topic Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options in ESXi Discussions

Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

Raudi — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 12:26:54 GMT

I have installed ESXi 7.0 U2 with the NetApp VAAI NAS Plugin 2.0 and a current ONTAP 9.8P2 storage.

Snapshot offload is a new feature in the version 2.0 and it creates file clones and not a delta file.

It wasn't easy to find but now i got this working. The problem is, i need to set one VM option:

snapshot.alwaysAllowNative = "TRUE"

When i insert this in the VM options and create a snapshot o get a xxx-000001-flat.vmdk file with the same size and no delta file.

But modify every VM? And even a new created VM must be modified.

How can i set a option per default for every VM?

I found that i can modify the /etc/vmware/config on the host, but then the parameter is only active then the VM is powered on.

So a powered on VM creates file clones via VAAI and a powered off VM makes standard delta files. So this will be only half a solution.

Is there a way that every "new" ctrated VM is getting that option?

Perfect will be that every existing VM will be getting this option too, how?

Re: Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

vmsocra — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 09:50:04 GMT

@Raudi How about updating your template and including the setting there?

Your existing VMs can be scripted by using powercli

Re: Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

Raudi — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 10:31:31 GMT

But not every VM will be deployed with a template...

I'm searching for something that is foolproof and reliable for every VM.

Re: Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

vmsocra — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 11:15:45 GMT

If you don't deploy each VM with a template, your work-procedure or automation process should ensure this setting is pushed.
Not sure what magic solution you're looking for?

Re: Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

Raudi — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 11:22:55 GMT

I don't know, because this i'm asking.

Perhaps some kind of host-setting that every new created vm is getting this option. Like the option that every powered on VM is getting this option...

Perfect will be a additional host setting, what i have not found, to enable that feature for all VM's on that host, so that i don't need to modify this on VM level...

Re: Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

CriticalChance — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:43:03 GMT

I know this is an old thread, but I stumbled across it while Googling for native snapshot stuff.

I feel like it would be a good idea to simplify this, so I submitted it as an idea: https://vsphere.ideas.aha.io/ideas/VSP-I-1286

Re: Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

Raudi — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:31:36 GMT

Thank you, perfect idea to post that there.

I used in the past this script to enable that feature on all my VM's:

Connect-VIServer -Server vcenter.server.local -user administrator@vsphere.local -password PASSWORD
$vms = get-vm -Location "Datacenter-Name"
foreach ($vm in $vms) {
New-AdvancedSetting -Entity $vm -Name snapshot.alwaysAllowNative -Value TRUE -Confirm:$false -Force:$true
}