The destination of a snapshot repository virtual disk is determined based on the free capacity available in the disk group. A snapshot repository virtual disk requires a minimum 8 MB of free capacity. You can choose your preferred creation path—simple or advanced—if the disk group of the source virtual disk has the required amount of free space.

If 8 MB of free capacity is not available in the disk group of the source virtual disk, the Create Snapshot Virtual Disks feature defaults to the advanced path (see "Creating a Snapshot Virtual Disk Using the Advanced Path" on

page 146). In the advanced path option, you can choose to place the snapshot repository virtual disk in another disk group or you can use unconfigured capacity on the storage array to create a new disk group.

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:

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.

NOTE: Virtual Disk Copy is an Advanced (Premium) feature.

You cannot create a snapshot of a virtual disk that contains unreadable sectors.

You must satisfy the requirements of your host operating system for creating snapshot virtual disks. Failure to meet the requirements of your host operating system results in an inaccurate snapshot of the source virtual disk or the target virtual disk in a virtual disk copy.

NOTE: Before you create a new snapshot of a source virtual disk, stop any data access (I/O) activity or suspend data transfer to the source virtual disk to ensure that you capture an accurate snapshot of the source virtual disk. Close all applications, including Windows Internet Explorer, to make sure all I/O activity has stopped.

NOTE: Removing the drive letter of the associated virtual disk(s) in Windows or unmounting the virtual drive in Linux helps to guarantee a stable copy of the drive for the Snapshot.

Before creating a snapshot virtual disk, the host server must be in the proper state. To prepare your host server:

1Stop all I/O activity to the source.

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Configuration: Premium Feature—Snapshot Virtual Disks

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