VMware vSphere

I have running vcenter 6.7

and when I cone VM

normal task log like this

Clone virtual machine

Status:

Completed

Initiator:

VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator

Target:

VM1

Result:

[object Object]

Server:

vcsa.local

Related events:

2020/09/04

H10:49:40

Clone of VM1 completed

2020/09/04

H10:49:40

Virtual machine VM1 disks consolidated successfully on 192.168.125.121 in cluster Cluster in Datacenter.

2020/09/04

H10:48:51

Assign a new instance UUID (50232538-009c-93a6-9829-7c97def40590) to test123

2020/09/04

H10:48:51

Assigned new BIOS UUID (42237531-ed1f-a55a-7dca-bf88cf66fe12) to test123 on 192.168.125.111 in Datacenter

2020/09/04

H10:48:51

Cloning VM1 on host 192.168.125.121 in Datacenter to test123 on host 192.168.125.111

2020/09/04

H10:48:38

Task: Clone virtual machine

but some time

log have additional information is  Reconfigured  ......

020/09/02 H5:08:15

Clone of VM1 completed

2020/09/02 H5:08:15

Virtual machine VM1 disks consolidated successfully on 192.168.125.121 in cluster Cluster in Datacenter.

2020/09/02 H5:08:12

Reconfigured 123 on 192.168.125.123 in Datacenter. Modified: config.hardware.device(2000).backing.fileName: "ds:///vmfs/volumes/5c544e67-ca1f903a-c26b-246e96d82670/123/123_3.vmdk" -> "ds:///vmfs/volumes/5c54c8cf-d115ec56-14a9-246e96d85ddc/VM1/VM1.vmdk"; config.hardware.device(2000).backing.datastore: 'vim.Datastore:fca6d527-0bc5-4d1d-bf87-08a27619ff81:datastore-49' -> 'vim.Datastore:fca6d527-0bc5-4d1d-bf87-08a27619ff81:datastore-50'; config.hardware.device(2000).backing.uuid: "6000C293-ed6c-4bbe-220b-f7e8b5164754" -> "6000C29d-20cc-a673-d0c0-ecf6e170fb6f"; config.hardware.device(2000).backing.contentId: "8ee760b8e334a81831951cb38439e344" -> "b86c49471c3e95e2d36780e32564c034"; config.hardware.device(2001).backing.fileName: "ds:///vmfs/volumes/5c544e67-ca1f903a-c26b-246e96d82670/123/123_5.vmdk" -> "ds:///vmfs/volumes/5c54c8cf-d115ec56-14a9-246e96d85ddc/VM1/VM1_1.vmdk"; config.hardware.device(2001).backing.datastore: 'vim.Datastore:fca6d527-0bc5-4d1d-bf87-08a27619ff81:datastore-49' -> 'vim.Datastore:fca6d527-0bc5-4d1d-bf87-08a27619ff81:datastore-50'; config.hardware.device(2001).backing.uuid: "6000C298-e462-2d32-3acd-2d7249c7aa74" -> "6000C291-92ad-d0a6-ad5d-44d2d1666230"; config.hardware.device(2001).backing.contentId: "3f6d2fcfc84a25cd504b13cd7a48ccf0" -> "fe542a0847061c52b2f937385ec6283c"; Added: Deleted:

2020/09/02 H5:05:03

Assign a new instance UUID (5023856b-1b5d-7a63-71ea-ce4dc006883e) to 123

2020/09/02 H5:05:03

Assigned new BIOS UUID (42232bb5-9e63-1512-2bca-4e3e2e6d73d5) to 123 on 192.168.125.123 in Datacenter

2020/09/02 H5:05:03

Cloning VM1 on host 192.168.125.121 in Datacenter to 123 on host 192.168.125.123

if clone task have additional Reconfigured action

VM "123" 's virtual disk is use VM1's virtual disk

when VM "123" try boot will get error "the disk is lock by VM1"

so why some time clone vm task , the VM configure will be Reconfigured ??

my vcenter version is  6.7.41000 Build 14836122

So in the first example you clone VM1 to create test123, and in the second example you clone VM1 to create 123 - right?

Are there differences between the state of VM1 between those 2 operations? (Such as power state or snapshots)

So in the first example you clone VM1 to create test123, and in the second example you clone VM1 to create 123 - right?

Yes

Are there differences between the state of VM1 between those 2 operations? (Such as power state or snapshots)

VM1 in same state  ( power on)

Snapshots equally present or not present in both instances?

Are you performing the clone via the vSphere Client UI or some other method?

there is no snapshots in both instances

and I use vSphere Client UI to clone VM

Any replies with explanation of this bug? I have the same issue: if i clone powered on VM, then the new VM's hard disk is pointing to the old location, so i have to change it manually every time.

This is no bug - you forgot to adjust paths in the vmx-files before registering the VM again.

Ulli

Errrr, no? I shouldnt do this when cloning VM.

You are aware that there are two types of clones ?
Linked clones ==> one or more VMs share the same basedisk
Full clones ==> one or more VMs use a new copy of the same basedisk

Both types of clones can be created manually or scripted. The tools that do the work underneath are the same.
Dont know which method you used to create your clones but if the results are not what you would expect then either your expectations are false or the script is buggy.
Solution is always the same - check the vmx before you start the VM.

Ulli

Thanks for the great explanation of clones, I will be using this to explain this to others at my VMUG meetings.

??? sorry - the differences in the knowhow of our visitors is so big that I cant figure out if your statement was sarcasm or not.
Here is a howto about creating linked clones with esxi manually I wrote years ago:
http://sanbarrow.com/linkedcloneswithesxi.html
just in case you think I dont know what I am talking about.

Ulli

Sorry if it came across as sarcasm, I didn't mean it like that. I was interested in your post and I also will be reading your howto right away. Thanks for always helping out.

As far as i understand VMware processes, when in web-interface vCenter administratrion i choose VM, then Clone..., and then next-next-next, i assume, that i will get a new cloned VM at the end, without any additional steps like "check vmx" etc. Thats how this function is intended to be used. But actually i get the 50/50 result. Sometimes it is cloned as a seperate machine, and sometimes as machine with linked disk. 

So the purpose of this topic is to get understanding why. If somebody can help - everybody will be thankful, because it is the one topic in Google which describes this issue.

If you want - I can have a look over your shoulder via Teamviewer.
Please get used to talk either about "full clones" or "linked clones" - just to get the terminology clear ...

Ulli