Use Case 1: List all snapshots of a specific virtual machine

Code:

qm listsnapshot <vm_id>

Motivation:

This use case allows users to retrieve all snapshots associated with a specific virtual machine. It can be useful for managing and tracking the history of snapshots taken for backups or checkpoints.

Explanation:

• <vm_id>: The ID of the virtual machine for which snapshots are to be listed.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot1                  A snapshot for testing purposes    2021-01-01 12:00:00
101     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-02-01 09:30:00
101     snapshot3                  Additional snapshot                2021-02-15 15:45:00

In this example, the command qm listsnapshot 101 lists all snapshots for the virtual machine with ID 101. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each snapshot.

Use Case 2: List all snapshots of all virtual machines

Code:

qm listsnapshot --all

Motivation:

This use case allows users to view all snapshots of every virtual machine in the Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE). It is helpful for getting an overview of the available snapshots across multiple VMs.

Explanation:

• --all: Lists snapshots for all virtual machines.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot1                  A snapshot for testing purposes    2021-01-01 12:00:00
102     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-01-02 15:30:00
102     snapshot3                  Additional snapshot                2021-01-05 09:45:00
103     snapshot4                  Test snapshot                      2021-02-01 18:00:00

This command lists all snapshots for each virtual machine in the PVE. The output includes the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each snapshot.

Use Case 3: List snapshots with a specific name pattern

Code:

qm listsnapshot --name <pattern>

Motivation:

This use case allows users to filter snapshots based on a specific name pattern. It can be useful for finding snapshots with similar naming conventions or specific keywords.

Explanation:

• --name <pattern>: Filters snapshots based on the specified name pattern. The <pattern> is a string that can contain wildcards like * or ? for matching multiple characters or a single character, respectively.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot1                  A snapshot for testing purposes    2021-01-01 12:00:00
102     snapshot1                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-01-02 15:30:00
103     custom_snapshot1           Custom snapshot with a purpose      2021-02-01 18:00:00

In this example, the command qm listsnapshot --name snapshot1 lists all snapshots with the name “snapshot1”. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each matching snapshot.

Use Case 4: List snapshots created before a specific date

Code:

qm listsnapshot --before <date>

Motivation:

This use case allows users to list all snapshots created before a specific date. It can be helpful for identifying outdated or long-standing snapshots that may need attention.

Explanation:

• --before <date>: Filters snapshots created before the specified <date>. The <date> should be in the “YYYY-MM-DD” format.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot1                  A snapshot for testing purposes    2021-01-01 12:00:00
101     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-02-01 09:30:00

In this example, the command qm listsnapshot --before 2021-03-01 lists all snapshots created before March 1, 2021. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each matching snapshot.

Use Case 5: List snapshots created after a specific date

Code:

qm listsnapshot --after <date>

Motivation:

This use case allows users to list all snapshots created after a specific date. It can be useful for identifying recent snapshots or snapshots taken for specific events.

Explanation:

• --after <date>: Filters snapshots created after the specified <date>. The <date> should be in the “YYYY-MM-DD” format.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
102     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-01-02 15:30:00
102     snapshot3                  Additional snapshot                2021-01-05 09:45:00
103     snapshot4                  Test snapshot                      2021-02-01 18:00:00

In this example, the command qm listsnapshot --after 2021-01-01 lists all snapshots created after January 1, 2021. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each matching snapshot.

Use Case 6: List the most recent snapshot of a specific virtual machine

Code:

qm listsnapshot --latest <vm_id>

Motivation:

This use case allows users to quickly retrieve the most recent snapshot of a specific virtual machine. It is useful for quickly checking the latest backup or point-in-time state of a VM.

Explanation:

• --latest <vm_id>: Display only the latest snapshot for the virtual machine with the specified <vm_id>.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot3                  Additional snapshot                2021-02-15 15:45:00

The command qm listsnapshot --latest 101 retrieves the latest snapshot for the virtual machine with ID 101. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of the latest snapshot.

Use Case 7: List snapshots sorted by date in ascending order

Code:

qm listsnapshot --sort ascending

Motivation:

This use case allows users to list snapshots sorted by date in ascending order. It can be useful for chronological analysis or locating older snapshots.

Explanation:

• --sort ascending: Sorts the list of snapshots in ascending order based on the snapshot date.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot1                  A snapshot for testing purposes    2021-01-01 12:00:00
102     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-01-02 15:30:00
101     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-02-01 09:30:00

In this example, the command qm listsnapshot --sort ascending lists all snapshots sorted in ascending order based on the snapshot date. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each snapshot.

Use Case 8: List snapshots sorted by date in descending order

Code:

qm listsnapshot --sort descending

Motivation:

This use case allows users to list snapshots sorted by date in descending order. It can be helpful for identifying the most recent snapshots or tracking changes over time.

Explanation:

• --sort descending: Sorts the list of snapshots in descending order based on the snapshot date.

Example Output:

VMID    Name                       Description                        Date
101     snapshot3                  Additional snapshot                2021-02-15 15:45:00
102     snapshot3                  Additional snapshot                2021-01-05 09:45:00
101     snapshot2                  Another snapshot for testing       2021-02-01 09:30:00

In this example, the command qm listsnapshot --sort descending lists all snapshots sorted in descending order based on the snapshot date. The output displays the VMID, Name, Description, and Date of each snapshot.

Conclusion

The qm listsnapshot command provides various options to retrieve and filter snapshots in the Proxmox Virtual Environment. Whether it’s listing all snapshots, searching for specific snapshots, or sorting them by date, these use cases demonstrate the versatility of this command. By leveraging different arguments, users can efficiently manage and track the snapshots associated with virtual machines.