RE: [Xen-users] can I clone a runiung domU?

["James Harper" <james.harper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Hi all
> 
> I'd like to know if it's possible to clone a running domU. I need to
> make an exact copy of an existing CentOS xen domU, but without taking
it
> offline. I'm using LVM, so I don't know if it will help.
> 
> I have tried doing it with dd, after shutting down the domU, but it
> takes ages. The LVM image is 30GB. I can't really afford to have the
> running one off line that long, so if possible I'd like todo it while
> it's running.

dd almost certainly won't give you a usable filesystem in your copy.

Using LVM you should be able to make a snapshot of the filesystem which
should be at least as consistent (integrity wise) as if you'd done an
'xm destroy' on the domain.

Some filesystems can put themselves into snapshot mode, which would
ensure that the filesystem was completely consistent. This may not be
required for what you want.

When you create a snapshot you specify a size for the snapshot. The size
can be much less than the original filesystem if you want, but any
changes you make to the original filesystem or to the snapshot consume
space in the snapshot, and if the snapshot runs out of space then bad
things will happen.

James


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