esesjay4
asked on
VMDK Snapshots growng out of control
Experts,
I have an ESXi 4.0 server setup with one Windows Server 2008 VM. The VM is a database server so there are constant changes that's going on in the VM.
I took two snapshots in the system (while it was running): Snapshot0001.vmdk & Snapshot0002.vmdk. The Snapshot0001.vmdk continued to grow. I read this forum:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/617010
and I deleted Snapshot0001.vmdk. VMWare merged the snapshot I deleted (snapshot0001.vmdk) into the base vmdk (which I really didn't want it to do), but ok. I just don't want the files on the datastore to grow.
Now, the second snapshot is growing!!! The Snapshot0002.vmdk is grew from 10GB to over 20GB and it's still going. My question:
1. How can I get these snapshots to stop growing? I just want the snapshot to take up a flat file size. I want to use it as a Restoration point at a single moment in time, hence a static file.
2. Is there a way, when I delete a snapshot in the middle (e.g. me deleting snapshot0001.vmdk) to not make it merge to the base vmdk file?
Thanks.
I have an ESXi 4.0 server setup with one Windows Server 2008 VM. The VM is a database server so there are constant changes that's going on in the VM.
I took two snapshots in the system (while it was running): Snapshot0001.vmdk & Snapshot0002.vmdk. The Snapshot0001.vmdk continued to grow. I read this forum:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/617010
and I deleted Snapshot0001.vmdk. VMWare merged the snapshot I deleted (snapshot0001.vmdk) into the base vmdk (which I really didn't want it to do), but ok. I just don't want the files on the datastore to grow.
Now, the second snapshot is growing!!! The Snapshot0002.vmdk is grew from 10GB to over 20GB and it's still going. My question:
1. How can I get these snapshots to stop growing? I just want the snapshot to take up a flat file size. I want to use it as a Restoration point at a single moment in time, hence a static file.
2. Is there a way, when I delete a snapshot in the middle (e.g. me deleting snapshot0001.vmdk) to not make it merge to the base vmdk file?
Thanks.
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If you want a point in time restoration method you could live clone or backup.. eg VCB. Snapshots are not intended as a long term restoration method.( as you have found)
Anything that uses the word "snapshot" is not meant as a long-term copy.
Yeah I would agree with markzz:
If you are trying to get a point in time backup that will not grow and takes up little (as little as possible) disk space clone the VM and use Thin Provisioning.
If you are trying to get a point in time backup that will not grow and takes up little (as little as possible) disk space clone the VM and use Thin Provisioning.
Something ANY admin worth his or her salt would setup is snapshot monitoring.
It's absolutely critical to have some sort of automated routine to monitor and report on snapshots and more importantly orphaned snapshots.
I use 3 routines but if I had to simplify things I would suggest you all look at snaphunter. It simply a perl script which you schedule via cron, this perl script looks at a simple config file which you edit to suit your requirements.
There are many other routines out there but snaphunter is so simplistic you can have it running a few minutes.
It's absolutely critical to have some sort of automated routine to monitor and report on snapshots and more importantly orphaned snapshots.
I use 3 routines but if I had to simplify things I would suggest you all look at snaphunter. It simply a perl script which you schedule via cron, this perl script looks at a simple config file which you edit to suit your requirements.
There are many other routines out there but snaphunter is so simplistic you can have it running a few minutes.
ASKER
Sorry for the delayed response. I understand the use of snapshots based on the discussion above. Obviously, my understanding of snapshots is not accurate. Thanks for the clarification.
Would cloning the VM at the a given point in time be the best way to back it up? Basically, I want a backup in case something goes wrong (HDD, OS, etc.). Also, can I clone a VM with just vSphere client or do I need the vCenter (i'm only using one ESXi server right now)?
One other thing. I noticed when I deleted the previous snapshot is merged into the base, as confirmed above. But is there any reason by that base file size grew? It almost grew 50GB!!!
Thanks.
Would cloning the VM at the a given point in time be the best way to back it up? Basically, I want a backup in case something goes wrong (HDD, OS, etc.). Also, can I clone a VM with just vSphere client or do I need the vCenter (i'm only using one ESXi server right now)?
One other thing. I noticed when I deleted the previous snapshot is merged into the base, as confirmed above. But is there any reason by that base file size grew? It almost grew 50GB!!!
Thanks.
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Another possible way to back up a running vm is to use VMware Converter (http://www.vmware.com/products/converter). to "convert" the ESXi vm into another copy.
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