Keeping Snapshots Up-to-date

[Mainstay]

I have a single VM with 3 snapshots. Each of these represents a different state that I use from time-to-time; the problem is, they get out of date (updates, VM tools, etc.). Is there an easy way to keep snapshots up to date, such as a "save & overwrite" button that will allow me to just replace the current snapshot with my current state?

[WoodyZ]

I have a single VM with 3 snapshots. Each of these represents a different state that I use from time-to-time; the problem is, they get out of date (updates, VM tools, etc.).

This is normal and to be expected and by the very nature of how Snapshots work they're experted to be in different states and as such age from the moment they're not in use and will need to be updated, if one wants, the next time you use a given Snapshot.

Is there an easy way to keep snapshots up to date, such as a "save & overwrite" button that will allow me to just replace the current snapshot with my current state?

I think that keeping Snapshots, that are being used in the manner you are, up to date is not the intended purpose of Snapshots and while it might be convenient to have Snapshots kept up to date automatically or easily it's just not going to happen and you will need to utilize the controls that Fusion presently has to managed your Snapshots within the bounds of those controls.

[admin]

There's not a single button to do this, but you can take a new snapshot and discard the previous one (using Fusion's UI, not from the Finder). Do this for each of your three states (make sure you have a new snapshot for each state before deleting the old one or else you'll lose data). You might want to back up the virtual machine before doing this.

[Mainstay]

I think that keeping Snapshots, that are being used in the manner you are, up to date is not the intended purpose of Snapshots...

Thanks WoodZ... that may be part of my confusion. I had considered using multiple VM's for this (i.e. a games vm, development vm, and general vm) but figured snapshots could provide the same functionality. So, how are multiple snapshots traditionally used?

[WoodyZ]

I think that keeping Snapshots, that are being used in the manner you are, up to date is not the intended purpose of Snapshots...

Thanks WoodZ... that may be part of my confusion. I had considered using multiple VM's for this (i.e. a games vm, development vm, and general vm) but figured snapshots could provide the same functionality. So, how are multiple snapshots traditionally used?

Yes that is a good case use scenario however once you stop using a given Snapshot then its state does not change until the next time you use that given Snapshot and just like turning off a physical computer for a month, as and example, when you turn it back on there may be several updates available for that particular software build and one would have to endure whatever updates that need to be done and a Snapshot is no different and there is no magic button to have a Snapshot automatically and seamlessly brought up to date while it's not being used and you would need to do as Eric (etung) suggested which is what I was saying by "you will need to utilize the controls that Fusion presently has to managed your Snapshots within the bounds of those controls."

[Mainstay]

There's not a single button to do this, but you can take a new snapshot and discard the previous one (using Fusion's UI, not from the Finder). Do this for each of your three states (make sure you have a new snapshot for each state before deleting the old one or else you'll lose data). You might want to back up the virtual machine before doing this.

So far this is what I've done when updating VM's. However, it can be kinda time consuming so I had hoped there was a shortcut to this process... now I know there is not.

I guess my question at this point really is whether my approach to using multiple VM's is reasonable? From what I'm gathering, most people use snapshots to capture a specific state at a specific point in time, rather than trying to create multiple unique environments which are used and updated on a regular basis (like working on multiple computers).

[admin · Accepted solution]

I guess my question at this point really is whether my approach to using multiple VM's is reasonable? From what I'm gathering, most people use snapshots to capture a specific state at a specific point in time, rather than trying to create multiple unique environments which are used and updated on a regular basis (like working on multiple computers).

It's reasonable, but as time progresses, your states will diverge (assuming normal desktop usage, if you're limited in what you do for each branch this doesn't apply as much) and there's less benefit from being based off the same image.

If you were using VMware Workstation, you'd use a linked clone - your virtual machines would be based off the same core image, but you wouldn't have to worry about accidentally deleting a snapshot from a different branch. Unfortunately, Fusion does not support linked clones at this time.

[Mainstay]

Thanks etung... I looked into linked clones, and that feature definitely seems to address my concerns. I guess the only thing to do now is submit a feature request

linked clones: http://www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_clone_overview.html