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17 Replies Last post: Feb 13, 2008 7:38 AM by langonej

Snapshot reporting?

Feb 6, 2008 10:28 AM

renehasp 61 posts since
Dec 2, 2005

Hi there, I am looking for a tool that will give me centralized reporting on all the snapshots in my environment. I know there is a 3rd party product called snapshot hunter. I was wondering if anyone is using it and their opinion on it. I was also wondering if there are any other tools out there that would give me this type of report or functionality.

It's kinda hard to manage all the snapshots in the environment when you have to click vm by vm to see if there is a snapshot. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Rene

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 6, 2008 11:21 AM

RParker 4,828 posts since
Dec 6, 2006

The best way is go to into the table and look for : VPX_SNAPSHOT . That list's ALL the VM's w/ snapshots.

Whatever database you are using for your VC, you can find snapshots in that table. It even shows current snapshots and if they are current, you can change the description here, but I wouldn't recommend you delete or change anything else unless its via the VIC.

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 6, 2008 11:30 AM

in response to: RParker

depping 2,786 posts since
Jan 17, 2005 VMware

The VC database isn't always accurate. I recommend using a script which check for registered snaps and orphaned snaps because orphaned snaps aren't registered in VC. This happens when a vmsd file gets corrupted. I wrote a script 6 months ago which does exactly that... It reports via an html mail and can check any server you want providing you've setup ssh... I will put it online asap.

Duncan
My virtualisation blog:
http://www.yellow-bricks.com

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 6, 2008 12:10 PM

in response to: depping

depping 2,786 posts since
Jan 17, 2005 VMware

Because I actually don't seem to have life

, i just posted a blog with my script on my website: http://www.yellow-bricks.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=84

Duncan
My virtualisation blog:
http://www.yellow-bricks.com

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 6, 2008 12:25 PM

Ridiz 20 posts since
Jul 28, 2006

I use Alex Mittell's snap_hunter.pl script . It's simple, free and it works well. You can put it on a host that can see all your data stores or multiple hosts if required. I have it setup in cron to run weekly. On Mondays I review the e-mails and perform cleanups where necessary...very quick and easy.

Otherwise, ConfigureSoft's new version of ECM has some nice VI reporting functionality, including snapshot reporting.

HTH,
Rich

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 6, 2008 4:53 PM

in response to: Ridiz

williamarrata 500 posts since
Jul 19, 2006

Hey guys,

I've been trying to run the snap_hunter.pl as follows:

snap_hunter.pl --config, -c

After doing this I get:

Option config requires an argument

I have set the .cfg file as I want.?????

anyone get this?

Hope that helped.

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 5:25 AM

in response to: williamarrata

Ridiz 20 posts since
Jul 28, 2006

Bill,

My snap_hunter.pl cron script is of the form:

 <path_to_script_dir>/snap_hunter.pl -c <path_to_config_file_dir>/snap_hunter.cfg

Specifically:

 /usr/local/snap_hunter/snap_hunter.pl -c /usr/local/snap_hunter/snap_hunter.cfg

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 8:58 AM

in response to: Ridiz

renehasp 61 posts since
Dec 2, 2005

I'm playing with snapshot hunter but keep getting.

WARNING: Invalid user credentials or hostname supplied. SsId and commit snaps will not be available.

I'm not sure what credentials I need to use. Is this compatible with VC 2.5?

Local accounts on the VC? Or a VC domain account..

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 9:48 AM

in response to: renehasp

Ridiz 20 posts since
Jul 28, 2006

I'm running it against VC 2.0.

My config file has a VC domain account in it. You don't have to specify the domain in the config file, just

username=aVCadminAccount

Message was edited by: Ridiz - removed 2.5 statement, test was not valid.

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 9:52 AM

in response to: Ridiz

renehasp 61 posts since
Dec 2, 2005

wierd, Its still not working for me. Did you have to change anything on the VMhost's firewall settings?

Thanks

Rene

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 10:49 AM

in response to: renehasp

Ridiz 20 posts since
Jul 28, 2006

Hi Rene,

I didn't change anything on the firewall. But I was able to reproduce your error. If I run the script on a host, but point it to a VC that is not managing that host, I get the error you describe. In my case, I did this on a 3.0 host and pointed it to a VC2.5 install that was not managing it.

If I run it on a host, and point it to a VC that is managing that host, then it runs correctly. I verified this on a 3.5 host and VC2.5.

Maybe you're running it on a host and pointing it to a different VC?

HTH,
Rich

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 11:11 AM

in response to: Ridiz

renehasp 61 posts since
Dec 2, 2005

ok I have 3.0 and def pointing it at the 2.5 host that is mangining it.

Are you using HA and DRS??

I'm stumped..

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 7, 2008 12:03 PM

in response to: renehasp

Ridiz 20 posts since
Jul 28, 2006

Yes, I have HA and DRS, but I haven't tried that specific combination (ESX 3.0 and proper VC 2.5). I'm afraid I can't test that either given my current environment. I may have an opportunity in to do so in the next week or two.

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 8, 2008 2:33 PM

in response to: Ridiz

williamarrata 500 posts since
Jul 19, 2006

Sweet, Got it to work and send E-Mails thanks to Ridiz. Now, Issue number 2, ready. I have 84 Hosts, Is there a way to start a task or something to get them to run this script.

/usr/local/snap_hunter/snap_hunter.pl -c /usr/local/snap_hunter/snap_hunter.cfg on every host at once

Reply Re: Snapshot reporting? Feb 11, 2008 7:50 AM

in response to: williamarrata

langonej 241 posts since
May 24, 2005

When I need to run concurrent scripts against many (100 or more) ESX boxes I typically use dancer's shell (DSH). You could also do it with a loop on one ESX box but I've been using DSH for years and its quite quick. I use this to issue HBA rescans for dozens at a time, concurrently.

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