Created option snapshot_to_clone. When specified, snapshot_to_clone will create a linked clone copy of the VM.

lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vsphere_guest.py

@@ -79,16 +79,10 @@ options:
     description:
       - Name of the source template to deploy from
     default: None
-  linked_clone:
+  snapshot_to_clone:
-    version_added: "2.0"
+    version_added 2.0
     description:
-      - Boolean. Creates a linked clone copy of the specified vm requires snapshot
+      - String. When specified, snapshot_to_clone will create a linked clone copy of the VM, Snapshot must already be taken in vCenter.
-    required: false
-    default: false
-  snapshot:
-    version_added: "2.0"
-    description:
-      - Name of the snapshot you want to link clone from
     required: false
     default: none
   vm_disk:
@@ -535,7 +529,7 @@ def vmdisk_id(vm, current_datastore_name):
     return id_list
 
 
-def deploy_template(vsphere_client, guest, resource_pool, template_src, esxi, module, cluster_name, linked_clone, snapshot):
+def deploy_template(vsphere_client, guest, resource_pool, template_src, esxi, module, cluster_name, snapshot_to_clone):
     vmTemplate = vsphere_client.get_vm_by_name(template_src)
     vmTarget = None
 
@@ -619,9 +613,9 @@ def deploy_template(vsphere_client, guest, resource_pool, template_src, esxi, mo
     try:
         if vmTarget:
             changed = False
-        elif linked_clone and snapshot != None:
+        elif snapshot_to_clone != None:
-            #Check linked_clone and snapshot value
+            #check if snapshot_to_clone is specified, Create a Linked Clone instead of a full clone.
-            vmTemplate.clone(guest, resourcepool=rpmor, linked=linked_clone, snapshot=snapshot)
+            vmTemplate.clone(guest, resourcepool=rpmor, linked=True, snapshot=snapshot_to_clone)
             changed = True
         else:
             vmTemplate.clone(guest, resourcepool=rpmor)
@@ -1231,8 +1225,7 @@ def main():
             vmware_guest_facts=dict(required=False, type='bool'),
             from_template=dict(required=False, type='bool'),
             template_src=dict(required=False, type='str'),
-            linked_clone=dict(required=False, default=False, type='bool'),
+            snapshot_to_clone=dict(required=False, default=None, type='str'),
-            snapshot=dict(required=False, default=None, type='str'),
             guest=dict(required=True, type='str'),
             vm_disk=dict(required=False, type='dict', default={}),
             vm_nic=dict(required=False, type='dict', default={}),
@@ -1260,7 +1253,6 @@ def main():
             ['resource_pool', 'cluster'],
             ['from_template', 'resource_pool', 'template_src'],
         ],
-        required_if=[('linked_clone', True, ['snapshot'])],
     )
 
     if not HAS_PYSPHERE:
@@ -1283,8 +1275,7 @@ def main():
     cluster = module.params['cluster']
     template_src = module.params['template_src']
     from_template = module.params['from_template']
-    linked_clone = module.params['linked_clone']
+    snapshot_to_clone = module.params['snapshot_to_clone']
-    snapshot = module.params['snapshot']
 
 
     # CONNECT TO THE SERVER
@@ -1366,8 +1357,7 @@ def main():
                 template_src=template_src,
                 module=module,
                 cluster_name=cluster,
-                linked_clone=linked_clone,
+                snapshot_to_clone=snapshot_to_clone
-                snapshot=snapshot
             )
         if state in ['restarted', 'reconfigured']:
             module.fail_json(