[virt-tools-list] VM grouping

Fri Sep 10 19:51:34 UTC 2010

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Hello Cole;

On 09/09/10 20:19, Cole Robinson wrote:
> On 09/09/2010 12:58 PM, Zdenek Styblik wrote:
>> Anyway, I'm wondering if there is way how to do a VM grouping, resource
>> pools like in [...].
[..]
>>
> 
> Libvirt doesn't provide any way to give users access to specific VMs,
> though this is something that has been requested many times. No real
> counter arguments since it would be a useful feature, it just hasn't
> been implemented.
> 

Ok, at least something. I think this would have to be implemented in
libvirt itself anyway.

>> Another question - where VM description gets saved (note: it
>> doesn't/didn't as of 0.8.4 in Debian GNU/Linux), because I don't think
>> there is attribute for it in libvirt's XML schema.
>>
> 
> There is an attribute for it, see
> http://libvirt.org/formatdomain.html#elementsMetadata. This requires
> libvirt 0.7.2 or later on the machine hosting the VMs.
> 

Oops, I've surely overlooked this one. I'm aware of this group of
attributes as I was looking for something I could group-by or group
attributes, but- My fault, thanks.
Speaking of description, it works in 0.8.4, contradictory what I've
said. Yet it seems it doesn't for powered-on VM :) In other words, it
worked for powered-off VM; powered-on VM has description saved in XML,
yet virt-manager doesn't see it (note: I've failed to find a way how to
display desc. with % virsh;).

>> I've also noticed that virt-manager doesn't refresh remote
>> configuration. If I change something at remote host, virt-manager
[...]
> 
> What kind of settings are you changing and how are you changing them? If
> you are talking about VM settings, you want to make sure you are using
> the correct method to change configuration as Phil suggested. For more
> info, see
> http://wiki.libvirt.org/page/FAQ#What_is_the_.27virsh_edit.27_command_and_how_do_I_use_it.3F
> 

As I've replied to Phil; VNC settings, DHCP hosts, added storage, added
networks etc. - however, everything by hand from terminal. I've assumed
that libvirt is going to re-read/scan for configs and report back to
virt-manager. My assumption was foolish and wrong. I see now, I can load
XML config files properly from % virsh;. :/
Most of the failures were PEBKACs :)

> virt-manager does cache some info in memory while the app is running,
> but reconnecting to the hypervisor should get us up to date info on just
> about everything.
> 

Oki. I wanted (and want) to try it with manual-added virtual network
linked in autostart. But not today *tired*.

>> As the very last thing, I'm ... I like virt-manager. Good work and keep
>> it up. If there is anything, except money, I could possibly help with,
>> I'm willing to learn Python (seriously) ;) I'm just hyped-over
>> virt-manager and libvirt.
>>
> 
> There's plenty of things that need implementing in virt-manager. For
> starters, what is that you couldn't accomplish via the UI that you could
> make work by hand? That might be a good task.
> 

# DHCP static hosts

I've failed to get this working even by hand and since I'm not
proficient with dnsmasq, I've given up and used ISC's dhcpd.

Ideas how to implement it:
1] "big" input box with entries like:
- ---SNIP---
192.168.1.2 00:11:33:44:55:66
192.168.1.3 77:88:99:AA:BB:CC
- ---SNIP---
one entry per line, space (or whatever) as delimiter for
IP:MAC:other_params ... or some variation of this.
This might be unacceptable for ... most of the people and I understand
it (note: scratch it instantly :] )

2] split
* one half of window with inputs for host attributes;
* second half with list of already defined hosts;
* edit attributes - click on host in list, load attrs into inputs or
whatever
* delete host - pick host from list, delete
* may be, it could have been put into separate windows - like 1st window
with list of hosts, buttons for add/edit/delete; 2nd window (pop-up) for
add/edit with attributes (inputs). but I'm afraid too many windows is
going to be pretty much annoying to user

# bug: adding new network
How to replicate:
* connect to remote qemu host, go to details, virtual networks
* add new network, name it test and off to IPv4 range selection
* go to the DHCP selection
* turn-off DHCP
* get back to IPv4 range selection and change IPv4 range to whatever else
* proceed forward and you should be greeted with error message about
invalid DHCP range, although you've turned off (and it still is) DHCP before
Tested in: virt-manager 0.8.4

# dir as storage
I've failed to create images owned by different user than root. Altough
I've managed to use virsh to edit config (oh my, that was some work
fail-n-try :]), images are owned as root:root upon creation. I'm
wondering if it's because I'm connected as root, although I would think
this is ... this should work independently on connected user.
I'm talking about:
<target>
    <path>/home/qemu/test</path>
    <permissions>
      <mode>0700</mode>
      <owner>204</owner>
      <group>998</group>
    </permissions>
</target>

How to implement this, eventually, into virt-manager? Frankly, I have no
idea. Well, it requires UID:GID which seems to be sort-of
user-unfriendly. However, anything else sounds just "wrong" :)

# new VM skeleton - feature request
I might have seen this elsewhere. I'm not even sure if this is a cool
feature at all, but it's kind of tiresome to customize VM config every
time after creation, because I want SCSI, VNC password etc. But I'm sure
there is pitfall in different hypervisors - ok, forget I've said
anything at all :)

> Thanks,
> Cole

I hope I made at least a bit of sense.

Good night and thanks,
Zdenek Styblik

- -- 
Zdenek Styblik
Net/Linux admin
OS TurnovFree.net
email: stybla at turnovfree.net
jabber: stybla at jabber.turnovfree.net
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.10 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/

iEYEARECAAYFAkyKjEYACgkQ8MreUbSH7ingkgCdHOP7a0NjWqRhvP+Z1tr1mPRd
SjEAnAmaHdKYvsRybppeaRcbNmF+Ee8t
=W0jc
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----