Welcome
Virtual Endpoint Manager
HCL BigFix Virtual Endpoint Manager (VEM) enhances BigFix with centralized, unified endpoint management for hybrid cloud and data center environments, spanning virtual machines and physical endpoints. VEM delivers real-time endpoint visibility, policy-driven automation for configuration and compliance remediation, and consistent security controls to streamline IT operations, reduce risk, and strengthen regulatory compliance.
Virtual Endpoint Manager Fixlets
Fixlets are BigFix actions that automate tasks on virtual machines, such as creating snapshots, deploying patches, and installing software.
Create snapshot Fixlet
Use the Create Snapshot Fixlet to capture the current state of a virtual machine before deploying patches or software, enabling rollback if the deployment causes issues.

BigFix Documentation Homepage
BigFix 11 Lifecycle Documentation
Welcome to the BigFix Lifecycle documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use BigFix Lifecycle.
BigFix Platform
BigFix Query
Lifecycle overview
BigFix Lifecycle is single-agent, single-console technology that provides near real-time visibility into the state of endpoints.
Lifecycle guides in PDF format
Following is a list of links to the BigFix Lifecycle guides in PDF format:
Software Distribution
Use the BigFix Software Distribution applications to deploy software to endpoints across your network from a single location. Maintain control and visibility into software delivery and installation. Device owners can use the Self Service Application to manage software and other BigFix actions that are deployed to them as offers.
OS Deployment
BigFix OS Deployment, which is part of the BigFix Lifecycle Management suite, provides a consolidated, comprehensive solution to quickly deploy new workstations and servers throughout a network from a single, centralized location. This solution saves time and money, enforces a standardized and approved image, and reduces risks associated with non-compliant or insecure configurations.
Remote Control
BigFix Remote Control application helps to communicate between different components, clients, and endpoints within BigFix environment.
Power Management
Use Power Management to control, monitor, and manage conservation policies in your deployment.
Application Control
BigFix Application Control provides a robust framework for managing application usage within an organization. It allows administrators to define policies that dictate which applications can or cannot be run on endpoints, thereby enhancing security and compliance.
Server Automation
Server Automation provides powerful automation. You can use it to sequence automation actions in steps across multiple endpoints.
Virtual Endpoint Manager
HCL BigFix Virtual Endpoint Manager (VEM) enhances BigFix with centralized, unified endpoint management for hybrid cloud and data center environments, spanning virtual machines and physical endpoints. VEM delivers real-time endpoint visibility, policy-driven automation for configuration and compliance remediation, and consistent security controls to streamline IT operations, reduce risk, and strengthen regulatory compliance.
- Virtual Endpoint Manager overview
  BigFix Lifecycle Virtual Endpoint Manager extends centralized endpoint management to virtual machines in both data center and cloud environments. It enables unified management of virtual and physical endpoints, offering real-time visibility, policy-driven automation, and consistent security enforcement. This unified approach enhances compliance, reduces operational complexity, and strengthens governance across hybrid infrastructures.
- System Requirements
  Ensure that you meet the necessary system requirements for the BigFix Lifecycle Virtual Endpoint Manager.
- The Plugin Portal
  The Plugin Portal is a new component introduced in BigFix 10 to help manage cloud devices as well as modern devices such as Windows 10 and MacOS endpoints enrolled to BigFix.
- Setup and maintenance for VMware Plugin
  This section provides documentation about setup and maintenance tasks for VMware plug-in to complete the VMware virtualization.
- Virtual Endpoint Manager Fixlets
  Fixlets are BigFix actions that automate tasks on virtual machines, such as creating snapshots, deploying patches, and installing software.
  - Create snapshot Fixlet
    Use the Create Snapshot Fixlet to capture the current state of a virtual machine before deploying patches or software, enabling rollback if the deployment causes issues.
- List of actionscript commands
  This topic provides references to comprehensive lists of actionscript commands for VMware and cloud plugins. Use the provided links to access detailed command information for each environment.
- Cloud Plugins for Hyper Scalers
  Cloud Plugins for Hyper Scalers enable BigFix to enhance visibility and management of both physical and virtual devices across your network. These plugins extend BigFix’s capabilities to efficiently manage cloud endpoints, supporting comprehensive device oversight in diverse environments.
- Migrating from Management Extender to Plugin Portal
  Refer to the tasks in this chapter to know about how to migrate from Management Extender to Plugin Portal.
- Management Extender (to be deprecated)
  The Management Extender is being deprecated and will no longer support new installations or upgrades. Existing users can continue to use it until full deprecation, after which the VMware Plugin will serve as its replacement. For transition and setup details, refer to the provided documentation links.
- Troubleshooting
  This topic provides troubleshooting resources for the VMware plugin portal and extended cloud plugins. Refer to the linked documentation for detailed guidance on resolving common issues.
- Frequently asked questions
  This topic provides links to frequently asked questions for both the VMware plugin portal and extended cloud plugins. Use these resources to quickly find answers to common questions about each component.
Profile Management
Profile Management is a WebUI-based feature of BigFix Lifecycle. It provides Security Administrators the capability to define and deploy security policies to Windows 10 and macOS devices.
BigFix Remediate
BigFix MCM

Create snapshot Fixlet

Use the Create Snapshot Fixlet to capture the current state of a virtual machine before deploying patches or software, enabling rollback if the deployment causes issues.

About this task

Before deploying patches or software to a virtual machine (VM), you can create a snapshot to preserve the VM's current state. If the deployment fails or causes unexpected problems, the administrator can restore the VM to the snapshot, minimizing downtime and data loss. BigFix coordinates with the virtualization platform (such as VMware vCenter) to create and store the snapshot automatically as part of the deployment workflow.

Procedure

Select the virtual machine (VM) in BigFix.
Choose the Create Snapshot option before starting the deployment.
BigFix sends a request to the virtualization platform (such as VMware vCenter) to create a snapshot of the VM.
The snapshot saves the current state of the VM, including:
- The virtual disk
- The memory (if enabled)
- The VM configuration
After the snapshot is created successfully, BigFix starts the deployment (for example, installing patches or software).

Results

The snapshot is created successfully and BigFix starts the deployment.

Note: When the Create Snapshot Fixlet is deployed, the snapshot is created and stored in VMware vCenter under the corresponding virtual machine's Snapshots category.

What to do next

If the deployment causes any problems, the administrator can restore the VM to the snapshot, returning it to its previous working state.
If the deployment is successful, the snapshot should be deleted to free up storage space and maintain VM performance.