Snapshots

Capturing and restoring VM states.

Understanding Snapshots

A snapshot preserves the state and data of a virtual machine at a specific point in time. This includes the VM's disk, RAM, and configuration.

[Diagram: Snapshot Chain]

Use Cases

  • Before applying patches or updates.
  • Before installing new drivers.
  • As a temporary backup before risky operations.

Warning: Snapshots are not a replacement for a backup strategy and should not be kept for long periods.