By default, every volume contains a directory named .snapshot through which users can access old versions of files in that directory. Users can gain access to Snapshot copies depending on the file-sharing protocol used—NFS or CIFS. Access to Snapshot copies can be turned off.
Snapshot files carry the same read permissions as the original file. A user who has permission to read a file in the volume can read that file in a Snapshot copy. A user without read permission to the volume cannot read that file in a Snapshot copy. Snapshot copies do not have write permissions.