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Table Of Contents
Protecting Your Virtual Machines
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You can protect your virtual machines from data loss and other problems by using snapshots,
AutoProtect, complimentary anti-virus software, and backup applications.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n Snapshots
n AutoProtect
n Copy a Virtual Machine to External Media
n Using Time Machine When You Have Fusion on Your Mac
Snapshots
Taking a snapshot in Fusion lets you preserve the state of the virtual machine so that you can
return to that state.
You might take a snapshot any time you are about to take an action in your virtual machine and
you are unsure of the consequences. For example, you might take a snapshot before you make a
change to your virtual machine's system software, such as an operating system upgrade or a
major configuration change. If something doesn't work as expected after the change, you can
restore the snapshot to return the virtual machine to its previous state.
You might also take a snapshot before you go on to the Internet, or log in to an unknown
network. If your computer acquires a software virus or spyware, you can restore the snapshot to
return the virtual machine to its previous uninfected state.
A snapshot captures the entire state of the virtual machine at the time you take the snapshot.
n Memory state – Contents of the virtual machine memory
n Settings state – Virtual machine settings
n Disk state – State of all the virtual disks
A snapshot is not the same as a backup. It is not a copy of your virtual machine.
VMware, Inc.
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