For easier management of periodic snapshots of virtual machines, what approach should be taken?

Using offline snapshots is beneficial for managing periodic snapshots of virtual machines due to their capability to ensure data consistency and integrity. When a virtual machine is powered off, the offline snapshot captures the entire state of the VM, including the disk state, active memory, and other configurations. This guarantees that the snapshot does not capture any changes that occur while the snapshot is being taken, which can happen with online snapshots.

Moreover, offline snapshots remove the risk of data corruption that can occur when the VM is still running and potentially making writes to the disk during the snapshot process. This method is especially useful for applications that require strict consistency, such as databases, where any inconsistency could lead to significant issues.

The choice of offline snapshots also makes it easier to manage because you can clearly define a maintenance window where the VM is powered down for taking snapshots, simplifying the operation and scheduling. This ensures that administrators can reliably establish a routine for backups without the complications that come with managing snapshots while the system is active.

In summary, offline snapshots provide a robust approach to taking periodic snapshots of virtual machines, offering better reliability and ease of management compared to other methods.