Storage¶

Overview¶

Infrastructure > Storage is for adding and managing Storage Buckets, File Shares, Volumes, Data Stores and Storage Servers for use with other Services in HPE Morpheus Software.

Role Requirements¶

There are two Role permissions for the Infrastructure > Storage section: Infrastructure: Storage and Infrastructure: Storage Browser. Infrastructure: Storage gives Full, Read, or No access to the Infrastructure > Storage sections. Infrastructure: Storage Browser controls file access for Buckets, File Shares, and supported HVM file-based Data Stores. Full Infrastructure: Storage Browser permission allows upload and deletion when the user also has Full access to the corresponding storage resource. Read permission allows browsing and download when the user also has at least Read access to that resource.

Default Storage¶

The default Storage path for Virtual Images, Backups, Deployment Archives, Archive Service, and Archived Snapshots is var/opt/morpheus/morpheus-ui/. Its is recommended to add Storage Buckets and File Shares for these targets in the Infrastructure > Storage section to avoid running out of disk space on the HPE Morpheus Software Appliance.

Storage Buckets¶

Storage Buckets are for Backup, Archives, Deployment and Virtual Images storage targets. Buckets can be browsed and files and folders can be uploaded, downloaded or deleted from the Bucket section. Retention Policies can be set on Storage Buckets for files to be deleted or backed up to another bucket after a set amount of time.

Supported Bucket Types¶

• Alibaba

• Amazon S3

• Google Cloud Storage

• Openstack Swift

• Rackspace CDN

Alibaba Buckets¶

To Add an Alibaba Storage Bucket:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the BUCKETS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Alibaba from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW BUCKET Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Bucket in HPE Morpheus Software.

   ACCESS KEY

   Alibaba Access Key

   SECRET KEY

   Alibaba Secret Key

   REGION

   Enter Alibaba Region for the Bucket

   BUCKET NAME

   Enter existing Alibaba Bucket name, or to add a new Bucket enter a new name and select Create Bucket.

   Create Bucket

   Enable if the Bucket entered in BUCKET NAME does not exist and needs to be created.

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this Bucket as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this Bucket will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this Bucket when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the target hypervisor.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the Bucket will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount of time and remove them from the bucket.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup Bucket.

   BACKUP BUCKET

   Search for and then select the Bucket the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this bucket after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the Bucket.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Bucket will be created and displayed in the Buckets tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this Bucket, select the name of the Bucket.

• To edit the Bucket, select the edit icon or select the name of the Bucket and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a bucket that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a Bucket, select the trash icon or select the name of the Bucket and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a Bucket, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the Bucket will be deleted.

Amazon S3 Buckets¶

To Add an Amazon S3 Storage Bucket:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the BUCKETS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Amazon S3 from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW BUCKET Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Bucket in HPE Morpheus Software.

   ACCESS KEY

   AWS IAM Access Key

   SECRET KEY

   AWS IAM Secret Key

   BUCKET NAME

   Enter existing S3 Bucket name, or to add a new Bucket enter a new name and select Create Bucket.

   CREATE BUCKET

   Enable if the Bucket entered in BUCKET NAME does not exist and needs to be created. If enabled, select an AWS Region to create the Bucket in.

   ENDPOINT URL

   Optional endpoint URL if pointing to an object store other than amazon that mimics the Amazon S3 APIs.

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this Bucket as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this Bucket will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this Bucket when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the target hypervisor.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the Bucket will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount of time and remove them from the bucket.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup Bucket.

   BACKUP BUCKET

   Search for and then select the Bucket the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this bucket after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the Bucket.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Bucket will be created and displayed in the Buckets tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this Bucket, select the name of the Bucket.

• To edit the Bucket, select the edit icon or select the name of the Bucket and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a bucket that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a Bucket, select the trash icon or select the name of the Bucket and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a Bucket, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the Bucket will be deleted.

Google Cloud Storage Buckets¶

To add a Google Cloud Storage Bucket:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar

2. Select the Storage link in the sub-navigation bar

3. In the BUCKETS tab, Click the + ADD button

4. Select Google Cloud Storage from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW BUCKET Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   A friendly name for the bucket in HPE Morpheus Software

   STORAGE SERVICE

   Select the GCP cloud integration this bucket should be created in

   PROJECT ID

   Select the Project to create the group under, Projects are a GCP-specific concept and are logical grouping for your resources. Select any existing project associated with your selected GCP cloud integration

   BUCKET NAME

   The name for the bucket resource on the GCP side

   LOCATION TYPE

   Select Region, Dual-Region, or Multi-Region. Buckets with a Region location type will be stored in one GCP region, such as “us-east1 (South Carolina)”. Dual-Region and Multi-Region data is stored in two (or more, in the case of multi-region) GCP regions separated by a significant physical distance. Dual-Region and Multi-Region data is geo-redundant across the multiple selected regions

   LOCATION

   A selected GCP region (or regions, in the case of dual and multi-location data) where the data will be stored

   STORAGE CLASS

   Select Standard, Nearline, Coldline, or Archive. The appropriate storage class will depend on how frequently the bucket data is accessed and how long the type of data in the bucket is expected to be stored. More information on storage classes can be found in GCP Documentation

   ACTIVE

   When marked, the bucket is available for use in HPE Morpheus Software

   DEFAULT BACKUP TARGET

   Sets the bucket as the default storage option when creating backups at provision time or in the Backups section of HPE Morpheus Software

   DEFAULT DEPLOYMENT ARCHIVE TARGET

   Sets this Bucket as the default storage target when uploading deployment files in the Deployments section

   DEFAULT VIRTUAL IMAGE STORE

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading virtual images from the Virtual Images section, importing images from Instance actions, creating images with the Image Builder, and when creating new images from Migrations

   RETENTION POLICY

   Select None and the files in this bucket will never be deleted or backed up by HPE Morpheus Software. When selecting ‘Backup Old Files’, HPE Morpheus Software will backup files into another selected bucket once they reach a certain number of days old. When selecting ‘Delete Old Files’, HPE Morpheus Software will delete any files that reach a certain number of days old

Dell EMC ECS Buckets¶

To Add a Dell EMC ECS Storage Bucket:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the BUCKETS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Dell EMC ECS Bucket from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW BUCKET Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Bucket in HPE Morpheus Software.

   STORAGE SERVICE

   Select existing Dell EMC ECS Storage Server (configured in Infrastructure - Storage - Servers)

   BUCKET NAME

   Enter a name for the new Dell EMC ECS bucket.

   USER

   Dell EMC ECS User

   SECRET KEY

   Dell EMC ECS Secret key

   NAMESPACE

   Select Dell EMC ECS Namespace for the Bucket

   STORAGE GROUP

   Select a Dell EMC ECS Storage Group

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this bucket as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this Bucket will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this Bucket when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the target hypervisor.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this Bucket as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the Bucket will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount of time and remove them from the bucket.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup Bucket.

   BACKUP BUCKET

   Search for and then select the Bucket the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this bucket after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the Bucket.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Bucket will be created and displayed in the Buckets tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this Bucket, select the name of the Bucket.

• To edit the Bucket, select the edit icon or select the name of the Bucket and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a bucket that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a Bucket, select the trash icon or select the name of the Bucket and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a Bucket, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the Bucket will be deleted.

Openstack Swift Buckets¶

To Add an Azure Storage Bucket:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the BUCKETS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Openstack Swift from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW BUCKET Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Bucket in HPE Morpheus Software.

   USERNAME

   Openstack Swift Username

   API KEY

   Openstack Swift API Key

   BUCKET NAME

   Enter existing Openstack Swift Bucket name, or to add a new Bucket enter a new name and select Create Bucket below.

   IDENTITY URL

   Openstack Swift Identity URL

   Create Bucket

   Enable if the name entered in BUCKET NAME does not exist and needs to be created.

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this bucket as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this Bucket will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this Bucket when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the target hypervisor.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this Bucket as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the Bucket will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount of time and remove them from the bucket.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup Bucket.

   BACKUP BUCKET

   Search for and then select the Bucket the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this bucket after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the Bucket.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Bucket will be created and displayed in the Buckets tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this Bucket, select the name of the Bucket.

• To edit the Bucket, select the edit icon or select the name of the Bucket and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a bucket that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a Bucket, select the trash icon or select the name of the Bucket and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a Bucket, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the Bucket will be deleted.

Rackspace CDN Buckets¶

To Add a Rackspace CDN Bucket:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the BUCKETS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Rackspace CDN from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW BUCKET Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Bucket in HPE Morpheus Software.

   USERNAME

   Rackspace CDN Username

   API KEY

   Rackspace CDN API Key

   REGION

   Enter Rackspace CDN Region

   BUCKET NAME

   Enter existing Rackspace CDN Bucket name, or to add a new Bucket enter a new name and select Create Bucket below.

   Create Bucket

   Enable if the name entered in BUCKET NAME does not exist and needs to be created.

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this bucket as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this Bucket will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this Bucket when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the target hypervisor.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this Bucket as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this bucket as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the Bucket will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount of time and remove them from the bucket.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup Bucket.

   BACKUP BUCKET

   Search for and then select the Bucket the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this bucket after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the Bucket.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Bucket will be created and displayed in the Buckets tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this Bucket, select the name of the Bucket.

• To edit the Bucket, select the edit icon or select the name of the Bucket and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a bucket that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a Bucket, select the trash icon or select the name of the Bucket and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a Bucket, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the Bucket will be deleted.

File Shares¶

File Shares are for Backup, Archives, Deployment and Virtual Images storage targets. File Shares can be browsed and files and folders can be uploaded, downloaded or deleted from the File Shares section. Retention Policies can be set on Storage File Shares for files to be deleted or backed up to another File Share after a set amount of time.

Supported File Share Types¶

• Azure

• CIFS (Samba Windows File Sharing)

• Dell EMC ECS Share

• Dell EMC Isilon Share

• Local Storage

• NFSv3

Azure File Shares¶

To Add an Azure File Share:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the FILE SHARES tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Azure from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW FILE SHARE Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name for the file share in HPE Morpheus Software.

   STORAGE ACCOUNT

   Name of the Storage Account in Azure for the file share

   STORAGE KEY

   Storage Key provided from Azure

   SHARE NAME

   Enter existing Azure Storage Share name or, to add a new Share, enter a new name and mark the Create Bucket box below

   CREATE BUCKET

   Mark if the share entered in SHARE NAME does not exist and needs to be created

   DEFAULT BACKUP TARGET

   Sets this file share as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected, the option to UPDATE EXISTING BACKUPS will appear. Mark to update existing backups to this file share

   DEFAULT DEPLOYMENT ARCHIVE TARGET

   Sets this file share as the default storage target when creating deployment archives

   DEFAULT VIRTUAL IMAGE STORE

   Sets this file share as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section or when importing Images from Instance Actions

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the share will not be automatically deleted or backed up

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount of time and remove them from the file share

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup target

   BACKUP BUCKET

   Search for and then select the desired backup bucket

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this share after a set amount of days

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the share

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The file share will be created and displayed in the file shares tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this file share, select the name of the share from the File Shares tab.

• To edit the file share, select the edit icon or select the name of the share and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Re-pointing a file share that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a file share, select the trash icon or select the name of the file share and click DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a file share, all Deployment versions and Backups associated with the file share will be deleted.

CIFS File Shares¶

To Add a CIFS File Share:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the FILE SHARES tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select CIFS (Samba Windows File Sharing) from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW FILE SHARE Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the File Share in HPE Morpheus Software.

   HOST

   Enter host IP or resolvable hostname

   Example: 192.168.200.210

   USERNAME

   CIFS Share Username

   PASSWORD

   CIFS Share User Password

   SHARE PATH

   Enter CIFS Share Path

   Example: cifs

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this File Share as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this File Share will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this File Share when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the source Cloud.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the File Share will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount if time and remove them from the File Share.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup File Share.

   BACKUP File Share

   Search for and select the File Share the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this File Share after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the File Share.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The File Share will be created and displayed in the File Shares tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this File Share, select the name of the File Share.

• To edit the File Share, select the edit icon or select the name of the File Share and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a File Share that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a File Share, select the trash icon or select the name of the File Share and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a File Share, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the File Share will be deleted.

Dell EMC ECS File Shares¶

To Add a Dell EMC ECS File Share:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the FILE SHARES tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Dell EMC ECS Share from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW FILE SHARE Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the File Share in HPE Morpheus Software.

   STORAGE SERVICE

   Select existing Dell EMC ECS Storage Server (configured in Infrastructure - Storage - Servers)

   SHARE PATH

   Enter Dell EMC ECS Share Path

   Example: ecs-file-share-1

   USER

   Dell EMC ECS User

   SECRET KEY

   Dell EMC ECS Secret key

   Volume Size

   Specify volume size for the File Share (in MB)

   Allowed IP’s

   Specify IP Addresses to limit accessibility to the File Share

   Leave blank for open access

   Click the + symbol to the right of the first ALLOWED IPS field to add multiple IP’s

   NAMESPACE

   Select Dell EMC ECS Namespace (synced)

   STORAGE GROUP

   Select Dell EMC ECS Storage Group (synced)

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this File Share as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this File Share will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this File Share when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the source Cloud.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the File Share will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount if time and remove them from the File Share.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup File Share.

   BACKUP File Share

   Search for and select the File Share the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this File Share after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the File Share.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The File Share will be created and displayed in the File Shares tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this File Share, select the name of the File Share.

• To edit the File Share, select the edit icon or select the name of the File Share and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a File Share that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a File Share, select the trash icon or select the name of the File Share and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a File Share, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the File Share will be deleted.

Dell EMC Isilon File Shares¶

To Add a Dell EMC Isilon File Share:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the FILE SHARES tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Dell EMC Isilon Share from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW FILE SHARE Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the File Share in HPE Morpheus Software.

   STORAGE SERVICE

   Select existing Dell EMC Isilon Storage Server (configured in Infrastructure - Storage - Servers)

   SHARE PATH

   Enter Dell EMC Isilon Share Path

   Example: ecs-file-share-1

   Volume Size

   Specify volume size for the File Share (in MB)

   Allowed IP’s

   Specify IP Addresses to limit accessibility to the File Share

   Leave blank for open access

   Click the + symbol to the right of the first ALLOWED IPS field to add multiple IP’s

   NAMESPACE

   Select Dell EMC Isilon Namespace (synced)

   STORAGE GROUP

   Select Dell EMC Isilon Storage Group (synced)

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this File Share as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this File Share will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this File Share when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the source Cloud.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the File Share will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount if time and remove them from the File Share.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup File Share.

   BACKUP File Share

   Search for and select the File Share the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this File Share after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the File Share.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The File Share will be created and displayed in the File Shares tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this File Share, select the name of the File Share.

• To edit the File Share, select the edit icon or select the name of the File Share and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a File Share that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a File Share, select the trash icon or select the name of the File Share and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a File Share, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the File Share will be deleted.

Local Storage File Shares¶

To Add a Local Storage File Share:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the FILE SHARES tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Local Storage Share from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW FILE SHARE Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the File Share in HPE Morpheus Software.

   STORAGE PATH

   Enter the File Share path on the local HPE Morpheus Software Appliance.

   Example: /var/opt/morpheus/morpheus-ui/vms/virtual-images

   Important

   High Availability configurations require Local Storage File Shares paths to be shared storage paths between the font end HPE Morpheus Software Appliances.

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this File Share as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this File Share will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this File Share when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the source Cloud.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the File Share will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount if time and remove them from the File Share.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup File Share.

   BACKUP File Share

   Search for and select the File Share the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this File Share after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the File Share.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The File Share will be created and displayed in the File Shares tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this File Share, select the name of the File Share.

• To edit the File Share, select the edit icon or select the name of the File Share and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a File Share that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a File Share, select the trash icon or select the name of the File Share and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a File Share, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the File Share will be deleted.

NFSv3 File Shares¶

To Add a NFSv3 File Share:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the FILE SHARES tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select NFSv3 from the dropdown list

5. From the NEW FILE SHARE Wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the File Share in HPE Morpheus Software.

   HOST

   Enter the File Share path on the local HPE Morpheus Software Appliance.

   EXPORT FOLDER

   Enter the NFSv3 Folder

   Default Backup Target

   Sets this File Share as the default backup target when creating Backups. If selected the option to update existing Backup configuration to use this File Share will be presented.

   Archive Snapshots

   Enabled to export VM snapshots to this File Share when creating VMware Backups, after which the snapshot will be removed from the source Cloud.

   Default Deployment Archive Target

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Deployment files in the Deployments section.

   Default Virtual Image Store

   Sets this File Share as the default storage target when uploading Virtual Images from the Virtual Images section, importing Images from Instance Actions, creating Images with the Image Builder and when creating new images from Migrations.

   RETENTION POLICY

   None

   Files in the File Share will not be automatically deleted or backed up.

   Backup Old Files

   This option will backup files after a set amount if time and remove them from the File Share.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically backed up to the selected Backup File Share.

   BACKUP File Share

   Search for and select the File Share the files will be backed up to.

   DELETE OLD FILES

   This option will delete files from this File Share after a set amount of days.

   DAYS OLD

   Files older than the set number of days will be automatically deleted from the File Share.

6. Select SAVE CHANGES

The File Share will be created and displayed in the File Shares tab.

• To browse, upload, download, or delete files from this File Share, select the name of the File Share.

• To edit the File Share, select the edit icon or select the name of the File Share and select ACTIONS - EDIT.

  Warning

  Repointing a File Share that is in use may cause loss of file references. Ensure data is mirrored first.

• To delete a File Share, select the trash icon or select the name of the File Share and select DELETE.

  Warning

  When deleting a File Share, all Deployment Versions and Backups associated with the File Share will be deleted.

Share Access Control¶

Overview¶

Share Access controls allow administrators to manage host-level access rules for File Shares associated with storage servers. Access rules define which hosts or IP addresses can connect to a file share and what level of access they are granted (e.g., read-only, read/write).

Share Access rules are specific to File Shares that are backed by a Storage Server integration (such as Dell EMC Isilon or other NAS platforms). The available access rule options are determined by the storage server type.

Role Requirements¶

• Infrastructure: Storage role permission at Full level is required to create, edit, or delete access rules.

• Infrastructure: Storage role permission at Read level allows viewing access rules only.

Viewing Share Access Rules¶

1. Navigate to Infrastructure > Storage

2. Select the FILE SHARES tab

3. Click the name of the File Share to view its detail page

4. Select the ACCESS tab

The Access tab displays all configured access rules for the file share, including the rule name, access level, and associated host or IP address.

Adding an Access Rule¶

1. Navigate to Infrastructure > Storage

2. Select the FILE SHARES tab

3. Click the name of the File Share

4. Select the ACCESS tab

5. Click + ADD

6. Fill in the required fields:

   NAME

   A descriptive name for the access rule.

   HOST / IP

   The host name or IP address to grant access to. The available fields depend on the storage server type.

   ACCESS LEVEL

   The level of access to grant to the host. Options depend on the storage provider and may include:

   • Read Only — The host can read data from the share but cannot write.

   • Read/Write — The host can both read and write data to the share.

   • Root — The host has full root-level access (where supported by the provider).

   Note

   Additional configuration fields may appear depending on the underlying storage server type. These are defined by the provider’s share access option types.

7. Click SAVE CHANGES

Editing an Access Rule¶

1. Navigate to the File Share detail page

2. Select the ACCESS tab

3. Click the edit icon (pencil) next to the access rule

4. Modify the desired fields

5. Click SAVE CHANGES

Deleting an Access Rule¶

1. Navigate to the File Share detail page

2. Select the ACCESS tab

3. Click the delete icon (trash) next to the access rule

4. Confirm the deletion

Volumes¶

Volumes sync or created in HPE Morpheus Software can be viewed in Infrastructure- Storage - Volumes. Volumes can be added for Storage Servers integrated with HPE Morpheus Software in the Infrastructure- Storage - Servers section.

Volumes Types¶

The available Volume Types list and filterable by are:

• 3Par Volume

• Alibaba Cloud SSD

• Alibaba Efficiency Disk

• Alibaba Cloud Disk

• AWS gp2

• AWS io1

• AWS sc1

• AWS st1

• Azure Volume

• Azure Disk

• Bluemix Disk

• Bluemix SAN

• Bluemix SAN

• CD ROM

• DO Disk

• ECS Block Storage

• ECS Object Storage

• ECS Shared File System

• Floppy Disk

• Google Standard

• HP Enclosure Disk

• Oracle iSCSI

• Isilon NFS Volume

• Nutanix IDE

• Nutanix SATA

• Nutanix SCSI

• Open Telekom Volume

• Openstack Disk

• Openstack Volume

• Oracle Block Volume

• Oracle Disk

• Oracle Virtual Volume

• SCVMM Datastore

• Softlayer Disk

• Softlayer SAN

• Softlayer SAN

• Disk

• UpCloud Disk

• UpCloud MaxIOPS

• NULL

• NULL

• VMWare Datastore

• VMWare Disk

CREATE VOLUME¶

At least one Storage Server Integration from Infrastructure- Storage - Servers is required to create volumes from Infrastructure- Storage - Volumes.

Dell EMC ECS¶

To Add a Dell EMC ECS Volume:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the VolumeS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Dell EMC ECS from the dropdown list

5. From the CREATE VOLUME Wizard input the following:

   SELECT TYPE

   STORAGE SERVER

   Name of the DELL EMC ECS Storage Server added in Infrastructure- Storage - Servers

   GROUP

   Select Storage Group

   VOLUME TYPE

   ECS Block Storage ECS Object Storage ECS Shared File System

   Click NEXT

   Select NEXT

   CONFIGURE

   NAME

   Name of the Volume

   Click COMPLETE

   Select COMPLETE

Dell EMC Isilon¶

To Add a Dell EMC ECS Volume:

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the VolumeS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. Select Dell EMC Isilon from the dropdown list

5. From the CREATE VOLUME Wizard input the following:

   SELECT TYPE

   STORAGE SERVER

   Name of the Dell EMC Isilon Storage Server added in Infrastructure- Storage - Servers

   GROUP

   Select Storage Group

   VOLUME TYPE

   Isilon NFS Volume

   Click NEXT

   Select NEXT

   CONFIGURE

   NAME

   Name of the Volume

   ALLOWED IP’s

   Specify IP Addresses to limit accessibility to the File Share

   Leave blank for open access

   Click the + symbol to the right of the first ALLOWED IPS field to add multiple IP’s

   VOLUME SIZE

   Specify size of the Volume (in MB)

   Click COMPLETE

   Select COMPLETE

Data Stores¶

Data Stores are logical divisions of underlying storage disk. Organizations may use them to divide and track cloud resources by team or department. When integrating certain Cloud types, HPE Morpheus Software will onboard existing data stores and administrators can then make them available to Groups or Tenants as needed. Supported datastore types can also be created directly from HPE Morpheus Software. At provision time, when applicable based on Cloud and Layout, users can select the data store they wish to provision to.

Here within the Data Store view in the storage section, users can see a list of data stores for each Cloud. In the row for each Cloud, the storage type, associated Cloud, and permissions information are shown.

Create Data Stores¶

The available Data Store types depend on the selected Cloud, configured storage integrations, and supported Cluster type. HVM cluster datastores can be created here or from the HVM Cluster’s Datastores tab.

1. Navigate to Infrastructure ‣ Storage ‣ Data Stores.

2. Click Add.

3. Enter a Name and select the Type.

4. Select the Cloud.

5. For an HVM cluster datastore, select the Cluster. This field requires Infrastructure: Clusters permission at the Full level and only lists Clusters that support the selected Data Store type.

6. Complete the type-specific fields. For example, an HPE Clustered Datastore requires its shared block device; a Datastore Group requires member datastores and placement settings.

7. Configure Group Access and Tenant Permissions as needed.

8. Save the Data Store.

HVM supports creating these built-in types from this page:

• Directory Datastore (Local)

• NFS Datastore

• HPE Clustered Datastore (Shared LUN)

• Datastore Group

Storage plugins can provide additional types. See Storage Lifecycle for HVM prerequisites, shared-storage creation, Datastore Groups, and operational guidance.

For Cloud types that do not expose a creatable datastore type, create the datastore in the target platform and refresh the Cloud integration to synchronize it into HPE Morpheus Software.

Datastore Details and Explorer¶

Select a Data Store name to open its detail page. The available tabs include:

• Summary — Capacity, free space, type, Cloud, and other datastore metadata

• Volumes — Virtual disks stored on the datastore and their associated VM where applicable

• Virtual Machines — VMs with one or more volumes on the datastore

• History — Recorded datastore configuration and lifecycle events

• Files — Datastore Explorer for supported HVM shared file datastores

The Files tab is currently available for HVM shared, file-based datastores such as NFS and HPE Clustered Datastores (GFS2). Local, block, LUN-per-vDisk, RBD, and cloud-scoped datastores do not expose the file browser. An online HVM Host with access to the datastore is required.

From Files, users can search the current directory, navigate into directories, upload and download files, and delete files or directories. Empty directories cannot be created directly, and files cannot be renamed, moved, copied, or edited in place.

Permissions are cumulative:

• Infrastructure: Storage set to Read and Infrastructure: Storage Browser set to Read allow file listing and download.

• Both permissions set to Full allow upload and deletion. Cluster-scoped access additionally requires Infrastructure: Clusters permission, and write operations require ownership of the datastore.

Manage Permissions¶

From this view, users can manage permissions for any data store synced from integrated Clouds. This includes setting which Groups have access to the data store, and which Tenants have access. To edit data store permissions:

• Navigate to Infrastructure > Storage > Data Stores

• Click ACTIONS > Edit

• Groups: Select “all” Groups or select specific Groups which should have access to the data store

• Tenants: Primary Tenant users can opt to make the data store available to all Tenants (public visibility) or to selected Tenants (private visibility with specific Tenants selected). Subtenant users will only be able to make data stores visible to their own Tenant

• Active: When marked, the data store is active and available for provisioning

• Image Target: Marks the Data Store as a default image-storage target when its Data Store type supports image targets. If no Bucket, File Share, or capable Data Store is selected as the image target, uploaded images are stored locally on the appliance and available storage may be limited. Only one target should be selected for the intended Tenant scope.

• Click SAVE CHANGES

Servers¶

Add Storage Server¶

Adding 3Par Storage Server¶

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the SERVERS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. From the ADD STORAGE SERVER wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Storage Server in HPE Morpheus Software

   TYPE

   Select 3Par

   URL

   URL Of 3Par Server Example : https://192.168.190.201:8008

   USERNAME

   Add your administrative user account.

   PASSWORD

   Add your administrative password.

5. Select SAVE CHANGES

The 3Par Storage Server will be added and displayed in the Buckets tab. Buckets, Files Shares and Storage Groups will be synced in.

Adding Dell EMC ECS Storage Server¶

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the SERVERS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. From the ADD STORAGE SERVER wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Storage Server in HPE Morpheus Software

   TYPE

   Select Dell EMC ECS

   URL

   URL Of DELL EMC ECS Server

   Example : https://192.168.190.200:4443

   Tip

   The port 4443 is the api port for ECS api. This may be different depending on your configuration

   USERNAME

   Add your administrative user account.

   PASSWORD

   Add your administrative password.

   S3 SERVICE URL (Optional)

   Add your S3 service url Example: http://192.168.190.220:9020

   Note

   S3 SERVICE URL is not required if you are not planning on using ECS S3.

5. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Dell EMC ECS Storage Server will be added and displayed in the Buckets tab. Buckets, Files Shares and Storage Groups will be synced in.

Adding Dell EMC Isilon Storage Server¶

1. Select the Infrastructure link in the navigation bar.

2. Select the Storage link in the sub navigation bar.

3. In the SERVERS tab, Click the + ADD button.

4. From the ADD STORAGE SERVER wizard input the following:

   NAME

   Name of the Storage Server in HPE Morpheus Software

   TYPE

   Select Dell EMC Isilon

   URL

   URL Of Dell EMC Isilon Server Example : https://192.168.190.202:8080

   USERNAME

   Add your administrative user account.

   PASSWORD

   Add your administrative password.

   PROVISION USER

   Select Provision User

   PROVISION GROUP

   Select Provision Group

   ROOT PATH

   Enter Root Path

   Example : \

5. Select SAVE CHANGES

The Dell EMC Isilon Storage Server will be added and displayed in the Buckets tab. Buckets, Files Shares and Storage Groups will be synced in.

Storage Hosts¶

Overview¶

Storage Hosts represent the physical or virtual hosts that are connected to a Storage Server for the purposes of volume presentation and LUN mapping. When a storage server is integrated into HPE Morpheus Software (for example, HPE Alletra MP), the platform automatically syncs and caches the registered hosts and host sets from the storage array.

Storage Hosts are used during datastore creation and volume mapping operations to determine which hosts should have access to a particular storage volume or LUN.

Viewing Storage Hosts¶

1. Navigate to Infrastructure > Storage

2. Select the SERVERS tab

3. Click the name of a storage server to view its detail page

4. Select the HOSTS tab

The Hosts tab displays all hosts registered with the storage server, including:

• Name — The host name as reported by the storage array.

• OS — The operating system type of the host (where available).

• WWN/IQN — Fibre Channel World Wide Names or iSCSI Qualified Names associated with the host.

• Host Set — The host group or host set the host belongs to (if applicable).

Host Sets¶

Host Sets (also known as Host Groups) are logical groupings of storage hosts that share common volume access. When volumes are mapped to a Host Set, all member hosts gain access to the presented LUN.

Host Sets are synced automatically from the storage array and are used during datastore provisioning to define which group of hosts should see the new volume.

Sync Behavior¶

When a Storage Server is refreshed (either manually or on schedule), HPE Morpheus Software caches:

• Hosts — Individual host registrations on the array

• Host Sets — Grouped host definitions for multi-host volume access

These cached entries are used by the platform for volume mapping operations and datastore creation workflows.

Snapshots¶

Overview¶

Snapshots capture the state of a virtual machine’s disk(s) at a specific point in time, allowing administrators to quickly revert a VM to a previous state if needed. HPE Morpheus Software provides centralized snapshot management across clouds, supporting creation, reversion, and deletion of snapshots.

Snapshots can be managed from the server/instance detail page or from a centralized snapshots view.

Role Requirements¶

• Infrastructure: Compute role permission at Full level is required to create, revert, or delete snapshots.

• Read access allows viewing existing snapshots.

Viewing Snapshots¶

From a Server:

1. Navigate to the server detail page

2. Select the SNAPSHOTS tab

The Snapshots tab displays all snapshots for the server, including:

• Name — Snapshot name or description

• Date Created — When the snapshot was taken

• Size — Disk space consumed by the snapshot

• Status — Snapshot state (active, creating, deleting)

Creating a Snapshot¶

1. Navigate to the server or instance detail page

2. Click ACTIONS

3. Select Snapshot

4. In the snapshot dialog, configure:

   NAME

   A descriptive name for the snapshot.

   DESCRIPTION

   Optional notes about the snapshot’s purpose or what state it captures.

   MEMORY

   (Where supported) Include the VM’s memory state in the snapshot. This allows reverting to the exact running state.

   QUIESCE

   (Where supported) Quiesce the guest file system before taking the snapshot. This ensures application-consistent data.

5. Click CREATE

The snapshot operation runs asynchronously. The new snapshot will appear in the Snapshots tab once complete.

Reverting to a Snapshot¶

1. Navigate to the server’s SNAPSHOTS tab

2. Click the revert icon next to the desired snapshot

3. Confirm the revert operation

Deleting a Snapshot¶

1. Navigate to the server’s SNAPSHOTS tab

2. Click the delete icon next to the snapshot

3. Confirm the deletion

Deleting a snapshot consolidates the snapshot data back into the base disk. This frees the space consumed by the snapshot delta.

Deleting All Snapshots¶

To remove all snapshots for a server:

1. Navigate to the server’s SNAPSHOTS tab

2. Click DELETE ALL

3. Confirm the deletion

Importing Snapshots¶

HPE Morpheus Software can import existing snapshots from the hypervisor:

1. Navigate to the server detail page

2. Click ACTIONS

3. Select Import Snapshot

4. Select the snapshot to import from the hypervisor

5. Click IMPORT

Creating Linked Clone Images¶

VMware and HVM/KVM snapshots can be registered as linked clone Virtual Images. A linked clone uses the selected snapshot as a shared backing disk instead of copying the complete source disk. This reduces provisioning time and initial storage consumption, but creates a dependency on the source VM and snapshot.

Prepare the guest before taking the snapshot. Otherwise, every VM provisioned from the linked clone can inherit the source hostname, machine identity, SSH host keys, network rules, or Windows system identity. Complete the guest preparation steps below before creating the snapshot.

1. Prepare and shut down the source VM.

2. On the Instance detail page, select Actions > Create Snapshot.

3. Enter a recognizable name and create the snapshot.

4. Select the Instance Backups tab.

5. Locate the completed snapshot, select More, and then select Create Linked Clone.

6. Confirm the operation.

7. Navigate to Library ‣ Virtual Images and open the Virtual Image whose name matches the snapshot.

8. Verify its operating system, guest customization, cloud-init or Sysprep, agent, credentials, and tenant permissions before using it in an Instance Type or provisioning workflow.

The Create Linked Clone action appears only for supported provision types and users with Snapshots: Linked Clone permission set to Full. Creating it registers a Virtual Image record; it does not create a VM. VMs are created when that Virtual Image is selected during provisioning.

Guest Preparation

Complete application installation, patching, and configuration before generalizing the guest. Do not start the source VM again between generalization and snapshot creation.

Windows

Use Sysprep to remove the source system identity and start OOBE on the first boot of each provisioned VM:

& "$env:SystemRoot\System32\Sysprep\sysprep.exe" /generalize /oobe /shutdown

After Sysprep shuts down the VM, leave it powered off and create the snapshot. On the resulting Virtual Image, enable Sysprep. For platform-specific customization behavior, including VMware Force Guest Customization, see Windows Guest Customization (Image Preparation).

Linux

For a cloud-init-enabled Linux guest, clear instance state and identifiers before shutdown. The exact files vary by distribution; the following is appropriate for current Ubuntu images:

sudo cloud-init clean --logs --machine-id
sudo rm -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_*
sudo rm -f /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules
sudo truncate -s 0 /etc/machine-id
sudo poweroff

If /var/lib/dbus/machine-id is a regular file rather than a symbolic link to /etc/machine-id, remove or empty it according to the distribution’s image-preparation guidance. Remove only persistent udev rules created for the source VM; do not remove distribution-supplied rules. Verify that cloud-init is installed and enabled, then leave Cloud Init Enabled selected on the resulting Virtual Image.

Dependencies and Limitations

• Do not treat a linked clone as an independent image. The source VM and selected snapshot remain part of its backing chain.

• Do not delete the backing snapshot or source VM while linked-clone VMs depend on them. HVM blocks these operations when it detects active dependents.

• VMware linked clone images are primarily intended for rapid provisioning such as VDI pools and cannot be resized.

• HVM linked clones require a file-based datastore and QCOW2 disks. LUN-per-vDisk storage, including HPE Alletra datastore types, does not support linked clones.

• HVM linked clones on local storage are pinned to the source hypervisor. Host migration is not supported. HVM storage migration is not supported because the overlay depends on the original snapshot backing file.

• Shared HVM storage avoids local-host pinning, but the backing snapshot must remain available in its original datastore.

• Changes made to the source VM after the snapshot are not included. To publish an updated image, prepare the source again, create a new snapshot, and create a new linked clone Virtual Image.

• Snapshot chains add storage and performance dependencies. Keep chains shallow and monitor the source datastore’s capacity and health.

API

Create a linked clone Virtual Image via the API:

• PUT /api/instances/{instanceId}/linked-clone/{snapshotId}

• PUT /api/servers/{serverId}/linked-clone/{snapshotId}

These endpoints register the snapshot as a linked clone Virtual Image. Provisioning a VM from the image then creates the thin overlay automatically.

Snapshot Best Practices¶

• Keep snapshots short-lived — Snapshots consume increasing disk space over time as the delta grows. Delete snapshots once they are no longer needed.

• Don’t use as backups — Snapshots are not a replacement for proper backups. They reside on the same storage as the VM and are lost if the storage fails.

• Limit chain depth — Avoid creating deep chains of snapshots (snapshot of a snapshot). Performance degrades with chain depth.

• Quiesce when possible — For application consistency, always quiesce the guest file system before snapshotting databases or transactional workloads.

• Archive snapshots — Configure the default archive store (Administration > Settings > Appliance > Archive Store) if snapshots need to be stored externally.

Supported Cloud Types¶

Snapshot support is available on more cloud types than linked clone Virtual Image creation. Linked clone creation is supported only for VMware vSphere and HVM/KVM.