Comments on: Why Does Cloning A VM From Template Take A Long Time? http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/ Go Green with Virtualization. Go UGLY Green with vmetc.com. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:41:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Guest http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4309 Guest Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:58:40 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4309 FYI: It is much quicker to use 'vmkfstools' to copy (clone) a .vmdk file than using 'cp' FYI: It is much quicker to use 'vmkfstools' to copy (clone) a .vmdk file than using 'cp'

]]> By: Guest http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4310 Guest Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:58:40 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4310 FYI: It is much quicker to use 'vmkfstools' to copy (clone) a .vmdk file than using 'cp' FYI: It is much quicker to use 'vmkfstools' to copy (clone) a .vmdk file than using 'cp'

]]> By: jerelh http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4307 jerelh Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:32:56 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4307 Oh, I see. So you were using dd to copy vmdk files rather than ISO's. Makes sense. I've never tried that to see how fast it was compared to cloning. Interesting that it's that much faster. I'm curious to know what the actual clone process uses for it's underlying technology to copy the data. Oh, I see. So you were using dd to copy vmdk files rather than ISO's. Makes sense. I've never tried that to see how fast it was compared to cloning. Interesting that it's that much faster. I'm curious to know what the actual clone process uses for it's underlying technology to copy the data.

]]> By: matt http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4305 matt Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:18:56 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4305 If I'm copying VMDK's I'm not inclined to use 2k block size. More like 1GB. Basically the bsize has to be rather less than the free RAM or the copy comes to a screeching halt. But anyhow I pointed it out because it bit me hard. I don't know what blocksize 'vifs' and friends use. I just found it odd that I could do a manual clone and launch faster than VCenter could. If I'm copying VMDK's I'm not inclined to use 2k block size. More like 1GB. Basically the bsize has to be rather less than the free RAM or the copy comes to a screeching halt. But anyhow I pointed it out because it bit me hard. I don't know what blocksize 'vifs' and friends use. I just found it odd that I could do a manual clone and launch faster than VCenter could.

]]> By: jerelh http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4304 jerelh Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:14:30 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4304 Right. That block size would have to be enormous to maximize even the default SC memory. I'm not real sure why you would want to do that though. I would think a 400 mb block would be way more than you'd want to read in from a device that is dependent upon the amount of scratches/thumbprints on the surface of the media. Maybe there's a reason for it and I haven't been filled in yet... Right. That block size would have to be enormous to maximize even the default SC memory. I'm not real sure why you would want to do that though. I would think a 400 mb block would be way more than you'd want to read in from a device that is dependent upon the amount of scratches/thumbprints on the surface of the media. Maybe there's a reason for it and I haven't been filled in yet…

]]> By: rbrambley http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4303 rbrambley Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:04:26 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4303 Thanks! That makes a lot more sense now. Sure, so even if you have the SC<br>mem size set to the 800 mb max you still do not have the block size covered<br>for dd if using 1024. Thanks! That makes a lot more sense now. Sure, so even if you have the SC
mem size set to the 800 mb max you still do not have the block size covered
for dd if using 1024.

]]> By: jerelh http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4302 jerelh Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:01:53 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4302 Actually, he's referring to the block size option in the dd command, i.e. bs=1024. This tells the dd command to read and write 1024 bytes at a time from your input file to your output file. dd is a fabulous way to get an ISO file from a CD/DVD to a disk using dd if=/dev/cdrom of=nameoffile.iso bs=1024/2048 or whatever block size you want. Matt is basically saying that if the block size of the file is set to any value over the amount of service console RAM that it just won't really work right. I've never cranked up the block size to over 2048 which is only a 2k block so I'm not real sure how horrible it is. Block size is 512 bytes by default. Actually, he's referring to the block size option in the dd command, i.e. bs=1024. This tells the dd command to read and write 1024 bytes at a time from your input file to your output file. dd is a fabulous way to get an ISO file from a CD/DVD to a disk using dd if=/dev/cdrom of=nameoffile.iso bs=1024/2048 or whatever block size you want. Matt is basically saying that if the block size of the file is set to any value over the amount of service console RAM that it just won't really work right. I've never cranked up the block size to over 2048 which is only a 2k block so I'm not real sure how horrible it is. Block size is 512 bytes by default.

]]> By: rbrambley http://vmetc.com/2010/04/09/why-does-cloning-a-vm-from-template-take-a-long-time/comment-page-1/#comment-4299 rbrambley Mon, 12 Apr 2010 07:32:43 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=5708#comment-4299 Matt,<br><br>I assume the block size you are referring to is the same block size that limits the size of a .vmdk on a VMFS volume? I'm confused because even the smallest size (and default setting) of 256GB is higher than the 800 mb max of the Console, right? I'm probably missing something obvious here but how does this impact an operation like dd or a clone from template? Thanks. Matt,

I assume the block size you are referring to is the same block size that limits the size of a .vmdk on a VMFS volume? I'm confused because even the smallest size (and default setting) of 256GB is higher than the 800 mb max of the Console, right? I'm probably missing something obvious here but how does this impact an operation like dd or a clone from template? Thanks.

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