Dell PowerVault - Snapshot Virtual Disk Components; Snapshot Virtual Disk Commands

Table 9. Snapshot Virtual Disk Components
Component Description
Source virtual disk Standard virtual disk from which the snapshot is
created
Snapshot virtual disk Point-in-time image of a standard virtual disk
Snapshot repository virtual disk Virtual disk that contains snapshot metadata and
copy-on-write data for a particular snapshot virtual
disk
The following table lists the snapshot virtual disk commands and brief descriptions of what the
commands do.
Table 10. Snapshot Virtual Disk Commands
Command Description
create snapshotVirtualDisk
Creates a snapshot virtual disk.
re-create snapshot
Starts a fresh copy-on-write operation by using an
existing snapshot virtual disk.
set (snapshotVirtualDisk)
Defines the properties for a snapshot virtual disk
and enables you to rename a snapshot virtual disk.
stop snapshot
Stops a copy-on-write operation.
Using Host Servers To Create An Initial Snapshot Virtual
Disk
CAUTION: Before using the Snapshot Virtual Disks Premium Feature in a Microsoft Windows
clustered configuration, you must first map the snapshot virtual disk to the cluster node that
owns the source virtual disk. This ensures that the cluster nodes correctly recognize the snapshot
virtual disk.
If you map the snapshot virtual disk to the node that does not own the source virtual disk before the
snapshot enabling process is completed, the operating system may fail to correctly identify the
snapshot virtual disk. This can result in data loss on the source virtual disk or an inaccessible
snapshot.
For details on mapping the snapshot virtual disk to the secondary node, see the Dell PowerVault
MD3200 and MD3220 Storage Arrays With Microsoft Windows Server Failover Clusters or Dell
PowerVault MD3200i and MD3220i Storage Arrays With Microsoft Windows Server Failover Clusters
at dell.com/support/manuals.
NOTE: You can create concurrent snapshots of a source virtual disk on both the source disk group
and on another disk group.
Before creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk, note the following:
• The following types of virtual disks are not valid source virtual disks: snapshot repository virtual disks,
snapshot virtual disks, target virtual disks that are participating in a virtual disk copy.
• You cannot create a snapshot of a virtual disk that contains unreadable sectors.
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