Snapshots are similar to incremental backups, if one is lost then the chain is broken at that point, They are not a substitute for proper backups but are very useful if you need to test something you are not sure of as any changes can be backed out in seconds. Once you are satisfied with your change you can, if you wish, delete the snapshot via the manager interface which will then merge it into the base.
Thanks. The break in the chain is one part I was concerned about.
My rationale for saving vdi files at present is the possibility that I may want to test two or more options for the configuration of the server. After creating one, I can save the vdi file and return to the base line to configure the next. Each configuration can be run and tested independently of the characteristics of any other configurations.
Is this the hard way?
It is the safe way, but you can do it with snapshots. It goes like this.
1. Take a snapshot.
2. Make your first changes.
3. Restore the snapshot and check the option to create a snapshot of the current state.
4. repeat this procedure as many times as you need.
Thanks, kado.
Your instructions will be helpful. I believe that incremental changes while developing a given architecture will be best served by snapshots. Once I arrive at a stable, functional state I feel more comfortable with the redundancy of an additional saved vdi file. Maybe that will change after I become more comfortable with the virtual environment.
off topic:
Your signaturereminds me of something Bjarne Stroustrup (the developer of the C++ programing language) included in his glossary of terms.When all else fails. Read the directions
I love it when a genius has a sense of humor!RTFM - Read The Manual (The F is silent, as it should be.)
OK ... I'm putting out a call for help ... I may have bitten off ore than I can chew, but am unwilling to give up.
As mentioned earlier, I do have connectivity with each individual guest. Tying it all together is my stumbling block. The kind folks at the VBox forum have given me the foundation and politely informed me that the remainder is beyond the scope of the forum. The reason given is that the remainder of the configuration is network related, not virtualization related. After culling networking forums which show very little activity, I have explored deeper into some of them (not many available after culling) to get the flavor of the forums. Further culling to find a forum representing a knowledge base which spans all the individual topics of my project has proven to be unfruitful. It seems that most of the forums where the members have the appropriate level of experience and understanding are populated by professionals who have little interest in helping a newbie in the various topics. The forum where I have received a reply has not provided a follow up reply after I posted answers to to the questions posed.
The problem I run into when searching for documentation and tutorials is that most of it requires prior knowledge or experience. Some of it is so specialized (like pfSense) that documentation is sparse at the very best, especially when searching for basic vs. advanced information.
The current stumbling blocks are:
- I think, but am not sure, that I have the wrong Vbox connector (virtual NIC) and can't figure out if (how) I should go about changing it. According to the user manual I set up the wrong one to serve my purposes in the initial installation of VBox (while populating it with VMs).
- I am not sure where to start with subnetting because I don't have a good enough understanding of pfSense. The recommended addressing scheme, which has been guaranteed to work, has me confused with what to do with the host and guest sides of the VMs on an individual basis.
- It was recommended to use two virtual NICs in pfSence, but my logic keeps pointing to one virtual NIC for host connectivity and one virtual NIC for each guest (a total of four). This may be a factor of my level of understanding.
- I have only trivial Linux experience, and pfSense is a free BSD. This makes navigating and configuration in the shell difficult.
Is there someone out there who has enough knowledge and experience to provide some guidance? I am not giving up, but in the absence of some specific guidance it may be quite a while before I can continue posting details.
Help will be graciously appreciated.
a brief update:
I have discovered why I have been encountering problems with finding a solution. The networking class I have completed teaches to the certification test. A full understanding was outside of the scope of the class. The best estimate I can give is that it two or three courses should have been offered to provide the proper level of understanding. After digging deeper into the topics I need a good understanding of, I have found information appropriate for bringing my level of understanding up to speed. I am working on that now.
Additionally I have managed to enlist some support from a professional in both virtualization and networking. He is unfamiliar with VBox. He uses VMWare. He is currently installing VBox and exploring the way it works before attacking the networking solutions.
For those of you who have been following this thread, don't give up on me. I'll be back with solutions and explanations.
Thanks for your patience.
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