Manage QEMU/KVM VM external snapshots (backups) using virsh on Linux
Create, list, inspect, and delete external virsh snapshots for QEMU/KVM VMs.
--live deliberately for running VMs.--disk-only) due to UEFI compatibility requirements.virsh snapshot-info before considering the backup complete.virsh snapshot-list <vm-name>
virsh snapshot-info <vm-name> <snapshot-name>
virsh domblklist <vm-name>
virsh snapshot-create-as <vm-name> <name> "<description>" --disk-only
virsh snapshot-delete <vm-name> --snapshotname <snapshot-name> --metadata
virsh blockcommit <vm-name> <disk-path> --active --pivot --delete --wait
virsh list --all
virsh dominfo <vm-name>
| Property | External |
|---|---|
| Storage | New overlay file on disk |
| Create speed | Instant |
| Metadata delete speed | Fast (snapshot-delete --metadata) |
| Data merge/removal speed | Depends on image size and I/O (blockcommit) |
| Required flag | --disk-only |
| Location field | external |