Powershell for Snapshot Management

Grey

3 scripts to help you manage your snapshots:
I think I posted this one before, but I'm including it for completeness.
take-SnapsInteractively.ps1

#############################
#
# Simple process to take a list of vm guests and take snapshots.
# VM Guests lists one per line.
#
# -- Grey Howe Nov 5 2020
#
#############################

#############################
# Variables
#
# Change this to your VSphere server name:
$viserver = ""
# Use your favorite format or leave as is:
$date=get-date -format FileDate
#
# End Variables
#############################

cls
Write-Host -ForegroundColor cyan "------------------------------------------------------------`nMake snapshots based on a list in a file.`n------------------------------------------------------------"

$file = "$($ENV:USERPROFILE)\desktop\systems.txt"

do{Write-Host -ForegroundColor Cyan "Is your file ready?"
$ready = (Read-Host -prompt "(q)uit, (Y)es, (n)o").ToLower()} while ($ready -notin @('q','y','n',''))

if($ready -eq ''){$ready = 'y'}
if($ready -eq 'n'){
    $nptest = Test-Path 'C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe'
        if($nptest -eq $true){
        Write-Host -ForegroundColor Cyan "Edit your file and rerun when ready."
        & "C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" $file}
        else{
        & $env:windir\system32\notepad.exe $file
        throw "You're not ready yet. Ending."
        }
        }

if($ready -eq 'y'){

    try {$vmlist = Get-VM |where {$_.guestid -like "dev" -and $_.Name -notlike "*replica*"}
    }

    catch [VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Types.V1.ErrorHandling.VimException.ViServerConnectionException]{
        write-host -ForegroundColor yellow "Caution: No VIServer connection present. Please wait..."
        Connect-VIServer -Server $viserver -verbose:$false -WarningAction 0
        $vmlist = Get-VM |where {$_.guestid -like "dev" -and $_.Name -notlike "*replica*"}
        }
    
    $systems = get-content $file

    # Run in test mode?
        do{Write-Host -ForegroundColor cyan "`nRun in test mode? " -NoNewline
        $test = (Read-Host -prompt "(Y/n)").ToLower()} while ($test -notin @('y','n',''))

    #Fix 'default' and proceed to test mode.
 if($test -eq ''){$test = 'y'

        # test mode
        Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "Test mode on the following systems:"
        $systems|write-host -ForegroundColor Green
        # Name the new snaps automatically, without asking, just to show work.
        $name = "$($env:USERNAME)-test"

        foreach($guest in $systems){
            get-vm -Name $guest|ft
            New-Snapshot -vm $guest -name $name -Verbose -whatif
        }
    # Exit Test Mode
    }

      ###### Active mode

    elseif($test -eq 'n'){
        Write-Host -ForegroundColor Yellow "Caution: Proceeding to make real snaps."
        $systems|write-host -ForegroundColor Yellow
        # Establish what to name the new snaps.
        Write-Host -ForegroundColor Cyan "Enter name for snapshots.`nENTER for '$($env:USERNAME)':" -NoNewline
        $name = read-host
        Write-Host -ForegroundColor Cyan "Purpose & requestor of these snapshots: " -NoNewline
        $reason = Read-Host

        # Fix 'default' name.
        if($name -eq ''){$name = "$($env:USERNAME)-snap"}

        foreach($guest in $systems){
        get-vm -Name $guest|ft
        New-Snapshot -vm $guest -name $name -Verbose -Description "$($env:USERNAME)-$($reason)" -RunAsync
        }
    }
}
# Quit
if($ready -eq 'q'){
Write-Host -ForegroundColor Cyan "Quitting."
}

get-SnapList.ps1

###### Variables
# Change this to your VSphere server name:
$viserver = ""
###### End Variables

try {$vmsnaps = get-vm | Get-Snapshot| ?{$_.name -notlike "*veeam*" -and $_.name -and $_.name -notlike "*rest*" -and $_.name -notlike "*repl*"}|select vm,name,description,created,@{l='SizeInGB';e={($_.SizeGB).tostring("#.#")}} |sort created|ft -AutoSize
    $vmsnaps}

catch [VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Types.V1.ErrorHandling.VimException.ViServerConnectionException]{
    write-host -ForegroundColor yellow "Caution: No VIServer connection present. Please wait..."
    Connect-VIServer -Server $viserver -verbose:$false -WarningAction 0
    $vmsnaps = get-vm | Get-Snapshot| ?{$_.name -notlike "*veeam*" -and $_.name -and $_.name -notlike "*rest*" -and $_.name -notlike "*repl*"}|select vm,name,description,created,@{l='SizeInGB';e={($_.SizeGB).tostring("#.#")}} |sort created|ft -AutoSize
    $vmsnaps}

remove-snapsInteractively.ps1

###### Variables
# Change this to your VSphere server name:
$viserver = ""
###### End Variables
$l = 0
try {$vmsnaps = get-vm | Get-Snapshot| ?{$_.name -notlike "*veeam*" -and $_.name -and $_.name -notlike "*rest*" -and $_.name -notlike "*repl*"}
    }

catch [VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Types.V1.ErrorHandling.VimException.ViServerConnectionException]{
    write-host -ForegroundColor yellow "Caution: No VIServer connection present. Please wait..."
    Connect-VIServer -Server $viserver -verbose:$false -WarningAction 0
    $vmsnaps = get-vm | Get-Snapshot| ?{$_.name -notlike "*veeam*" -and $_.name -and $_.name -notlike "*rest*" -and $_.name -notlike "*repl*"}
    }

# Add 'Line' numbers to the array.
$vmsnaps | %{$_ | Add-Member -NotePropertyName Line -NotePropertyValue $l -Force; $l++}
# Display the list of snapshots, sorted by age.
$vmsnaps |select Line,vm,name,description,created,@{l='SizeInGB';e={($_.SizeGB).tostring("#.#")}} |sort created|ft -AutoSize

do {
# Determine, by input, which snapshot to eliminate.
$remLine = Read-Host -Prompt "Enter 'Line' number to remove"
# Remove the requested snapshot.
Remove-Snapshot $vmsnaps[$remLine] -runasync
$quit = Read-host -prompt "Remove another?"
} until ($quit -eq 'n')
Write-host -ForegroundColor Cyan "`nEnd of Line."

This last one isn't as 'pretty' as the other 2, but it gets the job done. Enjoy!

DustinB3403

Just adding this detail.

This is for ESXi / vSphere setups since there aren't any tags.

Romo

@DustinB3403 Tags added