This article provides best practices for using VMware snapshots feature.

Follow these best practices when using VMware snapshots in the vSphere environment:

• Do not use VMware snapshots as backups.
  
  The snapshot file is only a change log of the original virtual disk, it creates a place holder disk, virtual_machine-00000x-delta.vmdk, to store data changes since the time the snapshot was created. If the base disks are deleted, the snapshot files are not sufficient to restore a virtual machine.

• Maximum of 32 snapshots are supported in a chain. However, for a better performance use only 2 to 3 snapshots.

• Do not use a single snapshot for more than 72 hours.
  
  The snapshot file continues to grow in size when it is retained for a longer period. This can cause the snapshot storage location to run out of space and impact the system performance.

• When using a third-party backup software, ensure that snapshots are deleted after a successful backup.
  
  Note: Snapshots taken by third party software (through API) may not appear in the Snapshot Manager. Routinely check for snapshots through the command-line.

• You cannot increase the size of the Virtual Machine disk while the VM is running on snapshot during powered ON/OFF status. Increment of VMDK disks running on snapshot should never be attempted even using CLI. 

• Increasing the virtual machine disk size or virtual RDM.
  Increasing the disk size when snapshots are still available can corrupt snapshots and result in data loss.

• VMware Skyline Health Diagnostics for vSphere - FAQ
• Increasing the size of a virtual disk
• Determining if a virtual machine is using snapshots
• Determining if there are leftover delta files or snapshots that VMware vSphere or Infrastructure Client cannot detect
• Overview of virtual machine snapshots in vSphere
• Configuring vCenter Server to send alarms when virtual machines are running from snapshots
• Prácticas recomendadas para el uso de snapshots en el entorno de vSphere
• Snapshot removal stops a virtual machine for long time