How does a snapshot differ from a clone in VMware?

A snapshot captures a VM's current state, including its power state, disk state, and settings, allowing the user to revert to that specific point in time if needed. It essentially takes a picture of the virtual machine at that moment, enabling rollbacks to that saved state without needing to duplicate the entire virtual machine.

In contrast, a clone creates a complete and independent copy of the virtual machine, including all of its data, settings, and installed applications. The cloned VM operates independently of the original VM and occupies separate storage space. This differentiation is key to understanding when to use snapshots and when to create clones in a VMware environment, depending on the need for temporary states versus fully functional copies of VMs.