developer uses the CRD as a distinct r
 
 `VolumeSnapshotClass`::
 
-Allows a cluster administrator to specify different attributes belonging to a `VolumeSnapshot` object. These attributes may differ among snapshots taken of the same volume on the storage system, in which case they would not be expressed by using the same storage class of a persistent volume claim.
+The `VolumeSnapshotClass` CRD allows a cluster administrator to specify different attributes belonging to a `VolumeSnapshot` object. These attributes may differ among snapshots taken of the same volume on the storage system, in which case they would not be expressed by using the same storage class of a persistent volume claim.
 +
 The `VolumeSnapshotClass` CRD defines the parameters for the `csi-external-snapshotter` sidecar to use when creating a snapshot. This allows the storage back end to know what kind of snapshot to dynamically create if multiple options are supported.
 +
 Dynamically provisioned snapshots use the `VolumeSnapshotClass` CRD to specify storage-provider-specific parameters to use when creating a snapshot.
 +
 The `VolumeSnapshotContentClass` CRD is not namespaced and is for use by a cluster administrator to enable global configuration options for their storage back end.
++
+For Google Cloud Platform (GCP) persistent disk (PD) storage  CSI, there is a non-default `VolumeSnapshotClass`, `csi-gce-pd-vsc-images`, that includes the `snapshot-type`: `images` parameter. When using KubeVirt, this allows you to create VMs from "golden images" (templates saved as snapshots). 
++
+If you want to use the images volume snapshot class for dynamic snapshot provisioning, you can either:
+
+* Make the images volume snapshot class the default by changing the `snapshot.storage.kubernetes.io/is-default-class` annotation to `true`. Also, for the normal default volume snapshot class, `csi-gce-pd-vsc`, be sure to change this parameter to `false`.
+
+* When creating the snapshot object, be sure to set `volumeSnapshotClassName` to `csi-gce-pd-vsc-images`.
++
+For information about creating volume snapshots, see Section _Creating a volume snapshot_.
++
+.Example images volume snapshot class YAML file
+[source,yaml]
+----
+apiVersion: snapshot.storage.k8s.io/v1
+deletionPolicy: Delete
+driver: pd.csi.storage.gke.io
+kind: VolumeSnapshotClass
+metadata:
+  creationTimestamp: '2026-02-26T14:16:59Z'
+  generation: 1
+  managedFields:
+    - apiVersion: snapshot.storage.k8s.io/v1
+      fieldsType: FieldsV1
+      fieldsV1:
+        'f:deletionPolicy': {}
+        'f:driver': {}
+        'f:parameters':
+          .: {}
+          'f:snapshot-type': {}
+      manager: gcp-pd-csi-driver-operator
+      operation: Update
+      time: '2026-02-26T14:16:59Z'
+  name: csi-gce-pd-vsc-images
+  resourceVersion: '9895'
+  uid: ea345890-afc8-4a06-92be-1f7c62429dec
+parameters:
+  snapshot-type: images
+----
++
+* `metadata.name:csi-gce-pd-vsc-images`: Name for the non-default images volume snapshot class.
+
+* `parameters: snapshot-type: images`: Defines the snapshot as a "golden image" or a bootable template, rather than the standard disk backup.

storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-gcp-pd.adoc

@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ include::modules/persistent-storage-byok.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
 For information about installing with user-managed encryption for GCP PD, see xref:../../installing/installing_gcp/installing-gcp-customizations.adoc#installation-configuration-parameters_installing-gcp-customizations[Installation configuration parameters].
 endif::openshift-rosa,openshift-dedicated[]
 
+ifndef::openshift-rosa,openshift-dedicated[]
+== Creating VMs from templates saved as snapshots (golden images)
+For Google Cloud Platform (GCP) persistent disk (PD) storage  CSI, there is a non-default `VolumeSnapshotClass`, `csi-gce-pd-vsc-images`, that includes the `snapshot-type`: `images` parameter. When using KubeVirt, this allows you to create VMs from "golden images" (templates saved as snapshots). 
+
+For more information, see xref:../../storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-snapshots.adoc#volume-snapshot-crds[Volume snapshots CRD: VolumeSnapshotClass]. 
+endif::openshift-rosa,openshift-dedicated[]
+
 [id="resources-for-gcp"]
 [role="_additional-resources"]
 == Additional resources