Using the Virtual Machine UUID

Each virtual machine has a universal unique identifier (UUID). The UUID is generated when you initially power on the virtual machine.

You can use the UUID of a virtual machine for system management in the same way that you use the UUID of a physical computer. The UUID is stored in the SMBIOS system information descriptor, and you can access it by using standard SMBIOS scanning software, including SiSoftware Sandra or IBM smbios2.

If you do not move or copy the virtual machine to another location, the UUID remains constant. When you power on a virtual machine that was moved or copied to a new location, you are prompted to specify whether you moved or copied the virtual machine. If you indicate that you copied the virtual machine, the virtual machine receives a new UUID.

Suspending and resuming a virtual machine does not trigger the process that generates a UUID. The UUID in use at the time the virtual machine was suspended remains in use when the virtual machine is resumed, even if it was copied or moved. You are not prompted to specify whether you moved or copied the virtual machine until the next time you reboot the virtual machine.