Course Content
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage Content
0/1
Course Introduction
Introduction to vSphere and the Software Defined Data Center
As a vSphere administrator, you must be familiar with the components on which vSphere is based. You must also understand the following concepts: Virtualization, the role of the ESXi hypervisor in virtualization and virtual machines Fundamental vSphere components and the use of vSphere in the software-defined data center Use of vSphere clients to administer and manage vSphere environments
0/4
Overview of vSphere and Virtual Machines
vSphere Virtualization of Resources
vSphere User Interfaces
Overview of ESXi
Virtual Machines
You can create a virtual machine in several ways. Choosing the correct method can save you time and make the deployment process manageable and scalable.
0/3
Creating Virtual Machines
Virtual Machine Hardware Deep Dive
Introduction to Containers
vCenter Server
vCenter Server helps you centrally manage multiple ESXi hosts and their virtual machines. If you do not properly deploy, configure, and manage vCenter Server Appliance, your environment might experience reduced administrative efficiency or ESXi host and virtual machine downtime.
0/8
Centralized Management with vCenter Server
Deploying vCenter Server Appliance
vSphere Licensing
Managing the vCenter Server Inventory
vCenter Server Roles and Permissions
Monitoring vCenter Server Appliance
Backing Up and Restoring vCenter Server Appliance
vCenter Server High Availability
Configuring and Managing Virtual Networks
When you configure ESXi networking properly, virtual machines can communicate with other virtual, and physical, machines. In this way, remote host management and IP-based storage operate effectively.
0/2
Introduction to vSphere Standard Switches
Configuring Standard Switch Policies
Configuring and Managing Virtual Storage
Understanding the available storage options helps you set up your storage according to your cost, performance, and manageability requirements. You can use shared storage for disaster recovery, high availability, and moving virtual machines between hosts.
0/6
vSphere Storage Concepts
Fibre Channel Storage
iSCSI Storage
VMFS Datastores
NFS Datastores
vSAN Datastores
Virtual Machine Management
Virtual machines are the foundation of your virtual infrastructure. Managing VMs effectively requires skills in creating templates and clones, modifying VMs, migrating VMs, taking snapshots, and protecting the VMs through replication and backups.
0/8
Creating Templates and Clones
Working with Content Libraries
Modifying Virtual Machines
Migrating VMs with vSphere vMotion
Enhanced vMotion Compatibility
Migrating VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion
Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots
vSphere Replication and Backup
Resource Management and Monitoring
Although the VMkernel works proactively to avoid resource contention, maximizing performance requires both analysis and ongoing monitoring. Developing skills in resource management, you can dynamically reallocate resources so that you can use available capacity more efficiently.
0/5
Virtual CPU and Memory Concepts
vSphere Resource Controls
vSphere Resource Monitoring Tools
Monitoring Resource Use in vSphere
Using Alarms in vSphere
vSphere Clusters
Most organizations rely on computer-based services like email, databases, and web-based applications. The failure of any of these services can mean lost productivity and revenue. By understanding and using vSphere HA, you can configure highly available, computer-based services, which are important for an organization to remain competitive in contemporary business environments. And by developing skills in using vSphere DRS, you can improve service levels by guaranteeing appropriate resources to virtual machines.
0/6
vSphere Clusters Overview
vSphere DRS
Introduction to vSphere HA
vSphere HA Architecture
Configuring vSphere HA
Introduction to vSphere Fault Tolerance
vSphere Lifecycle Management
Managing the life cycle of vSphere involves keeping vCenter Server and ESXi hosts up to date and integrated with other VMware and third-party solutions. To achieve these goals, you must understand how to use the new features provided by vSphere Lifecycle Manager, namely, clusterlevel management of ESXi hosts and the vCenter Server Update Planner.
0/5
vCenter Server Update Planner
Overview of vSphere Lifecycle Manager
Working with Baselines
Working with Images
Managing the Life Cycle of VMware Tools and VM Hardware
VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage
About Lesson

Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots

Learner Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

  • Take a snapshot of a virtual machine
  • Manage multiple snapshots
  • Delete virtual machine snapshots
  • Consolidate snapshots

VM Snapshots

  • With snapshots, you can preserve the state of the VM so that you can repeatedly return to the same state.
  • For example, if problems occur during the patching or upgrading process, you can stop the process and revert to the previous state.
  • VM snapshots are not recommended as a VM backup strategy.

Taking Snapshots

You can take a snapshot while a VM is powered on, powered off, or suspended. A snapshot captures the following items:

  • VM configuration
  • VM memory state (optional)
  • Virtual disks

A snapshot capture does not include Independent virtual disks (persistent and nonpersistent).

Types of Snapshots

A delta or child disk is created when you create a snapshot:

  • On the VMFS datastore, the delta disk is a sparse disk.
  • Delta disks use different sparse formats depending on the type of datastore.
Snapshot Type Notes Filename Block Size
VMFSsparse VMFS5 with virtual disks smaller than 2 TB #-delta.vmdk 512 bytes
SEsparse
  • VMFS6
  • VMFS5 with virtual disks larger than 2 TB
  • Space efficient (thin provisioned)
  • Supports disk reclamation (unmap)
 #-sesparse.vmdk 4 KB
vsanSparse vSAN Delta object 4 MB

VM Snapshot Files

A snapshot consists of a set of files:

  • -Snapshot#.vmsn: Configuration state
  • -Snapshot#.vmem: Memory state (optional)
  • -00000#.vmdk: Disk descriptor
  • -00000#-delta.vmdk: VMFS5 delta
  • -00000#-sesparse.vmdk: VMFS6 delta
  • .vmsd: Stores names, descriptions, and relationships for all the VM’s snapshots

VM Snapshot Files Example (1)

VM Snapshot Files Example (2)

VM Snapshot Files Example (3)

Managing Snapshots

In the vSphere Client, you can view snapshots for the active VM and take edit, delete, and revert to actions.

Deleting VM Snapshots (1)

If you delete a snapshot one or more levels above the You are here level, the snapshot state is deleted. In this example, the snap01 data is committed into the parent (base disk), and the foundation for snap02 is retained.

Video 11539

Deleting VM Snapshots (2)

If you delete the latest snapshot, the changes are committed to its parent. The snap02 data is committed into snap01 data, and the snap02 -delta.vmdk file is deleted. Video 11544

Deleting VM Snapshots (3)

If you delete a snapshot one or more levels below the You are here level, subsequent snapshots are deleted, and you can no longer return to those states. The snap02 data is deleted. Video 11549

Deleting All VM Snapshots

The delete-all-snapshots mechanism uses storage space efficiently. The size of the base disk does not increase. Snap01 is committed to the base disk before snap02 is committed. Video 11554

About Snapshot Consolidation

Snapshot consolidation is a method for committing a chain of delta disks to the base disks when the Snapshot Manager shows that no snapshots exist but the delta disk files remain on the datastore. Snapshot consolidation resolves problems that might occur with snapshots:

  • The snapshot descriptor file is committed correctly, and the Snapshot window shows that all the snapshots are deleted.
  • The snapshot files (-delta.vmdk) are still part of the VM.
  • Delta disk files continue to expand until the datastore on which the VM is located runs out of space.

Discovering When to Consolidate Snapshots

On the Monitor tab under All Issues for the VM, a warning notifies you that a consolidation is required.

Consolidating Snapshots

  • After the snapshot consolidation warning appears, you can use the vSphere Client to consolidate the snapshots.
  • All snapshot delta disks are committed to the base disks.

Review of Learner Objectives

After completing this Creating Virtual Machine Snapshots lesson, you should be able to meet the following objectives:

  • Take a snapshot of a virtual machine
  • Manage multiple snapshots
  • Delete virtual machine snapshots
  • Consolidate snapshots
Join the conversation
Previous
Next