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Deploying Servers - snapshots

Exam: Microsoft 70-643 - TS: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuring

Deploying Servers

Configure Windows Server Hyper-V and virtual machines. Snapshot

Hyper-V includes creating a snapshot of a virtual machine, which is a point-in time image of a virtual machine that you can return. It is typically used during testing changes or when new applications are being loaded to a virtual server. If the changes or new application cause problems, you can revert back to the snapshot before the changes or new application were installed.

Snapshots (up to 10 levels) can be taken whether the virtual machine is running or stopped. If the virtual machine is running when the snapshot is taken, no downtime is involved to create the snapshot.

Creating and deleting snapshots does not affect the running state of the virtual machine, meaning that taking a snapshot does not change the virtual machine hardware, applications, or the currently running processes. The snapshot files consist of the following:

  • VM configuration .xml file copy
  • Any save state files
  • Before the snapshot is created, all writes that are the children of the working disk are brought over to a differencing disk (.avhd), which becomes their new working drive.

Making a snapshot right after the previous one, and never applying it causes users to produce an asymmetrical tree with one branch.

To create your snapshots, you can opt for the Hyper-V Manager as the most convenient tool. To proceed you need to go to the Action menu and select the Snapshot option. Alternatively, you can use the Virtual Machine Connection window and pick Snapshot in the Action menu.