1. Andrea Chierici Virtualization tutorial Catania 1-3 dicember 2010
KVM tutorial #1
Andrea Chierici
Virtualization tutorial
Catania 1-3 dicember 2010

2. Installing the virtualization packages
Andrea Chierici

3. Installing KVM packages with Kickstart files
In the %packages section of your Kickstart file, append the following package group:
%packages
@kvm
Andrea Chierici

4. Installing KVM packages on an existing RHEL system
The kvm package contains the KVM kernel module providing the KVM hypervisor on the default Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel.
To install the kvm package, run:
# yum install kvm
Recommended virtualization packages:
python-virtinst, libvirt, libvirt-python, virt-manager, libvirt-client
Check if service libvirtd is running
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5. Virtualized guest prerequisites and considerations
Various factors should be considered before creating any virtualized guests. Factors include:
Performance
Input/output requirements and types of input/output.
Storage.
Networking and network infrastructure.
Guest load and usage for processor and memory resources.
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6. Creating guests with virt-install
You can use the virt-install command to create virtualized guests from the command line.
virt-install is used either interactively or as part of a script to automate the creation of virtual machines
virt-install –help
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7. virt-install example
This example creates a fedora14 guest with the following settings:
Uses kvm acceleration
X86_64 arch with 512mb ram, 30GB disk space
Uses virtual networking
Boots from remote kernel and initrd
Uses VNC server/viewer
# virt-install \
--connect qemu:///system \
--accelerate \
--arch x86_64
--name demo --ram 512 \
--os-variant fedora9
--network network:default \
--disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/rhel5support.img,size=30
--vnc --location
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8. Creating guests with virt-manager
Graphical tool for creating and managing virtualized guests
Launch the Virtual Machine Manager application from the Applications menu and System Tools submenu.
Alternatively, run the virt-manager command as root.
Optional: Open a remote hypervisor
Select the hypervisor and press the Connect button to connect to the remote hypervisor.
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9. Create a new guest Specify name and installation type
Easiest is network install
Import existing disk image
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10. Create a new guest
It is recommend that you use the default directory for virtual machine images, /var/lib/libvirt/images/
If you are using a different location, make sure it is added to your SELinux policy and relabeled before you continue with the installation
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11. Create a new guest
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12. Create a new guest Care for network settings Bridge/NAT MAC address
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13. Virt-manager main window
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14. Guest details
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15. Managing virtual network
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16. Creating a virtual network
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17. Installing guests with PXE
Pre eXecution Environment
requires a shared network device, also known as a network bridge
The network infrastructure requires DHCP and tftp server properly configured
Machine starts, sends a dhcp request with the next-server option, next-server sends kernel and initrd
Check under rhel installation tree: SL/55/x86_64/images/pxeboot
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18. Installing guests with PXE
PXE installation with virt-install
Use --pxe parameter at command line
PXE installation with virt-manager
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19. Installing a fully-virtualized Windows guest
Install the machine using a iso image
Download the virtio drivers
Mount the iso image on the VM
Install the drivers
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20. Adding a virtual cd-rom
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21. On windows guest Open My Computer and select the CD-ROM drive
Select correct installation files
Reboot
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