DELL 34XX User Manual

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The following table lists the components that comprise a snapshot virtual disk and briefly describes what 
they do.
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.
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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