Manage VM snapshots

A snapshot is a replica of a VM as it was when you take the snapshot. If the image file of a VM is damaged or deleted, the snapshot data will be lost.

Snapshots can be used for VM recovery when application software and VM OS incompatibility occur because of new application software installation, VM OS upgrade, or application software upgrade.

You can create a snapshot for one VM, or create a snapshot policy to take effect periodically on multiple VMs. To create a snapshot policy, see "Add a snapshot policy."

Prerequisites

Restrictions and guidelines

As a best practice to avoid VM restoration failure, do not edit VM settings during the snapshot creation process.

Create a snapshot

  1. On the top navigation bar, click VMs.

  1. Select a VM, click More on the VM tile, and then select Snapshot, or select a VM from the navigation pane to enter the VM overview page, and then click Snapshot.

  1. Click Create, and then enter a name and description. For a VM in running or suspended state, you must set memory snapshot and timeout, as described in "Parameters."

  1. Click OK.

Restore a VM from a snapshot

After you restore a VM by using a snapshot, data written after the snapshot is taken will be lost. Please be cautious. If the memory is not included in the snapshot, the VM will be in shutdown state after restoration.

To restore a VM from a snapshot:

  1. On the top navigation bar, click VMs.

  1. Select a VM, click More on the VM tile, and then select Snapshot, or select a VM from the navigation pane to enter the VM overview page, click More Actions, and then select Snapshot.

  1. Select a snapshot, and then click Restore.

  1. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

Delete snapshots

Deleting a snapshot will not affect the VM operation, but you cannot restore the VM to the state when the snapshot was taken.

To delete snapshot:

  1. On the top navigation bar, click VMs.

  1. Select a VM, click More on the VM tile, and then select Snapshot, or select a VM from the navigation pane to enter the VM overview page, click More Actions, and then select Snapshot.

  1. Select a snapshot, and then click Delete.

  1. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

Parameters