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== Virtualization ==
== Virtualization ==
In this section, we cover discussion on the @et-mgmnt-tools-list, @fedora-xen-  list, @libvirt-list and @ovirt-devel-list of Fedora virtualization             technologies.
In this section, we cover discussion of Fedora virtualization technologies on the
 
@fedora-virt list.
Contributing Writer: [[DaleBewley | Dale Bewley]]
 
=== Fedora 10 Virtualization ===
This section contains a description of the virtualization features of the brand new Fedora 10 release.
 
==== New Features ====
The Fedora 10 release includes a number of virtualization enhancements over previous releases.
 
In the Virtualization Beat of the release notes[1] you will find
details on new software packages and major new features such as:
* '''Unified Kernel Image'''
: The <code>kernel-xen</code> package has been obsoleted by the integration of paravirtualization operations in the upstream kernel.
 
* '''Virtualization Storage Management'''
: Advances in libvirt now provide the ability to list, create, and delete storage volumes on remote hosts.
 
* '''Remote Installation of Virtual Machines'''
: Improvements in Virtualization Storage Management have enabled the creation of guests on remote host systems.
 
[1] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Docs/Beats#Virtualization
 
==== Updates to Virtualization Software ====
Virtualization on Fedora is achieved through the hard work of many projects including
<code>kvm</code>,
<code>libvirt</code>,
<code>virt-manager</code>,
<code>xen</code>,
and others.
 
Below is a listing of some of the virtualization software found in Fedora, illustrating the updates since the release of Fedora 9.
 
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+ Virtualization Software Versions
|-
! Software    !! F9 Release !! F10 Release !! Release Notes or Changes
|-
| kvm          || 65-1      || 74-5      || http://kvm.qumranet.com/kvmwiki/ChangeLog
|-
| libvirt      || 0.4.2-1    || 0.4.6-3    || http://www.libvirt.org/news.html
|-
| python-virtinst||0.300.3-5 || 0.400.0-4  || http://virt-manager.et.redhat.com/download.html
|-
| virt-df      || n/a        || 2.1.4-2    || http://et.redhat.com/~rjones/virt-df/
|-
| virt-manager || 0.5.4-3    || 0.6.0-3    || http://virt-manager.et.redhat.com/download.html
|-
| virt-mem    || n/a        || 0.2.9-6    || http://et.redhat.com/~rjones/virt-mem/faq.html
|-
| virt-top    || 0.4.1.1-1  || 1.0.3-2    || http://et.redhat.com/~rjones/virt-top/ChangeLog.txt
|-
| virt-viewer  || 0.0.3-1    || 0.0.3-3    || http://virt-manager.et.redhat.com/download.html
|-
| xen          || 3.2.0-10  || 3.3.0-1    || http://www.xen.org/download/
|-
| xenner      || 0.29-2    || 0.46-3    || http://cvs.bytesex.org/xenner.html
|-
| xenwatch    || n/a        || 0.5.3-1    || http://cvs.bytesex.org/xenwatch.html
|}
 
=== Enterprise Management Tools List ===
This section contains the discussion happening on the [https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/et-mgmt-tools et-mgmt-tools list]
 
==== Connecting to VNC Console on Remote System Installs ====
While executing <code>virt-install</code> on a remote system, Stephan found[1]
that the installer created a VNC service listening on 127.0.0.1, and wanted to
know how to connect to this service or move it to a public interface on the
remote system.
 
[[DanielBerrange|Daniel P. Berrange]] answered[2] that
modifying the <code>vnc_listen</code> parameter in <code>/etc/libvirt/qemu.conf</code>
will affect the IP used, but this isn't necessary. The <code>virt-viewer</code> application will automatically tunnel[3][4] VNC connection over SSH.
 
<pre>virt-viewer --connect qemu+ssh://root@remotehost/system centos1</pre>
 
[1] http://www.redhat.com/archives/et-mgmt-tools/2008-November/msg00041.html
 
[2] http://www.redhat.com/archives/et-mgmt-tools/2008-November/msg00042.html
 
[3] http://virt-manager.org/page/RemoteSSH
 
[4] http://libvirt.org/remote.html
 
==== Specifying Installation Media URLs ====
[[EnzoMedici|Enzo Medici]] became[1] frustrated while trying to provision Xen
domUs with <code>virt-manager</code>. "What constitutes a valid install media
URL?" "How do you get a valid install media URL for a particular Linux
distribution?"
 
[[ColeRobinson|Cole Robinson]] explained[2]
"We actually don't have support in the backend for fetching kernels
from Ubuntu trees" yet. "This may work at the moment though since it could be detected as a debian tree." Cole then described the installation URLs for some popular distributions.
 
* For Fedora, it has varied a bit for different releases, but basically whatever ends in <code>{ARCH}/os</code>:
: http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/releases/9/Fedora/x86_64/os/
 
* CentOS is similar, but seems to have ARCH and os reversed:
: http://mirrors.cmich.edu/centos/5/os/x86_64/
 
* Debian/Ubuntu trees are everything up to the <code>install-{ARCH}</code> dir:
: http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/etch/main/installer-i386
 
[1] http://www.redhat.com/archives/et-mgmt-tools/2008-November/msg00044.html
 
[2] http://www.redhat.com/archives/et-mgmt-tools/2008-November/msg00046.html
 
=== Fedora Xen List ===
This section contains the discussion happening on the [https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-xen fedora-xen list].
 
==== Xen No Graphical Console and CentOS ====
While creating a domU on CentOS 5.2, Jason passed
<code>--nographics</code> to <code>virt-install</code>
and received the error message: ''No console available for domain''.
Investigation <code>/var/log/xen</code> uncovered:
''Could not initialize SDL - exiting''.
 
[[Cole Robinson|Cole Robinson]] responded[2] that
"This is actually a known bug: <code>xen</code> doesn't abide nographics
and tries to init <code>SDL</code>. This will almost always fail if
run through [CentOS] 5.2 <code>libvirt</code>. This bug will be fixed in [CentOS] 5.3."
The <code>--vnc</code> flag may be used as a workaround this crash in the meantime.
 
[1] http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-xen/2008-November/msg00015.html
 
[2] http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-xen/2008-November/msg00016.html
 
=== Libvirt List ===
This section contains the discussion happening on the [https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/libvir-list libvir-list].
 
==== User Mode Linux Support ====
[[DanielBerrange|Daniel P. Berrange]] improved[1] the user mode linux
driver[2] (See FWN#148[3]), by improving stability and adding documentation.
Network support is not yet available, but the driver is planned for
release with <code>libvirt</code> 0.5.0.
 
[1] http://www.redhat.com/archives/libvir-list/2008-November/msg00239.html
 
[2] http://libvirt.org/drvuml.html
 
[3] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FWN/Issue148#Experimental_User_Mode_Linux_Driver
 
==== Increased Network Throughput with Large MTU ====
[[ChrisWright|Chris Wright]] created[1] a proof of concept patch
"for setting a large MTU size on a tap[2] device. With this we are able to improve net i/o throughput substantially (~40%
improvement on TX and ~130% improvement on RX). This is just RFC because
it's hardcoded to an MTU of 9000 for any tap device."


[1] http://www.redhat.com/archives/libvir-list/2008-November/msg00225.html
Contributing Writer: [[User:Dale | Dale Bewley]]


[2] http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Documentation/networking/tuntap.txt
=== Fedora Virtualization List ===
This section contains the discussion happening on the
[http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-virt fedora-virt list].


==== Integration with SolidICE ====
==== Virt Status Report ====
With a goal of integrating <code>libvirt</code> and SolidICE[1],
[[JustinForbes|Justin Forbes]]
[[ShaharFrank|Shahar Frank]] posted[2]
posted<ref>http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-virt/2009-December/msg00056.html</ref> a Fedora virtualization status report.
"an initial version of the operations required for SolidICE and the proposed high level interface." All of the listed operations were storage related.
Justin pointed out F13 bugs<ref>http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Virtualization_bugs</ref> now include Important and Pony classifications in addition to Blocker and Target.


[[DanielBerrange|Daniel P. Berrange]] provided[3] a very detailed and informative response
<references />
explaining how to to apply the <code>libvirt</code> API to these operations.


SolidICE is a product of Qumranet, now Red Hat[4]. SolidICE runs virtual KVM desktops in the datacenter for display by thin clients.
==== RHEL and Fedora Virtualization Feature Parity ====
Robert Day wondered how the virtualization features<ref>http://www.redhat.com/virtualization/rhev/</ref> of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4
compared to Fedora 12.


[1] http://www.qumranet.com/products-and-solutions
[[DanielBerrange|Daniel Berrange]]
explained<ref>http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-virt/2009-December/msg00040.html</ref>
"The KVM based virtualization in RHEL-5.4 is not nearly so far behind
Fedora as you might think. The {{package|libvirt}} mgmt stack in RHEL-5.4 was
rebased to be near parity with [[Releases/11|Fedora 11]], and KVM in RHEL-5.4 is
also pretty close to that using what's best described as a hybrid of
kvm-83 and kvm-84."


[2] http://www.redhat.com/archives/libvir-list/2008-November/msg00256.html
<references />


[3] http://www.redhat.com/archives/libvir-list/2008-November/msg00262.html


[4] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FWN/Issue143#Other_Virtualization_News
====  ====
<references />


=== oVirt Devel List ===
====  ====
This section contains the discussion happening on the [https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/ovirt-devel ovirt-devel list].
<references />

Latest revision as of 18:09, 18 December 2009



Virtualization

In this section, we cover discussion of Fedora virtualization technologies on the @fedora-virt list.

Contributing Writer: Dale Bewley

Fedora Virtualization List

This section contains the discussion happening on the fedora-virt list.

Virt Status Report

Justin Forbes posted[1] a Fedora virtualization status report. Justin pointed out F13 bugs[2] now include Important and Pony classifications in addition to Blocker and Target.

RHEL and Fedora Virtualization Feature Parity

Robert Day wondered how the virtualization features[1] of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 compared to Fedora 12.

Daniel Berrange explained[2] "The KVM based virtualization in RHEL-5.4 is not nearly so far behind Fedora as you might think. The Package-x-generic-16.pnglibvirt mgmt stack in RHEL-5.4 was rebased to be near parity with Fedora 11, and KVM in RHEL-5.4 is also pretty close to that using what's best described as a hybrid of kvm-83 and kvm-84."