Reducing vSphere Snapshot Impact with VMware vVols and Rubrik

This technical white paper discusses the impact of vSphere snapshots on performance, particularly when using VMFS or NAS datastores. It outlines the inherent performance challenges associated with traditional vSphere snapshots, including I/O pauses during snapshot creation and deletion, which can lead to application unavailability. The paper explains how Rubrik enhances snapshot handling through improved integration and more efficient operations, such as utilizing Changed Block Tracking (CBT) for backups. It details the architecture of VMFS and vVols, highlighting the differences in snapshot management. In a vVols environment, snapshots are managed at the storage level, which reduces latency and eliminates the need for data merging upon deletion. The document also addresses configuration considerations and the workflow for protecting virtual machines, emphasizing that while snapshots are beneficial, they must be managed carefully to avoid performance degradation.