Re: [Xen-users] Re: Problem with automatic VM (domU) creation

[Tim Post <tim.post@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 2007-02-22 at 20:30 +0530, Ligesh wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 22, 2007 at 02:54:46PM +0100, Henning Sprang wrote:
> > Not enough doc reading about Xen and it's architecture, and the config
> > parameters :)
> > 
> > xm doesn't change the settings inside of a guest.
> > The "name" setting in a VM config is NOT the dns hostname, and not the
> > /etc/hostname.
> > Often, one wants to have it like that, but this is not Xen's job.
> 
> > but this is not Xen's job.
> 
>  And how's that? It is not the job of xen:the hyperVisor of course, but it 
> should be part of the xen, the platform. 
> Does XenEnterprise do this at least?
> 
> 
>  Thanks

cat << EOF > /pathto/mounted/vm/fs/etc/hosts

127.0.0.1  localhost.localdomain localhost
1.2.3.4    ${VMLONGNAME} ${VMSHORTNAME}
EOF

cat << EOF > /pathto/mounted/vm/fs/etc/network/interfaces

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
 address ${VM_IPADDR}
  ... and so on
EOF

Unmount, and boot it.

It is very, very easy to make scripts to setup guests. Parse a .csv file
that you obtain centrally if you wish, or spend the 3 - 5 hours needed
to do something with php/mysql centrally and use lynx or whatever else
you want to fetch the values to feed the scripts you make. 

There is almost an infinite amount of ways to have your guests ready to
roll in just a few minutes with a little scripting.

Xen is like Leggos. Snap together how you like and incorporate it how
you like, or use one of any number of tools to do this. I think the
reason so many system integrators really love Xen is because its so easy
to work into any scenario. 

In 10 seconds, I can create a paravirtualized guest with networking
setup, filesystems formatted and ready, root password, hostname,
everything set that needs to be.

I fill in about a dozen values in a csv file , run one script and I'm
done. That script took all of .. 2 hours to throw together. Elegant,
no .. effective predictable and reliable, yes :)

Its really not Xen's job to do this. I use Xen mostly in distributed
grids where my domname means something completely different than the
system's hostname. So many uses for xen way beyond the simple creating
of PV guests, if they started doing too much for me, I'd just have quite
a bit of stuff to un-do.

Xen (open source) is a set of very powerful tools that need somewhat
skilled hands to use them. I think if the project shifted focus such as
you suggest, it would lose some of its support and community.

Best,
--Tim


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