However, with each snapshot, there are delta files which can grow to the same size as the original base disk file. It means that you can easily go back in time with the point-in-time saved state of the VM. VMware snapshot stores the complete state and data of a virtual machine whenever a snapshot is created. You can create a snapshot of a VM when it is powered on, off or suspended. If you still have VMFS 5 formatted datastores in your environment and still planning to use snapshots, you might consider upgrading to VMFS 6 in order to benefit those enhancements. The blocks deleted within VM are marked, then used by the hypervisor which issues a command within the SEsparse layer to unmap (to free) those blocks and save space on a datastore. The SESparse stands for “space efficient” and supports space reclamation, which previous formats did not.

vSphere 6.5 uses SEsparse as a default format for all delta disks on the VMFS 6 formatted datastores. VMware storage technology has evolved over time, including snapshots. As such it might be a good idea to learn some good practices about snapshots and this technology, to get the most out of it. VMware snapshots are used by admins, developers and other IT team members who are not all VMware specialists. Using snapshots is very flexible way of being able to go back in time and revert changes. VMware snapshots are important part of vSphere infrastructure. StarWind Virtual Tape Library (VTL) OEM.Software as a Service (SaaS) & Financing.StarWind Virtual Tape Library Appliance (VTLA).

Veeam backup temporary snapshot