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Snapshots and Backups

There are two types of snapshots that can be taken within HyperCloud, Disk Snapshots and VM (or System) Snapshots.

These actions require User Permissions to Use and Manage the device.

Disk snapshots are further broken down into either a snapshot of the disk state, which can be reverted to during the VM life-cycle, or a disk-saveas, where the VM disk (or a previously taken snapshot) is exported to an Image in a defined Datastore.

System snapshots provide retention for both the current disks attached and the memory state of the VM and can be used as a restore point for the VM. These snapshots cannot be used to create Images within the Datastore.

When using the GUI or CLI, a System Reversion is allowed when the VM state is RUNNING; however, an ERROR will occur and post as an Attribute under the Info tab of the VM. The VM must be in a POWEROFF or SUSPENDED state before the reversion action.

There are several ways of taking and managing snapshots within the GUI and via the CLI. After selecting a VM from the list of running Instances, there will be several tabs of information available to select and view and/or modify. The Storage, Snapshot, and Sched Actions tabs contain the actionable options for the snapshots.

snapshot location vm tabs

Storage Tab

Selecting the Storage tab presents the User with a list of the attached disks, along with information and usage graphs associated with the VM. From here, several actions’ icons are displayed next to the OS and the other attached drives. They are to Saveas (Disk Image) saveas icon , Take Snapshot (Disk Snapshot) take disk snapshot icon , Resize resize disk icon , and Detach detach disk icon , respectively.

These Actions can be used to create a checkpoint of the current state of any specific disk listed. The snapshots are immutable and can be reverted to as often as needed or desired; also, there are no dependencies between snapshots and any state can be erased if no longer required for retention.

The first Action, Saveas, automatically creates and saves an Image of the drive in the associated Datastore. This Image will not be listed or associated with the VM from which it was created, it is a wholly unique Image that can be attached to an existing VM or can be used to replace the OS drive if the VM is POWERED OFF and the previously attached OS disk is removed.

If an Image has been saved to the Datastore, deletion via the VM interface, with the Delete button, will only remove it from the VM, it will still reside in the Image Datastore. This is also true for the Rename function, it will only affect the VM.

Snapshot Tab

Under the Snapshot tab is where VM or System Snapshots can be created, listed, and managed. These snapshots will contain stateful copies of both the OS disk and any other attached disks, and as such, can be used as a restore point for the VM.

Note

The snapshot taken from this location is associated with the VM only and cannot be saved as an Image.

To create a snapshot from this tab, click take VM snapshot button and enter a logical Name to distinguish from other created snapshots.

VM snapshot name

After clicking accept button on the pop-up, the snapshot will initiate and take a few moments to process and store. It will now be available to manage via the two Actions that will populate underneath the header once the page has been refreshed.

VM snapshot list

As with the disk snapshots, these snapshots are immutable and can be reverted to as much as necessary. Also, the snapshots can be deleted from here when no longer needed.

Reminder

To successfully revert the system, the VM will need to be in the POWEROFF or SUSPENDED state; otherwise, an error will occur and no reversion will be made.

Actions Tab

The final place within the GUI that can trigger snapshots of either the individual disks or the whole VM is the Actions Tab. From here, by selecting add action button a scheduled action can be created to enact a VM command on a one-off or periodic frequency; such as, taking snapshots.

Actions list snapshot create

The nomenclature of the commands is such that, snapshot-create refers to the creation of the full VM Snapshot and a disk-snapshot-create refers to a specified disk snapshot that can be converted to an Image that will be saved in the Datastore.

After selecting the desired Time/Date and frequency and providing a Name, click accept button to schedule the Action. If a Snapshot is taken, it will appear in the Snapshot Tab’s list.

Actions snapshot create

Guidance

Although there are revert functions listed amongst the schedule-able actions,i.e. snapshot-revert and disk-snapshot-revert, they will only function correctly if the VM has already been powered off. To use these actions correctly, a preceding poweroff action occurring at an earlier time slot, is required. Plus, a subsequent post-action to resume the VM, after the revert action, is needed.

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