Unexpected .vmdk File Size Increase

[ppalan]

Hi

I am currently moving two different .vmdk files of a same VM from "storage1" to "storage2". Both the storage are on same ESX host.

Unfortunately what I am facing at the moment is that though both the files are 31 GB and 24 GB originally in "storage1" they appear as 34GB and 26GB (still the copying is going on at 58% and 68% respectively) on "storage2"

I am copying both the files simultaneously, from "storage1" to "storage2" using VI Client.

Fr copying the files the procedure I followed was to highlight the files in the original storage i.e "storage1" right click "copy" go to the destination storage "storage2" and paste them there.

Any help would be much appreciated. I am runnign out of storage, do not even know how much will the storage increase adn will teh files be able to be copied or not? Will I be able to start the VM from teh "storage2". PLease help.

Thank you .

[athlon_crazy]

you copying both .vmdks while the VM power on / power off?

System Engineer

Zen Systems Sdn Bhd

Malaysia

www.no-x.org

[ppalan]

Hi

The VM is powered Off.

[athlon_crazy]

any snapshot hold for the VM?

System Engineer

Zen Systems Sdn Bhd

Malaysia

www.no-x.org

[ppalan]

Yes . The files I mentioned 24 GB and 31GB are actually snapshot file. I am sayin so since they have those extensions -00001.vmdk, -00002.vmdk etc.

Just to mention that it also had one such snapshot file sized 12GB which I was able to copy succesfully without any unexpected increase onto the "storage2"

Also I was able to copy one 62GB vmdk file which was the base vmdk file.

P.S. Can you please tell em the command for service console to check those two file size (24GB and 31GB , which are now showing 39GB each on "storage2") As I think even though in VI Client it is showing 39GB each there are changes if I can double check it using the servie console and there it might show somethign different. I was able to see the total size of the "storage2" using service console but could not navigate further to actually see the file size of the new files on "storage2" Need the commands for that.

[athlon_crazy]

1st, why you move along the snapshot together with VM vmdk to another storage?. It's not necessary unless you wan't to use it to revert back to the last state of your VM.

2nd, you shouldn't keep your snapshot for too long since it will increase in size for the changes the longer you keep it.

3rd, Print sizing in human readable using below command :

ls -lh /vmfs/volume/Your_Datastore/Your_vm_folder

System Engineer

Zen Systems Sdn Bhd

Malaysia

www.no-x.org

[ppalan]

1) I was doing so since the storage on which my virtual machine was "storage1" wqs showing full and hence unabl to function properly, so I just wanted to replicate each and every file, disk etc in that VM folder on the "storage1" to "storage2" and than restart the affected VM on that storage (storage2)

2) I was not familiar with snapshot much since I am fairly new to this btu now I have also found out many more snapshot on other virtual machine which I intend to remove very soon (probably this weekend). Any tips on best practices wuld be appreciated.

3) Thanks for the command mate . Its very useful.

P.S I deleted the files that were 39GB each and from datastore "storage1" uploaded the required files to the local virtual machine and now I am moving those to the intended storage "storage2" using the same method by browsing the datastore and than uploading the file to that data store from local machine where I downloaded from "storage1"

This is working so far in the sense that the size is not being increased, the file replication is as intended. Wil coem to know about the success once I am successfully able to start virtual machine.

Thank you for the help buddy..

[athlon_crazy]

No problem mate!

System Engineer

Zen Systems Sdn Bhd

Malaysia

www.no-x.org