How does a snapshot differ from a clone in VMware?

A snapshot in VMware serves the purpose of capturing the current state of a virtual machine (VM) at a specific point in time. This includes the VM's power state, disk state, memory state, and device state, making it possible to revert back to that exact state later if needed. Snapshots are particularly useful for testing software or updates, as they allow users to easily roll back to a previous state if issues arise.

In contrast, a clone creates a full copy of the VM, including its virtual disk files and configuration, resulting in a separate, independent virtual machine. Clones can be used to deploy multiple instances of a VM quickly or to create backups without affecting the original VM. Once a clone is created, it operates independently from the original, making any changes to one affect only that specific VM.

The other options provide some misconceptions about snapshots and clones. While snapshots can indeed be temporary in nature, this is not the primary reason that differentiates them from clones. Similarly, a snapshot does not create a duplicate VM or solely save settings; it captures a wide array of VM states, making it a valuable tool for point-in-time restore or testing scenarios. Lastly, snapshots do not inherently increase resources or clones reduce resources; both processes deal with