In this tutorial, you will find out how to take a snapshot of a virtual machine (VM) and then later restore it. This is very simple process which can be done through the Servers subscription page on the Jotelulu platform.
A snapshot is a capture, like a photograph, of a virtual machine, along with all its data and devices at given moment in time. VM snapshots are the fastest way to restore a server should the need arise.
System administrators often need to cover their backs and keep risks to a minimum when performing updates or making significant software changes. VM shapshots are a good way of doing this. By taking a snapshot of the server before making any changes, it will be easy to restore the server to its original condition should something go wrong.
How to take a VM snapshot and use it to restore a server?
Before you begin:
To successfully complete this tutorial, you will need:
- To be registered on the Jotelulu platform and have signed in using your username and password.
- To have previously subscribed to a Servers service and have deployed a server. If you need more information about this process, see the tutorial entitled: How to Deploy a Server on Jotelulu.
- IMPORTANT: A server’s performance can deteriorate if its data is fragmented. Therefore, we recommend that you delete any VM snapshots wherever possible. The Jotelulu platform sets a limit of three VM snapshots per server in order to ensure optimum performance.
Step 1. Open the Servers tab
From the main dashboard, click on the top of the Servers card (1).
Step 1. Open the Servers subscription page
Step 1. Open the available virtual machines from the Servers section
Step 1. Select the server that you wish to take a snapshot of
Step 2. Create a VM Snapshot
At this point, although it is not obligatory, we recommend stopping the virtual machine (5). It is possible to take a snapshot with the machine running, although doing so with the server stopped will ensure better data consistency.
Step 2. It is recommended to stop the server before taking a VM snapshot
Step 2. Confirmation that the server has been stopped successfully
Step 2. Click on the Snapshot button
Step 2. Name the VM snapshot and create it
Step 2. Confirmation that the VM snapshot has been created successfully
Step 2. Open the VM Snapshot tab on the server page to check that the snapshot has been created successfully
Step 3. Restore the server using the created snapshot.
Whatever the reason, it is possible that you might need to use a VM snapshot to restore the server to an earlier time. If so, simply return to the server page and scroll down to the VM Snapshot tab (12).
Step 3. Open the VM Snapshot tab on the server page (scroll down)
Step 3. Begin restoring the server using the Revert button
Step 3. Confirm that you wish to restore the server using the selected snapshot
Summary:
Creating a VM snapshot and restoring a server are very simply processes and can be incredibly useful for system administrators. As mentioned in the introduction, we recommend taking a snapshot of a server before making any major changes so that it can easily be reverted back to its original state.
We hope that this tutorial has been useful for you. If you still have questions or require more technical information, please write to us at platform@jotelulu.com and we will be happy to help.
