Automatic Snapshots

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Solaris hosts.
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martinz
Posts: 1
Joined: 14. Nov 2010, 11:51
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 2k3,2k8

Automatic Snapshots

Post by martinz »

Hello and I appriciate any help you guys can give me!

I've installed VBOX (3.2.12 r54655)on Solaris (10) on the following hardware:SUN Fire x4270,
I'm running WIN 2008R2 on it, my question are

1. Is there a way to configure on VBOX schedualed automatic snapshots? Without shutting down the virtual machine(s)?
2. If this is possible would there be any performance issues related to doing this, as I want to run MS Exchange with roughly 120 users on it?

If there isnt a way, are there other options? Without installing image based software in the actual OS (Win 2008R2).

I'd like to take a snapshot every 4-6 hours for backup and DR purposes.

Thanks in advance!
Perryg
Site Moderator
Posts: 34369
Joined: 6. Sep 2008, 22:55
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: OSE self-compiled
Guest OSses: *NIX

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by Perryg »

With the release number you show you are using version 3.0.12 of VirtualBox not 3.2.12. Anyway the CLI option to take a snapshot is found in VBoxManage in your VirtualBox users manaual. Create a script and crontab it.

Code: Select all

VBoxManage snapshot         <uuid>|<name>
                            take <name> [--description <desc>] [--pause] |
                            delete <uuid>|<name> |
                            restore <uuid>|<name> |
                            restorecurrent |
                            edit <uuid>|<name>|--current
                                 [--name <name>]
                                 [--description <desc>] |
                            showvminfo <uuid>|<name>
pcooper
Posts: 1
Joined: 13. Jun 2013, 18:01

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by pcooper »

I have tried this.... what is missing is that you have not registered the virtual machine... also where does the snapshot go? how often are they taken? is there a time set up? I think alot of us users would love to see something like:
1) open terminal
2) log in as root
3) type the following: "XXXXXXXXXXX" (what ever it is needed to make autosnapshoting work)

I have been trying to make that work for DAYYYYYSSSSS and it has not functioned well for me.
Guyver
Posts: 104
Joined: 11. Feb 2012, 06:19
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 7
Location: Central United States

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by Guyver »

normally not supposed to run vbox as root, so you would run the VBoxManage command as the user that is the owner of the VM - assuming that the user is a member of the vboxuser group as they'd have to be for it to work in the first place.

Also, remember that cron does not set the environment up as if you'd logged in - so any variables required for VBoxManage to function properly would have to be set manually within the cron script.

Snapshots usually reside in the Snapshots subdirectory under the VMs home directory.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by mpack »

I suspect people are talking at cross purposes hence someone should point out the obvious: if you are trying to automate a backup process then that's great, but snapshots are not backups. Not even close. An automated script to copy your VM folder to secondary media - now that would be a useful thing to do.
Guyver
Posts: 104
Joined: 11. Feb 2012, 06:19
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 7
Location: Central United States

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by Guyver »

The ability to rollback after catastrophic changes inside the VM is where snapshots shine.
I assumed that's what they were planning on using them for...
martyscholes
Posts: 202
Joined: 11. Sep 2011, 00:24
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win 7, Ubuntu, Win XP, Vista, Win 8, Mint, Pear, Several Linux Virtual Appliances

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by martyscholes »

mpack wrote:I suspect people are talking at cross purposes hence someone should point out the obvious: if you are trying to automate a backup process then that's great, but snapshots are not backups. Not even close. An automated script to copy your VM folder to secondary media - now that would be a useful thing to do.
Since no one else mentioned it, time-slider on the filesystem(s) holding the VMs will take snapshots. Using zfs send/recv will also allow for incremental updates to a secondary media. All can be had with very little hassle.
chase.miller
Posts: 1
Joined: 17. Apr 2014, 04:45

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by chase.miller »

If anyone is interested, I created a simple script that creates virtualbox snapshots. I created a cron job that runs this script every day (in effect, automatic snapshots).

You can grab the script at https://github.com/chase-miller/virtual ... hot-create.
baldarim
Posts: 1
Joined: 10. Apr 2020, 13:04

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by baldarim »

I also created a script like chase, but in Python 3. In case someone wants an alternative (I needed to run it on Windows):

virtualbox-snapshotter on GitHub [ I cannot share links for now ]
Pernat1y
Posts: 30
Joined: 11. Jun 2018, 11:43
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 10, Kali, Fedora/RHEL

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by Pernat1y »

6 years old topic. So hard to create a new one?
Hosts: Arch Linux, Windows 10;
Guests: Windows 10, Kali, Fedora/RHEL.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Automatic Snapshots

Post by mpack »

The OP was talking about VirtualBox 3.x, in a topic created almost a decade ago. High time it was locked.
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