VMware ESX Server 3.x – Alternate Location for VM Snapshots

Posted by John Sorensen on February 27th, 2009

Posted in VMware

To specify a new directory or datastore for snapshot files, follow this procedure.

When you specify a new working directory for a VM, the vswp file that is created when the VM is powered on is also stored in that location. If your VM is on a shared storage, and you specify local storage as a location, you will not be able to use Vmotion/HA/DRS.

Power off your VM.
Log in to the service console.

Edit the VMX file of your VM with Nano or Vi.
Add a new line using the following syntax:

workingDir = “/vmfs/volumes/SnapVolume/Snapshots/”
Optionally, if you want your swp file to stay in the VM’s directory, add the following line to the VMX file:

sched.swap.dir = “/vmfs/volumes/VM-Volume1/MyVM/”

(You do not need to update the existing sched.swap.derivedName parameter, it is generated by the VM and written to the config file each time the VM powers on.)
Power on your VM, and your vswp , vmsn and snapshot (delta-vmdk ) files will now be located in this directory.