snap shot Deletion

[prakash9339]

We have VM 2 TB and it is having one snap shot. Suddenly data store run out of space due to snapshot and VM is in accessible.

We have no option to increase the data store straight away, so we initiated the snap shot deletion program.it took 7 HRS to delete the snap shot,after deletion VM powered it on Is there any best option to power on quickly?

[a_p_]

I'm not quite sure whether I understand your question correctly.

Snapshots can be delete with the VM powered on (which will require additional free disk space on the datastore), or with the VM powered off. In case of a powered off VM with a thick provisioned virtual disk, deleting the snapshot will not consule extra disk space, with a thin provisioned virtual disk the free disk space requirements depend on the data in the snapshot file?

If the snapshot deletion is started for a powered off VM, you cannot change the power state until the deletion has finished.

André

[ThompsG]

Hi prakash9339,

If you have no way to expand the underlying datastore then there is very limited ways to provide a quick power on for the VM before consolidating the snapshot.

One thing I have done in the past is to give the VM a memory reservation while it is powered down which frees up the space allocated to the vSwap file - depending on the memory allocated to the VM this can buy you a lot of space or very little while the consolidation runs. Other options are to move VMs from the datastore but I'm gathering this was not an option in your case.

Kind regards.

[prakash9339]

Is there any way to SSH to host and delete file and reduce the VM down time.

[yanivga]

you can open the ssh service in the vsphere client and connect to the host but if you delete the file using vim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.removeall VMID it will take the same time as it will take when you are doing it from the GUI (vsphere client).

[ShaneIRL]

Best practice would be to keep snapshots for 24-72hrs maximum, long-term snapshots with a lot of subsequent changes can consume a datastore.  Its also best to have a policy to keep a certain % of each datastore free.

[ThompsG · Accepted solution]

Hi Prakash9339,

Unfortunately not - you need to have the VM shutdown, change the memory reservation then start the VM up again. This time you will not need the require of the vSwap file which would have been the size of the allocated memory by default.

If you have other VMs on this data store then you could shut those ones down and perform the same routine.

Kind regards.

[a_p_]

Do NOT delete any of the files manually!!!

Prior to changing anything, it's important to have an exact understanding of the current situation.

Please login to the ESXi host via SSH/Putty (to enable SSH access, select the host's "Configuration" tab and click "Security Profile"), and provide a complete list of all the files in the VM's folder (cd /vmfs/volumes/<datastore-name>/vm-name>) by posting the output of ls -lisa.

André