vmdk storage

[Josh26]

Hi,

We have an ESXi 4.1 server. Browsing the datastore, each server's directory has a set of files looking like this:

SERVER.vmdk

SERVER-000001.vmdk

SERVER-ctk.vmdk

Reading here:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&externalId=1026380

Seems to confirm that a snapshot is in place, based on this:

• Select the Virtual Disk and check the Disk File. If it is labelled as VM-000001.vmdk , the virtual machine is running on snapshot disks. 
  

The confusion here is that quite a few VMs appear to be running in this configuration, and the one admin has not been using snapshots.

Going by the article, I should be getting to the command line and using vim-cmd to commit said snapshots. This command: vim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.get however assures me there are no snapshots, instead just returning:

Get snapshot:

Where things fall down is that a VM may be provisioned with a 1TB, and currently has a 100GB additional .vmdk file, with a "provisioned size" of 1TB. That has led to disks filling. I note there are NO *delta.vmdk files.

The final confusion is that on one server, we placed a very large .vmdk on a different datastore. The -0001.vmdk file that suddenly appeared, did so on the default store - somewhere it quickly filled.

Ultimately I just need to explain why servers seem to like to grow disks and get larger with snapshots they dont have. Any assistance appreciated.

[vmroyale · Accepted solution]

Hello.

Note: This discussion was moved from the VMware ESXi 4 community to the VMware vSphere Storage community.

The confusion here is that quite a few VMs appear to be running in this  configuration, and the one admin has not been using snapshots

What backup strategy/software are you using?  This could be behind it.

Going by the article, I should be getting to the command line and using  vim-cmd to commit said snapshots. This command: vim-cmd  vmsvc/snapshot.get however assures me there are no snapshots, instead  just returning:

The quick fix for this issue is to create a new snapshot on the VM and then delete all snapshots.  This should remove the "invisible" snapshot.

Where things fall down is that a VM may be provisioned with a 1TB, and  currently has a 100GB additional .vmdk file, with a "provisioned size"  of 1TB. That has led to disks filling. I note there are NO *delta.vmdk  files.

What are the file names here for both of these files?

The final confusion is that on one server, we placed a very large .vmdk  on a different datastore. The -0001.vmdk file that suddenly appeared,  did so on the default store - somewhere it quickly filled.

See kb 1002929 for more information on this one.

Good Luck!

[mittim12]

Just curious but if you create a snapshot and then delete all does it clear out all of previous snapshot files?    

[Josh26]

mittim12 wrote:

Just curious but if you create a snapshot and then delete all does it clear out all of previous snapshot files?   

I am in the process of doing it now - and yes it does.

[Josh26]

VMroyale, our backup strategy is using Backup Exec - yes we have the VMware agent and backup snapshots.

Thanks for the reference to kb 1002929.

[mittim12]

Well at least it is an easy fix to clean everything up.  As to what is causing it I would go with what vmroyale has suggeste about backup software.   Sometimes snapshot based backup solutions will not cleanly remove the snapshot.    There is a vCenter alarm for snapshot size that may help you monitor for situations like this.