By default, Update Manager is configured to take snapshots of virtual machines before applying updates. If the remediation fails, you can use the snapshot to return the virtual machine to the state before the remediation.

Update Manager does not take snapshots of fault tolerant virtual machines and virtual machines that are running virtual machine hardware version 3. If you decide to take snapshots of such virtual machines, the remediation might fail.

You can choose to keep snapshots indefinitely or for a fixed period. Use the following guidelines when managing snapshots:

  • Keeping snapshots indefinitely might consume a large amount of disk space and degrade virtual machine performance.
  • Keeping no snapshots saves space, ensures best virtual machine performance, and might reduce the amount of time it takes to complete remediation, but limits the availability of a rollback.
  • Keeping snapshots for a set period uses less disk space and offers a backup for a short time.

Prerequisites

Required privileges: VMware vSphere Update Manager.Configure

Procedure

  1. In the Home view of the vSphere Web Client, select the Update Manager icon.
  2. From the Objects tab, select an Update Manager instance.
    The Objects tab also displays all the vCenter Server system to which an Update Manager instance is connected.
  3. Click the Manage tab.
  4. Click Settings, and select VM Settings.
  5. Click Edit.
    The Edit VM Settings dialog box opens.
  6. To enable or disable taking of snapshots of virtual machines before remediating them, select the Take a snapshot of the virtual machines before remediation to enable rollback check box.
    The option to take snapshots is selected by default.
  7. Configure snapshots to be kept indefinitely or for a fixed period.
  8. Click Apply.

Results

These settings become the default rollback option settings for virtual machines. You can specify different settings when you configure individual remediation tasks.