How to create VM in xen virtualization
The command below will create an 8GB file that will be used as an 8GB
drive. The whole file will be written to disk in one go so may take a
short while to complete.
Alternatively, you can use the command below to create the same size file as a sparse file. What this does is create the file, but only take up disk space as the file is used. In this case the file will only really take about 1mb of disk initially and grow as you use it.
There are pros and cons of using sparse files. On one hand they only take as much disk as is actually used, on the other hand the file can become fragmented and you could run out of real disk if you overcommit space.
Next up we’ll mount the install CD and export it over nfs so that xen can use it as a network install.
Just to check the mount went OK:
Now run the export:
Now we’ll create the xen config file for our new instance. The default location for xen config files is /var/xen so that’s where ours will go.
I’m going to call my VM test01, so I’ll create a file /var/xen/test01 that contains the following initial configuration:
So, lets boot the new instance and start the installer.
After a moment or two the console should return with something like “Started domain test01″.
Now lets connect to the console and proceed with the install:
Or if you prefer the previous two commands can be combined into one:
From here on you should work through the standard text mode installer.
The points to note are:
Note that to release the console from your VM hold down Ctlr and press the ] key.
When the install is complete the new domain will need to be shut down (you’ll be prompted to ‘restart’ by the installer, this will in fact shut down the VM because we set the on_reboot option to destroy), and then the xen config file must be modified to allow the new VM to boot.
So, edit the config file that we created earlier and comment out the kernel and ramdisk lines. You should also change the on_crash and on_reboot actions to restart.
So the edited config file now looks like this:
and log in as root. You should also be able to ssh onto it from your network.
dd if=/dev/zero of=/xenimages/test01/disk1.img oflag=direct bs=1M count=8192Alternatively, you can use the command below to create the same size file as a sparse file. What this does is create the file, but only take up disk space as the file is used. In this case the file will only really take about 1mb of disk initially and grow as you use it.
dd if=/dev/zero of=/xenimages/test01/disk1.img oflag=direct bs=1M seek=8191 count=1There are pros and cons of using sparse files. On one hand they only take as much disk as is actually used, on the other hand the file can become fragmented and you could run out of real disk if you overcommit space.
Next up we’ll mount the install CD and export it over nfs so that xen can use it as a network install.
mkdir /tmp/centos52
mount /dev/hda /tmp/centos52 -o loop,roJust to check the mount went OK:
ls /tmp/centos52 should show the files.Now run the export:
exportfs *:/tmp/centos5Now we’ll create the xen config file for our new instance. The default location for xen config files is /var/xen so that’s where ours will go.
I’m going to call my VM test01, so I’ll create a file /var/xen/test01 that contains the following initial configuration:
kernel = "/tmp/centos52/images/xen/vmlinuz"
ramdisk = "/tmp/centos52/images/xen/initrd.img"
name = "test01"
memory = "256"
## disk = [ 'tap:aio:/xenimages/test01/disk1.img,xvda,w', ]
disk = [ 'file:/xenimages/test01/disk1.img,xvda,w', ]
vif = [ 'bridge=eth0', ]
vcpus=1
on_reboot = "destroy"
on_crash = "destroy"mount IP address:/tmp/centos52 /tmp/centos52So, lets boot the new instance and start the installer.
xm create test01After a moment or two the console should return with something like “Started domain test01″.
Now lets connect to the console and proceed with the install:
xm console test01Or if you prefer the previous two commands can be combined into one:
xm create test01 -c.From here on you should work through the standard text mode installer.
The points to note are:
- For installation image select “NFS image”. Then in the later nfs panel enter your PC’s IP address for the servername and /tmp/centos52 (or wherever you mounted the cd) as the directory.
- I also specified a manual IP address for my VM. I selected my routers IP for the gateway and dns server, so that I can access the internet from the VM later.
- The hard drive is named xvda, as specified in the config file. This will need to be partitioned and formatted by the installer.
Note that to release the console from your VM hold down Ctlr and press the ] key.
When the install is complete the new domain will need to be shut down (you’ll be prompted to ‘restart’ by the installer, this will in fact shut down the VM because we set the on_reboot option to destroy), and then the xen config file must be modified to allow the new VM to boot.
So, edit the config file that we created earlier and comment out the kernel and ramdisk lines. You should also change the on_crash and on_reboot actions to restart.
So the edited config file now looks like this:
## kernel = "/tmp/centos52/images/xen/vmlinuz"
## ramdisk = "/tmp/centos52/images/xen/initrd.img"
name = "test01"
memory = "256"
## disk = [ 'tap:aio:/xenimages/test01/disk1.img,xvda,w', ]
disk = [ 'file:/xenimages/test01/disk1.img,xvda,w', ]
vif = [ 'bridge=eth0', ]
vcpus=1
on_reboot = "restart"
on_crash = "restart"xm create test01 -cand log in as root. You should also be able to ssh onto it from your network.
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