A virtual machine (VM) snapshot is a point-in-time image of the VM’s disk file and memory state. It is a feature in VMware vSphere that provides a way to revert a virtual machine to a previous state. VM snapshots are useful for several reasons, such as backup, testing, and troubleshooting.
To use a VM snapshot in vSphere, follow these steps:
1. Create a snapshot: In the vSphere client, select the virtual machine and go to the Snapshot Manager. Click on Take Snapshot, provide a name and description, and choose the snapshot options.
1. Revert to a snapshot: If you need to go back to the previous state of the VM, select the snapshot you want to revert to, and click on Revert to Snapshot. This will restore the VM to the state that was captured in the snapshot.
1. Delete a snapshot: To remove a snapshot, select the snapshot in the Snapshot Manager and click on Delete Snapshot. Be aware that deleting a snapshot will merge the changes made since the snapshot was created into the VM disk file, and may take some time depending on the size of the snapshot and the amount of changes.
Snapshots are not a replacement for backups, as they only capture a point-in-time image of the VM and its memory state. It is recommended to use snapshots in conjunction with regular backups to ensure data protection and disaster recovery.
