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Create Checkpoint

Applies To: Opalis 6.3

The Create Checkpoint object is used to save the state of a virtual hard disk that is attached to a virtual machine and all of the disk's contents, including application data files. For virtual machines on Hyper-V and VMware ESX Server hosts, a checkpoint also saves the hardware configuration information.

You can create a checkpoint as a temporary backup before you update the operating system or an application, or before you make a configuration change on a virtual machine. The checkpoint allows you to restore the virtual machine to its previous state if the operation fails or adversely affects the virtual machine. You can create checkpoints only for a virtual machine that is deployed on a virtual machine host. You cannot create checkpoints for a virtual machine that is stored in the library. For a virtual machine that is running on a Hyper-V or VMware host, you can create a checkpoint without stopping the virtual machine. For a virtual machine that is running on a Virtual Server host, you must shut down the virtual machine before you create a checkpoint.

You can create multiple checkpoints for a single virtual machine. Be aware that checkpoints use hard disk space, and, when allowed to proliferate, can affect the performance of a virtual machine when it is running, during migration, and when storing it to the library. Therefore, it is a best practice to remove unnecessary checkpoints.

For the procedure to configure this object, see Configuring the Create Checkpoint Object.

The following tables list the properties and published data for this object. The object publishes all of the data from the required and optional properties into published data.

Create Checkpoint Property

Element Description

VM ID

The unique identifier (GUID) of the virtual machine for which the checkpoint is being created

Optional Properties

Element Description

Checkpoint Name

The name of the checkpoint

Description

An alphanumeric description of your choice for the checkpoint

Create Checkpoint Published Data

Element Description

Accessibility

Public or Internal

Added Time

The date and time that the checkpoint was added, in the format mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss AM or PM

Checkpoint ID

The unique identifier (GUID) of the checkpoint

Checkpoint Name

The name of the checkpoint

Checkpoint Platform ID

The unique identifier (GUID) of the checkpoint inside the platform; for example, Hyper-V, VMWare, or Virtual Server

Description

An alphanumeric description of the checkpoint

Enabled

True or False. If False, the virtual machine cannot be started.

Modified Time

The most recent modification date and time for the checkpoint, in the format mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss AM or PM

Most Recent Task

The last recorded task for the checkpoint, for example, Start virtual machine

Parent Checkpoint ID

The unique identifier (GUID) of the parent of the checkpoint

Virtual Disk Drives

The list of virtual disk drive names recorded for the checkpoint

VM ID

The unique identifier (GUID) of the virtual machine for which the checkpoint was created

VM Name

The name of the virtual machine for which the checkpoint was created

Configuring the Create Checkpoint Object

To configure the Create Checkpoint object

  1. From the Objects window, drag a Create Checkpoint object to the active Policy window. Double-click the Create Checkpoint object icon.

  2. Click the Properties tab.

  3. In the Configuration section, click the ellipsis button (...), and select the Name of the Virtual Machine Manager computer that you want to connect to with this object. Click OK. The properties required to define this object are displayed in the Properties section.

  4. In the Properties section, assign a value to the required property. If applicable, to automatically populate the value from the data published by any previous object in the workflow, right-click the property box, point to Subscribe, and then click Published data. Click the published data element you want to use, and then click OK. To view additional elements, select Show Common Published Data.

    For a list of the data elements published by each object, see the Published Data tables in the object topic. For information about the Common Published Data items, see the "Policy Workflow Rules" chapter of the Opalis Integration Server Client User Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=205284).

  5. To use additional properties, click Optional Properties. In the Add/Remove Property dialog box, select the properties you want to apply to this object from the Available list, and then click the right arrow button (>>). The properties appear in the Selected list. To remove a property from the Selected list, click the property, and then click the left arrow button (<<). Click OK. Assign values to the properties or Subscribe to Published data from any previous object in the workflow, and then click OK.

  6. For information about the settings on the General and Run Behavior tabs, see Common Configuration Instructions for all Objects.

  7. Click Finish.

Other Checkpoint Objects

The Integration Pack for System Center Virtual Machine Manager contains the following additional Checkpoint objects.