Questions regarding VAAI Snapshot Offload -> Setting VM options

[Raudi]

I have installed ESXi 7.0 U2 with the NetApp VAAI NAS Plugin 2.0 and a current ONTAP 9.8P2 storage.

Snapshot offload is a new feature in the version 2.0 and it creates file clones and not a delta file.

It wasn't easy to find but now i got this working. The problem is, i need to set one VM option:

snapshot.alwaysAllowNative = "TRUE"

When i insert this in the VM options and create a snapshot o get a xxx-000001-flat.vmdk file with the same size and no delta file.

But modify every VM? And even a new created VM must be modified.

How can i set a option per default for every VM?

I found that i can modify the /etc/vmware/config on the host, but then the parameter is only active then the VM is powered on.

So a powered on VM creates file clones via VAAI and a powered off VM makes standard delta files. So this will be only half a solution.

Is there a way that every "new" ctrated VM is getting that option?

Perfect will be that every existing VM will be getting this option too, how?

[vmsocra]

  How about updating your template and including the setting there?

Your existing VMs can be scripted by using powercli

[Raudi]

But not every VM will be deployed with a template...

I'm searching for something that is foolproof and reliable for every VM.

[vmsocra]

If you don't deploy each VM with a template, your work-procedure or automation process should ensure this setting is pushed.
Not sure what magic solution you're looking for?

[Raudi]

I don't know, because this i'm asking. 

Perhaps some kind of host-setting that every new created vm is getting this option. Like the option that every powered on VM is getting this option...

Perfect will be a additional host setting, what i have not found, to enable that feature for all VM's on that host, so that i don't need to modify this on VM level...

[CriticalChance]

I know this is an old thread, but I stumbled across it while Googling for native snapshot stuff.

I feel like it would be a good idea to simplify this, so I submitted it as an idea: https://vsphere.ideas.aha.io/ideas/VSP-I-1286

 

[Raudi]

Thank you, perfect idea to post that there.

I used in the past this script to enable that feature on all my VM's:

Connect-VIServer -Server vcenter.server.local -user [e-mail] -password PASSWORD
$vms = get-vm -Location "Datacenter-Name"
foreach ($vm in $vms) {
New-AdvancedSetting -Entity $vm -Name snapshot.alwaysAllowNative -Value TRUE -Confirm:$false -Force:$true
}