[libvirt] Using ESX domain XML for V2V

[Matthias Bolte]

2010/1/15 Matthias Bolte <matthias.bolte at googlemail.com>:
> 2010/1/14 Matthew Booth <mbooth at redhat.com>:
>> I'm trying to use the ESX driver to extract metadata from ESX in an easily
>> digestible form for driving V2V. I've noticed the domain XML seems to be
>> missing a few bits:
>>
>> <features/>
>
> This is currently not implemented, but could be by parsing the CPUIDs.
> This is on my todo list.
>
>> <graphics/>
>
> VMware seems to use a certain type of VNC for this, but they use a
> custom authentication mechanism. There is a Firefox plugin for that
> (vmware-mks.xpi), but IIRC its Windows only. I think this could be
> implemented but there is more research necessary what to expose as
> graphics element.
>

Okay, I should have looked at this in more detail before answering...

ESX (at least 4.0) supports normal VNC as well. It can be enabled by adding

RemoteDisplay.vnc.enabled = "true"
RemoteDisplay.vnc.port = "<port>"
RemoteDisplay.vnc.password = "password"

to the VMX config. I tested it and it works, but I had to manually
open the VNC port range in the ESX firewall using the VI client GUI. I
think this can be done using the VI API, but I'm not sure whether the
ESX driver should do this automatically or if proper firewall
configuration should stay a responsibility of the user.

Matthias