This service template creates a snapshot of the virtual machine for updating the status of a virtual server.
The general steps for using this service template to create a snapshot of a virtual machine are as follows:
- A snapshot of the virtual server is created.
- After creating the snapshot, the wait for the response part of the service is run to wait for the user to complete changes to the status or data of the virtual server. The UI waiting for a response allows the user to select "Commit (to use the change result) or Roll back (to cancel).
- The snapshot of the virtual server is deleted. If the user selects Commit from the UI waiting for a response, the changes made after creating the snapshot are committed, and the snapshot is deleted. If the user selects Roll back from the UI waiting for a response, the changes made after creating the snapshot are discarded, and the snapshot is deleted. The maximum length of the virtual server name property vmware.vmName is 60 characters.
Service Definition Properties
The following table lists the properties visible in the Service Definition window for the Create Snapshot of Virtual Machine service template.
| Property Key | Property Name | Description | Required or optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| vmware.targetHost | Host name of VMware vCenter control server | Specify the host name or IP address of the server (a server with vSphere PowerCLI installed) that will be used to control VMware vCenter. You cannot specify an IPv6 address. | R |
| vmware.vCenterServerName | VMware vCenter server name | Specify the host name or IP address of the VMware vCenter server. You cannot specify an IPv6 address. | R |
| vmware.userName | User name for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the user name to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server. | R |
| vmware.password | Password for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the password to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server. | R |
| vmware.portNumber | Port number for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the port number to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server (specifically, the port number of the VMware vCenter server's Web service). If you omit this property, the default value of the VMware vCenter server applies. | O |
| vmware.protocol | Protocol for VMware vCenter Server connection | Specify the protocol to use when connecting to the VMware vCenter server. | R |
| vmware.snapshotName | Snapshot name | Specify the name of the snapshot. | R |
| UserResponsePlugin.toAddress | TO addresses | Specify the email addresses to enter in the TO field of notification emails sent when the service is waiting for a user response. Separate multiple addresses with commas. Example: mailA,mailB | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.ccAddress | CC addresses | Specify the email addresses to enter in the CC field of notification emails sent when the service is waiting for a user response. Separate multiple addresses with commas. Example: mailA,mailB | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.bccAddress | BCC addresses | Specify the email addresses to enter in the BCC field of notification emails sent when the service is waiting for a user response. Separate multiple addresses with commas. Example: mailA,mailB | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.mailSubject | Subject line | Specify the subject line of notification emails sent when the service is waiting for a user response. | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.mailBody | Email text | Specify the body text of notification emails sent when the service is waiting for a user response. | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.encodeType | Encoding | Specify the encoding of notification emails sent when the service is waiting for a user response. The encodings you can specify are us-ascii, iso-2022-jp, shift_jis, euc-jp, and utf-8. If you omit this property, utf-8 is set. | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.dialogText | Additional dialog box text | Enter additional text to appear in the response input dialog box, in text or HTML format. Supported HTML tags are anchor tags, bold tags, break tags, font tags, italics tags, and underline tags. | O |
| UserResponsePlugin.responseTimeOut | Response timeout time (minutes) | Specify how long (in minutes) the service waits for a user response before timing out. In the event of a response timeout, the service will end abnormally. | R |
Service Definition and Submit Service Properties
The following table lists the properties visible in the Service Definition and Submit Service windows for the Create Snapshot of Virtual Machine service template.
| Property Key | Property Name | Description | Required or optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| vmware.vmName | Virtual server name | Specify the name of the virtual server. This name is used to represent the virtual server in VMware vCenter server. It is not used as a host name by the OS. | R |
Prerequisites
Note: Although some of the properties in the tables indicate that they can be omitted, they might be required when used in conjunction with some other property setting as indicated in the descriptions.
The following conditions must be met:
- VMware vSphere ESXi (or VMware ESX Server) is managed by VMware vCenter Server.
- No duplicate virtual server names can be under the same vCenter.
- No duplicate snapshot names can be in the same virtual server.
- VMware Tools is installed on the target virtual server.
- The pre-change power status of the target virtual server is OFF.
Server requirements
To use this service template, the following servers are needed:
- vCenter server: This is a server on which VMware vCenter Server is installed.
- vCenter control server: This is a server on which VMware vSphere PowerCLI is installed.
- Virtual server: This is a virtual server managed by the vCenter server and VMware vSphere ESX.
Software requirements
One of the following is required:
- VMware vSphere PowerCLI 6.3 Release1, 6.0 Release3, 6.0 Release1
- VMware PowerCLI 6.5 Release1
- VMware PowerCLI 6.5.1, 6.5.4
- VMware PowerCLI 10.1.0, 10.1.1
Usage guidelines
- Do not run this service for multiple instances of the same virtual server at the same time.
- Do not target any virtual servers on which a raw, RDM physical mode or independent disk is set.
- HTML tags can be specified in the additional information property UserResponseplugin.dialogText in the window for entering a response. The property accepts the same tags and attributes as those available in the User-Response Wait Plug-in.
- If an error occurs while running this service, confirm the snapshot name from the task log and verify whether the snapshot is present. If the snapshot remains, commit or discard the snapshot. Do not leave a snapshot created by this service for an extended period time. Before starting the server, apply or discard the snapshot and delete it; not doing so can cause unnecessary data storage capacity use.