Checking VMware VM Snapshots with Ansible Playbooks

Introduction

Virtual machine snapshots are a valuable tool in VMware environments, enabling administrators to create recovery points before making changes. However, performing operations on VMs with snapshots can lead to unintended consequences. This guide demonstrates how to use Ansible to check for VMware snapshots on virtual machines and output the results.

The Use Case

You want to:

1. Detect if a VMware virtual machine has snapshots.
2. Output a message indicating whether snapshots are present.

By automating this process with Ansible, you can quickly assess the state of your VMs and avoid actions on machines with active snapshots.

The Ansible Playbook

Here’s a step-by-step playbook to detect VMware snapshots:

Playbook Code

---
- hosts: localhost
  gather_facts: false
  vars_files:
    - "vars/vmware_credentials.yml"  # Store VMware credentials securely
  tasks:

    - name: Get VM Information
      vmware_vm_info:
        hostname: "{{ vmware_host }}"
        username: "{{ vmware_user }}"
        password: "{{ vmware_password }}"
        validate_certs: false
        datacenter: "{{ vmware_datacenter }}"
        vm_names:
          - "your_vm_name"  # Replace with your VM name
      register: vm_info_result

    - name: Check for snapshots
      set_fact:
        has_snapshot: "{{ vm_info_result.virtual_machines[0].snapshot.currentSnapshot is defined }}"

    - name: Output Result
      debug:
        msg: "Virtual Machine has Snapshot: {{ has_snapshot }}"

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Gather VM Information

The vmware_vm_info module fetches details about the specified virtual machine:

• Parameters:
  • hostname, username, password: Credentials for connecting to VMware vCenter.
  • datacenter: The datacenter containing the VM.
  • vm_names: Specify the name of the virtual machine.
• Result Storage: The result is stored in the vm_info_result variable.

2. Check for Snapshots

The set_fact module checks if snapshots exist:

• Condition: vm_info_result.virtual_machines[0].snapshot.currentSnapshot is defined.
• Output: The has_snapshot variable is set to true if a snapshot exists and false otherwise.

3. Output the Result

The debug module displays the value of the has_snapshot variable:

• true: Indicates snapshots are present.
• false: Indicates no snapshots exist.

Preparing the Environment

VMware Credentials

Create a vars/vmware_credentials.yml file to store your vCenter credentials securely:

vmware_host: "your_vcenter_host"
vmware_user: "your_vcenter_username"
vmware_password: "your_vcenter_password"
vmware_datacenter: "your_datacenter_name"

Install VMware SDK

Ensure the VMware SDK is installed on your Ansible control machine:

pip install pyvmomi

Update Placeholders

Replace placeholders like your_vm_name, your_vcenter_host, and your_vcenter_password with actual values from your environment.

Running the Playbook

1. Save the playbook as check_vm_snapshots.yml.
2. Execute the playbook:

   ansible-playbook check_vm_snapshots.yml
   

Output Scenarios

When Snapshots Are Present

The output will be:

TASK [Output Result] ********************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "Virtual Machine has Snapshot: true"
}

When No Snapshots Exist

The output will be:

TASK [Output Result] ********************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "Virtual Machine has Snapshot: false"
}

Key Considerations

1. Security

• Use Ansible Vault to encrypt the vars/vmware_credentials.yml file for secure storage of credentials.

2. Error Handling

• Add error-handling tasks for scenarios like missing VMs, connection failures, or incorrect credentials.

3. Scalability

• Extend the playbook to handle multiple VMs by iterating over the vm_names list.

Conclusion

This Ansible playbook provides a simple yet effective way to check for VMware snapshots on virtual machines. By automating snapshot detection, you can streamline your operations and avoid unnecessary risks. Start integrating this playbook into your IT workflows today!

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