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Using the Full Copy primitive greatly reduces the time that it takes to deploy or migrate a virtual machine. The process for data migration is entirely performed on the storage array and not on the ESXi server. The host initiates the process and reports on the progress of the operation on the array. This operation decreases overall traffic on the ESXi server. In addition to deploying new virtual machines from a template or through cloning, Full Copy is also used when doing a Storage vMotion. When a virtual machine is migrated between datastores on the same array, the live copy is performed entirely on the array.
Not only does Full Copy save time, but it also saves server CPU cycles, memory, IP and SAN network bandwidth, and storage front-end controller I/O. This efficiency is because the host is relieved of its normal function of reading the data from the array and then writing it back down to the array. That activity requires CPU cycles, memory, and significant network bandwidth. Figure 147 provides a graphical representation of Full Copy.