Snapshot Question

[mudtoe]

Hi folks:

I've got a question about creating a snapshot for a virtual disk that isn't in the same datastore as the VM that's using it.  I've got a large virtual disk (about 400gb) that's in a different physical datastore from the VM that's using it.  It's on a slower drive array, but one with more space than the one I keep the OS images of the VMs on.  Up to now it has been marked as independant and didn't participate in snapshots, as it's data which is not affected by OS upgrades and other stuff that would normally require a snapshot.  I want to make a copy of it in order to test some upgrades that use that particular data, and I wanted to take a snapshot of it so that I could copy the large vmdk file while the OS that's using it is up and running, due to the amount of time it will take to copy.  However, when I tried to create a snapshot I got an error message saying that there wasn't enough disk space, which I believe is because it's trying to create the snapshot in the same directory on the same datastore as the VM itself.  Is there anyway to get the snapshot process to put the snapshot vmdk in the same directory has the vmdk file itself, even though it's in a different datastore than the VM itself?  If not, then I'm going to have to take the OS down while I copy it.  That's not the end of the world, but I'd prefer not to have it down for a couple of hours if I can avoid it.

[idle-jam · Accepted solution]

have a look at this, you can define the custom location. http://communities.vmware.com/message/1692767

[mudtoe]

Interesting.  Is there any way to do it on a per vmdk basis?  Although, for what I need to do I guess I can have all the snapshots go to the slower drive for a day or two until I get the big file copied (there are several other vmdk files associated with the VM which are on the faster drive array with the vmx file).

mudtoe

[idle-jam]

i have yet to come across as the most would be on per VM basics ..

[bulletprooffool]

Hi Mudtoe

I believe you could try setting up the disks that you do not want to snapshot as 'independent disks'

This should exclude them from being snapshotted - though make sure that you remain aware of this for future operations on the VM. (e.g.  one day when you wonder why you don't have snapshots, or perhaps when trying to backup the VM using a technology that depends on snapshots.)

good luck

[mudtoe]

That worked like a champ.  Thanks.  Moving the snapshots off the directory with the VM itself, along with the swap file (the swap file moved as well), would also have some benefit for cloaning and backing up VMs, as then you would be able to just copy the whole directory that the VM is in, as long as all the snapshots weren't part of it.

mudtoe