# vmware_guest_snapshot – Manages virtual machines snapshots in vCenter

- Synopsis

- Requirements

- Parameters

- Notes

- Examples

- Return Values

- Status

## Synopsis

- This module can be used to create, delete and update snapshot(s) of the given virtual machine.

- All parameters and VMware object names are case sensitive.

## Requirements

The below requirements are needed on the host that executes this module.

- python >= 2.6

- PyVmomi

## Parameters

Parameter | Choices/Defaults | Comments
--- | --- | ---
datacenter string / required |  | Destination datacenter for the deploy operation.
description string | Default: "" | Define an arbitrary description to attach to snapshot.

folder
string

Destination folder, absolute or relative path to find an existing guest.
This is required parameter, if `name` is supplied.
The folder should include the datacenter. ESX's datacenter is ha-datacenter.
Examples:
folder: /ha-datacenter/vm
folder: ha-datacenter/vm
folder: /datacenter1/vm
folder: datacenter1/vm
folder: /datacenter1/vm/folder1
folder: datacenter1/vm/folder1
folder: /folder1/datacenter1/vm
folder: folder1/datacenter1/vm
folder: /folder1/datacenter1/vm/folder2

hostname string |  | The hostname or IP address of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_HOST` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6.

memory_dump
boolean
added in 2.4

Choices:
- no ←
- yes

If set to `true`, memory dump of virtual machine is also included in snapshot.
Note that memory snapshots take time and resources, this will take longer time to create.
If virtual machine does not provide capability to take memory snapshot, then this flag is set to `false`.

moid string added in 2.9 |  | Managed Object ID of the instance to manage if known, this is a unique identifier only within a single vCenter instance. This is required if `name` or `uuid` is not supplied.
name string |  | Name of the virtual machine to work with. This is required parameter, if `uuid` or `moid` is not supplied.

name_match
string

Choices:
- first ←
- last

If multiple VMs matching the name, use the first or last found.

new_description string added in 2.5 |  | Value to change the description of an existing snapshot to.
new_snapshot_name string added in 2.5 |  | Value to rename the existing snapshot to.
password string |  | The password of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PASSWORD` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6. aliases: pass, pwd
port integer added in 2.5 | Default: 443 | The port number of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PORT` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6.
proxy_host string added in 2.9 |  | Address of a proxy that will receive all HTTPS requests and relay them. The format is a hostname or a IP. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PROXY_HOST` will be used instead. This feature depends on a version of pyvmomi greater than v6.7.1.2018.12
proxy_port integer added in 2.9 |  | Port of the HTTP proxy that will receive all HTTPS requests and relay them. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_PROXY_PORT` will be used instead.

quiesce
boolean
added in 2.4

Choices:
- no ←
- yes

If set to `true` and virtual machine is powered on, it will quiesce the file system in virtual machine.
Note that VMware Tools are required for this flag.
If virtual machine is powered off or VMware Tools are not available, then this flag is set to `false`.
If virtual machine does not provide capability to take quiesce snapshot, then this flag is set to `false`.

remove_children
boolean
added in 2.4

Choices:
- no ←
- yes

If set to `true` and state is set to `absent`, then entire snapshot subtree is set for removal.

snapshot_name string |  | Sets the snapshot name to manage. This param is required only if state is not `remove_all`

state
string / required

Choices:
- present ←
- absent
- revert
- remove_all

Manage snapshot(s) attached to a specific virtual machine.
If set to `present` and snapshot absent, then will create a new snapshot with the given name.
If set to `present` and snapshot present, then no changes are made.
If set to `absent` and snapshot present, then snapshot with the given name is removed.
If set to `absent` and snapshot absent, then no changes are made.
If set to `revert` and snapshot present, then virtual machine state is reverted to the given snapshot.
If set to `revert` and snapshot absent, then no changes are made.
If set to `remove_all` and snapshot(s) present, then all snapshot(s) will be removed.
If set to `remove_all` and snapshot(s) absent, then no changes are made.

use_instance_uuid
boolean
added in 2.8

Choices:
- no ←
- yes

Whether to use the VMware instance UUID rather than the BIOS UUID.

username string |  | The username of the vSphere vCenter or ESXi server. If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_USER` will be used instead. Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6. aliases: admin, user
uuid string |  | UUID of the instance to manage if known, this is VMware's BIOS UUID by default. This is required if `name` or `moid` parameter is not supplied.

validate_certs
boolean

Choices:
- no
- yes ←

Allows connection when SSL certificates are not valid. Set to `false` when certificates are not trusted.
If the value is not specified in the task, the value of environment variable `VMWARE_VALIDATE_CERTS` will be used instead.
Environment variable support added in Ansible 2.6.
If set to `yes`, please make sure Python >= 2.7.9 is installed on the given machine.

## Notes

Note

- Tested on vSphere 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5

## Examples

    - name: Create a snapshot
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: present
        snapshot_name: snap1
        description: snap1_description
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Remove a snapshot
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: absent
        snapshot_name: snap1
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Revert to a snapshot
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: revert
        snapshot_name: snap1
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Remove all snapshots of a VM
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: remove_all
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Remove all snapshots of a VM using MoID
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        moid: vm-42
        state: remove_all
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Take snapshot of a VM using quiesce and memory flag on
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: present
        snapshot_name: dummy_vm_snap_0001
        quiesce: yes
        memory_dump: yes
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Remove a snapshot and snapshot subtree
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: absent
        remove_children: yes
        snapshot_name: snap1
      delegate_to: localhost

    - name: Rename a snapshot
      vmware_guest_snapshot:
        hostname: "{{ vcenter_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ vcenter_username }}"
        password: "{{ vcenter_password }}"
        datacenter: "{{ datacenter_name }}"
        folder: "/{{ datacenter_name }}/vm/"
        name: "{{ guest_name }}"
        state: present
        snapshot_name: current_snap_name
        new_snapshot_name: im_renamed
        new_description: "{{ new_snapshot_description }}"
      delegate_to: localhost

## Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key | Returned | Description
--- | --- | ---

snapshot_results
dictionary

always

metadata about the virtual machine snapshots
Sample:
{'current_snapshot': {'creation_time': '2019-04-09T14:40:26.617427+00:00', 'description': 'Snapshot 4 example', 'id': 4, 'name': 'snapshot4', 'state': 'poweredOff'}, 'snapshots': [{'creation_time': '2019-04-09T14:38:24.667543+00:00', 'description': 'Snapshot 3 example', 'id': 3, 'name': 'snapshot3', 'state': 'poweredOff'}, {'creation_time': '2019-04-09T14:40:26.617427+00:00', 'description': 'Snapshot 4 example', 'id': 4, 'name': 'snapshot4', 'state': 'poweredOff'}]}

## Status

- This module is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface. [preview]

- This module is maintained by the Ansible Community. [community]

### Authors

- Loic Blot (@nerzhul) <loic.blot@unix-experience.fr>

Hint

If you notice any issues in this documentation, you can edit this document to improve it.