taking a snapshot of a vm

[blade10]

All-

I would like to take a snapshot of a certain base VM I have. I've read alittle about doing this but not sure if this is a built in feature or does this relate to lets say i.e, - Netapp Snapmirror tool since the vmdk is "stored" on a Netapp lun...

I just used Netapp as an example -it could be any type of SAN... I'm hoping someone will tell me that it is a vmtool or something concerning the snapshot..

Any options here would be truly appreciated,

blade

 

[nhidalgo]

you can created a snap shot of a vm but it shouldn' be used as a perminate thing, as the snap shot creates a delta file and writes all new changes to this file. If you don't commit or expire this snap, it will grow to the size of original drive spec . What you should do is create a template from the vm if you have virtual center. Or use your SAN to make a snap of the lun using your SAN functions. If you use the SAN route i would recommend syspreping the vm and then copying the lun.

Nick

 

[ArizonaGeek]

Nick, I think blade might be talking about making a template.

Blade, I think we'd need a little more information from you. What version of VMWare are you using? Are you using the virtual infrastructure client? Are you on a SAN?

Templates are a built in feature and are pretty easy to do. I am using ESX 3.5 so thats the version I can explain. You take a base build of virtual machine, get exactly how you want to use it (memory, disk size and quantity, CPUs, run all your updates, put it on your domain, install and update virus scan etc) from there you power off the VM (or in later versions you can leave it on) and in VIC right click on the machine and select Clone to Template. Then when its done, you can power on the machine, you have a template done and you're ready to go.

When you are ready to deploy from the template, in VIC you click View then Inventory, then select Virtual Machines and Templates. In your tree select the template, right click on it and say deploy from template.

A few "gotchas" when creating your initial machine make sure you use DHCP for an IP address and name the machine in Windows something like "Win2003Temp" because if you name it the actual machine you are using, lets say you name all your machines 001pc, 002pc etc, if you name your machine that then make a template of it, every time you deploy it out you'll get a duplicate name error on your network and cause problems for both machines until it is fixed.

Once you deploy the machine the only thing you'd have to do is rename it and set it to a static IP if you need to then run your updates to get it caught up.

Speaking of updates, another thing I am doing is about every 3 to 6 months is to deploy out the machine, do all the updates and then re-clone it. Makes for deploying faster if you don't have so many updates to do.

I think this what you're asking for, correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers
Rob


The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[Roadki11]

Good Tip ArizonaGeek. If i may clearify it a bit. You need Virtual Center also, cant create templates with VIC without it.

RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen

 

[Roadki11]

umm... clarify might be more clear.


RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen

 

[blade10]

All-

I guess the whole point of my snapshot issue was:

I have a Windows Vista Business Ed. vm that is in use by one person on ESX.. I would like to clone that machine or in order words make a duplicate of it and create another vm out of it wirh different hostname etc.

What is the best way to go about this. Should I make a template out of the original Vista vm? would there already be one created since it is a vm? and(or) could I use the converter tool and create another one.

Any info would be greatly appreciated and thanks again

blade