AOMEI Cyber Backup
What Is the Difference Between Linked Clone and Instant Clone
Both linked clones vs instant clones have unique advantages, but selecting the right option for your environment depends on various factors. How to choose the ideal one for better performance?
By Crystal / Updated on December 18, 2024
Linked Clones vs Instant Clones in VMware Horizon
VMware Horizon, a leading VDI solution, offers two primary technologies for virtual machine cloning: linked clones and instant clones. Next, we will explore the differences between Linked Clone vs Instant Clone, compare them in detail, and help you decide which is the right fit for your organization.
What Are Linked Clones
Linked clones are virtual machines (VMs) that share a base image, also known as a parent or golden image. A Linked clone is a lightweight copy of this parent VM, relying on it for the majority of its data while storing unique changes separately.
This approach minimizes storage requirements and allows for quick provisioning. However, it creates a dependency on the parent VM. If the parent becomes unavailable, the linked clones may face issues.
Key Features of Linked Clones:
- Storage Efficiency: Linked clones only save the changes made by the user, reducing disk usage.
- Performance Dependence: Rely on the base image for most data, making parent VM management critical.
- Refresh and Recompose: Administrators can refresh or recompose Linked clones to ensure they stay updated.
What Are Instant Clones in VMware Horizon
Instant clones, introduced in VMware Horizon 7, represent a more advanced and efficient cloning technology. Unlike linked clones, instant clones are created in memory by leveraging VMware's VMFork technology, which allows a child VM to share the memory and disk of the parent VM immediately.
Key Features of Instant Clones
- Rapid Deployment: Instant clones are created almost instantaneously.
- Stateless by Design: They reset to their original state after every session, making them ideal for non-persistent desktops.
- No Dependency on Snapshots: Instant clones directly use the running parent VM without requiring snapshots.
Linked Clone vs Instant Clone: Key Differences
To determine which technology suits your VDI environment, it's important to dive into the specific distinctions between Linked clones and Instant clones.
|
/ |
Linked Clones |
Instant Clones |
|
Speed |
Slower due to dependency on power cycling. |
Rapid, leveraging in-memory cloning |
|
Resource Utilization |
High, as clones share the base VM disk |
Lower; optimized memory and storage sharing. |
|
Parent VM Dependency |
High; heavily relies on parent VM. |
Lower; less dependence after provisioning. |
|
Use Case |
Persistent VDI and applications requiring stateful VMs. |
Non-persistent VDI, such as task workers or kiosks. |
|
Ease of Management |
Requires periodic maintenance (refresh/recompose). |
Minimal maintenance; desktops are stateless. |
|
Performance Impact |
Higher overhead due to shared resources. |
Better performance with reduced storage and memory load. |
Linked Clones vs Instant Clones in VMware Horizon: Which One Is Right for You
Linked clones are ideal for developers needing customized virtual machines, training labs requiring persistent environments, and end users seeking personalized desktops.
Instant cloning excels in scenarios like call centers and kiosks with stateless desktops, burst workloads requiring rapid scaling, and non-persistent desktops that reset after each session.
In conclusion, deciding between linked clones and instant clones depends on your specific requirements:
- Choose linked clones if you need persistent desktops or have storage constraints.
- Opt for instant clones if speed, scalability, and simplified management are your priorities.
Scenario: VMware Horizon Linked Clones vs Instant Clones in Action
Let’s consider an example:
☞ Linked Clone Scenario: A law firm requires each user to have a persistent desktop for personalized data. Linked Clones provide the flexibility to save changes without consuming excessive resources.
☞ Instant Clone Scenario: A university lab frequently re-provisions desktops for students. Instant Clones allow rapid deployment of stateless desktops that reset after each use.
Reliable Backup and Instant Recovery for Virtual Environments
AOMEI Cyber Backup complements cloning technologies by offering reliable backup and instant recovery solutions. While linked and instant clones streamline virtual environment management, AOMEI Cyber Backup ensures that these environments are protected with automated backups and enables instant recovery in case of system failures. This combination helps maintain business continuity and enhances the efficiency of virtualized infrastructures.
Backup Scheduling: Set up scheduled backups for virtual machines to ensure data is always protected without manual intervention.
Centralized Management: Manage and monitor all backups from a single, user-friendly dashboard, simplifying administration.
Instant Recovery: Quickly restore virtual machines to minimize downtime and maintain business continuity.
Agentless Backup for VMs: Protect VMware and Hyper-V virtual machines without needing to install agents, saving time and resources.
Flexible Storage Options: Save backups to various destinations, including local storage, NAS devices, network shares, or cloud.
Email Notifications: Stay informed about backup statuses with real-time alerts and reports.
Download and install the free trial to experience these features and get the exclusive upgrade discount:
Next I will demonstrate how to perform backup and instant recovery for VMware ESXi virtual machines as an example.
Step 1. Bind Devices
Access to AOMEI Cyber Backup web client, navigate to "Source Device" > "VMware" > "+ Add VMware Device" to add vCenter or Standalone ESXi host as the source device, and then click "Bind Device".
Step 2. Create Backup Tasks
- Navigate to "Backup Task" > "+ Create New Task".
- Device: Select the VMs on the host that you want to backup.
- Target: You can select to back up to a local path, or to a network path. Used paths will be saved in Favorite Storage for handy selection.
- Archive: Enable archiving backup versions to Amazon S3 > Select to choose the added Amazon S3.
- Schedule: You can choose to perform full, differential or incremental scheduled backup, and automate execution according to the frequency you specified.
- Backup Cleanup: Set up the retention policy, saving storage and reduces your workload.
Step 3. Perform Instant Recovery
- Access the Instant Recovery option to restore a VM directly from the backup storage. Click Task > Instant Recovery > New Instant Recovery > Restore from task.
- Select recovery content from backup, choose the host and virtual machine and backup version.
- Select the device to be restored to in Restore to. Choose the target device.
- Set the hardware settings for the new virtual machine, such as CPU quantity, CPU Cores and memory size.
- Type a special name for the new virtual machine.
- Click Start Restore to start the instant restore.
FAQ About Instant Clone vs Linked Clone
Can Linked Clones be converted to Instant Clones?
No, Linked Clones and Instant Clones use fundamentally different technologies and cannot be converted.
Why are Instant Clones faster than Linked Clones?
Instant Clones are created from the running state of a parent VM without the need for a power cycle, enabling near-instant provisioning.
Do Instant Clones support persistent desktops?
No, Instant Clones are designed for non-persistent desktops, where user data resets after each session.
Conclusion
Choosing between Linked Clone vs Instant Clone requires a clear understanding of your VDI environment’s requirements. Both technologies offer significant benefits, but their suitability depends on factors like desktop persistence, scalability, and performance needs.
By evaluating your specific use case, you can confidently deploy the right solution with VMware Horizon and maximize the efficiency of your virtual desktop infrastructure.
