Virtualization with KVM and openQRM 5.1 on Debian Wheezy

Virtualization with KVM and openQRM 5.1 on DebianWheezy

This HowTo is about how to create and manage KVM Virtual Machines on Debian 7 aka Wheezy with openQRM 5.1

Requirements

One physical Serverat least 1 GB of Memoryat least 100 GB of DiskspaceVT (Virtualization Technology) enabled in the Systems BIOS so that the openQRM Server can run KVM Virtual Machines later

Install openQRM 5.1 on Debian Wheezy

Install a minimal Debian Wheezy on a physical ServerInstall and initialize openQRM 5.1

A detailed Howto about the above initial starting point is available at "Install openQRM 5.1 on Debian Wheezy (resources/documentation-

howtos/howtos/install-openqrm-51-on-debian-wheezy.html)"

Set a custom Domain name

As the first step after the openQRM installation and initialization it is recommended to configure a custom domain name for the openQRM

management network.

In this Use-Case the openQRM Server has the private Class C IP address 192.168.178.5/255.255.255.0 based on the previous "Howto install

openQRM 5.1 on Debian Wheezy (resources/documentation-howtos/howtos/install-openqrm-51-on-debian-wheezy.html)". Since the openQRM

management network is a private one any syntactically correct domain name can be used e.g. 'my123cloud.net'.

The default domain name pre-configured in the DNS plugin is "oqnet.org".

Best practice is to use the 'openqrm' commandline util to setup the domain name for the DNS plugin. Please login to the openQRM Server system

and run the following command as 'root' in a terminal:

/usr/share/openqrm/bin/openqrm boot-service configure -n dns -a default -k OPENQRM_SERVER_DOMAIN -v my123cloud.net

The output of the above command will look like

root@debian:~# /usr/share/openqrm/bin/openqrm boot-service configure -n dns -a default -k OPENQRM_SERVER_DOMAIN -v my123cloud.net

Setting up default Boot-Service Konfiguration of plugin dns

root@debian:~#

To (re)view the current configuration of the DNS plugin please run:

/usr/share/openqrm/bin/openqrm boot-service view -n dns -a default

Enabling PluginsHint: You can use the filter in the plugin list to find plugins by their type easily!

http://www.openqrm-enterprise.com/resources/documentation-howtos/howtos/install-openqrm-51-on-debian-wheezy.html


(/fileadmin/Images/Documentation/Virtualization_with_KVM_and_openQRM_5.1_on_Debian_Wheezy/01-openqrm-kvm.png)


In the openQRM Plugin Manager please enable and start the following plugins in the sequence below:

dns plugin - type Networkingdhcpd plugin - type Networkingtftpd plugin - type Networkingnetwork-manager plugin - type Networkinglocal-server plugin - type Miscdevice-manager plugin - type Managementnovnc plugin - type Managementsshterm plugin - type Managementlinuxcoe plugin - type Deploymentkvm plugin - type Virtualization

Create the Virtualization Host ObjectGo to Datacenter -> Server -> Add a new Server

http://www.openqrm-enterprise.com/fileadmin/Images/Documentation/Virtualization_with_KVM_and_openQRM_5.1_on_Debian_Wheezy/01-openqrm-kvm.png




Give 'openqrm' as the server name and provide a descriptive description

Select the openQRM Server resource





In the following Edit dialog please set 'KVM Host' as the Virtualization type of this server, then submit to save

This is the Server list after adding the Virtualization Host Object.

Additionally 2 KVM Storage Objects are automatically created to manage different types of VM volumes





Create a LVM Volume GroupThe KVM Storage type with the best flexibility regarding volume management is 'KVM LVM Storage'. Each VM gets its own dedicated logical volume as

its root image. Alternatively 'KVM Blockfile Storage' can be used. Volumes for this storage type are created on the Hosts filesystem via the qemu-img

command. This Howto describes the 'KVM LVM Storage' type.

Go to Datacenter -> Storage and click on the 'manage' button of the 'openqrm-lvm' storage object

Please notice! The system automatically checks if the system utilities for the LVM functionalities are available. If not it openQRM triggers to

automatically install them via the distribution package manager. This may delay the first time the command is executed on the system.

Now click on 'Add new Volume group'





When you have followed the initial "Howto install openQRM 5.1 on Debian Wheezy (resources/documentation-howtos/howtos/install-openqrm-51-on-

debian-wheezy.html)" there is now a dedicated /dev/sda3 partition available which can be used to create a LVM Volume group. Please provide a name

for the LVM Volume group (here 'kvmvg'), select the /dev/sda3 device and submit.

Confirm to create the new Volume group






The LVM Volume group to store the VM Images is created now

Create one or more network bridgesThe KVM Virtualization technology is using network bridges to connect the Virtual Machines virtualized network interfaces to real networks.

Go to Datacenter -> Server and click on 'Edit' of the openQRM server object





In the server edit section please select Network -> Network Manager.

This will provide a list of all available network interfaces on the system





Please notice! The system automatically checks if the system utilities for the bridge and network functionalities are available. If not it openQRM

triggers to automatically install them via the distribution package manager. This may delay the first time the command is executed on the system.

Please click on 'Add new network bridge' to create a new network bridge

Fill in 'br0' as the bridge name, select eth0 (the openQRM Management network interface) and insert the same IP configuration as for eth0. In this

Howto the IP 192.168.178.5/255.255.255.0 is used with a default gateway 192.168.178.1. Then click on submit to create the new network bridge.

Here a screenshot of the network interface list after creating the new network bridge 'br0'.





Create a LinuxCOE automatic-installation templateThe LinuxCOE Project provides a useful UI to create automatic-installation ISO images for various Linux distribution e.g. preseed, kickstart and

autoyast. Those ISO images can be then used to fully automatically install a Linux distribution without any manual interaction needed.

The integration of LinuxCOE in openQRM makes those automatic-installation ISO images automatically available on all Virtualization Hosts (mounted by

nfs at /linuxcoe from the openQRM server). This makes it easy to configure a Virtual Machines installation boot image from the central ISO Pool mount

point.

Please notice! The LinuxCOE plugin in openQRM comes with a fully automatically setup and pre-configuration of LinuxCOE. Since LinuxCOE is an

installation-framework it is recommended to add further custom configuration such as local package mirrors, new distribution data and config files etc.

Please read more about how to further enhance your LinuxCOE installation at http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/#documentation

(http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/#documentation)

First step is to create a new automatic-installation profile and ISO image.

Go to Plugins -> Deployment -> LinuxCOE -> Create Templates and select a Linux distribution and version for the automatic-installation. For this

Howto we will use 'Debian Squeeze 64bit'. Please leave the hostname input empty since openQRM will care about this via its dhcpd plugin.



http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/#documentation


Leave the default settings on the next page of LinuxCOE wizard.


Next please select a Mirror from the list.

Here please provide your custom package setup for the automatic-installation.





On the following page please leave the default settings

The summary page of the LinuxCOE wizard allows to preconfigure a root and user account. Click on 'Go for it' to create the automatic-installation

template.





The ISO image is created. No need to download it since it will be used for a KVM Virtual Machine installation on the openQRM server.

Go to Plugins -> Deployment -> LinuxCOE -> Template Manager and click on 'Edit'.





Now provide a description for the just created automatic-installation template.

Here the list view of the updated automatic-installation template.





Create a new KVM Virtual MachineUse openQRM's Server Wizard to add a new KVM Virtual Machine. This Wizard works in the same way for physical systems, KVM VMs, Xen VMs, Citrix

XenServer VMs, VMware VMs, LXC VMs and openVZ VMs.

Go to Datacenter -> Server -> Add a new Server

Please give a name for the new server. Easiest is to use the 'generate name' button. Also provide a useful description.

In the Resource-Selection please click on 'new resource'. A resource in openQRM is a logical generic object which is mapped to a physical system or

Virtual Machine of any type.





On the next page find a selection of different resource types to create. Please choose 'KVM (localboot) Virtual Machine'

This forwards to the KVM Host selection. Please select the openQRM server for the Virtualization Host of the VM to create





On the KVM Virtual Machine Overview please click on 'Add local VM'

In the VM add form provide a name for the new VM. Again the easiest is to use the 'generate name' button. There are lots of different parameters

which can be configured. Anyway you can go with most of the default selection. Please just make sure the first network card of the VM is connected

to the previously created bridge 'br0'





Further down the VM add form please configure the boot sequence of the VM. Select 'iso' and open the Filepicker by clicking on the 'Browse' button.

This will open a small new window listing the filesystem of the Virtualization Host. Navigate to '/linuxcoe' and select the previously created LinuxCOE

automatic-installation iso iamge. Please notice that the name of the iso image may be different in your setup.

Also please do not forget to set a VNC password to be able to connect to the VM console later. Then click on 'Submit'





Creating the new VM automatically forwards back into the server wizard with the new created resource available. Select the new resource and

'Submit'

We haven't created an Image for the Virtual Machine yet. An Image in openQRM is a logical and generic object which is mapped to the physical

volumes of different storage types. So click on 'New Image'





Adding a new Image forwards to the Image type selection. Please select 'LVM deployment for KVM volume'

In the storage server selection please select the 'openqrm-lvm' storage object





Then select the 'kvmvg' LVM volume group

In the LVM volume overview click on 'Add new logical volume'





In the LVM volume overview click on 'Add new logical volume'

Provide a name and size (in MB) for the new volume. Again the easiest is to use the 'generate name' button. Then 'Submit'





Creating the new Image automatically forwards back into the server wizard with the new created image available. Select the new image and 'Submit'

Click on 'Submit' to edit the Image parameter





This following step allows to edit further Image parameter e.g. setting a root password

The last step in the server wizard presents the full configuration and allows to further setup network, management, monitoring and deployment

configuration. Click on 'Submit' to save the server configuration.





The server overview list the new server, not yet activated. Please select the new created server and click on 'Start'

Confirm starting the server





Started the new server, now marked as 'active'. Starting the logical server object triggers to actually start the resource (the KVM VM) with the

configured Image (the LVM volume) and triggers additional automatic configuration tasks via a plugin-hook. This server start- and stop hooks are

"asking" each activated plugin if there is "some work to do". For a few examples how hooks are used in openQRM please check the list below:

The DNS plugin is using those hooks to automatically add (or remove) the server name into the managed bind serverThe Dhcpd plugin add the "hostname option" for the server to its configurationThe Nagios plugin adds/removes service checks for automatic monitoringThe Puppet plugin activates configured appliaction recipes to automatically setup and pre-configure services on the VM

Go to Plugins -> Virtualization -> KVM -> KVM VMs and select the openQRM server. In the KVM VM overview click on the 'console' button of the VM.

This opens a VNC console within your web browser

Please notice! You need to deactivate the browsers Pop-up Blocker for the openQRM website!

To start the automatic installation please type 'install' in the VNC console and press ENTER.





Go to Plugins -> Virtualization -> KVM -> KVM VMs and select the openQRM server. In the KVM VM overview click on the 'console' button of the VM.

This opens a VNC console within your web browser

Please notice! You need to deactivate the browsers Pop-up Blocker for the openQRM website!

To start the automatic installation please type 'install' in the VNC console and press ENTER.

The KVM VM is now automatically installing a Debian Linux distribution. Good time for you to grab a coffee!





Please notice! After the automatic installation via the attached LinuxCOE ISO image the VM reboots to the install screen again.

We now have to re-configure the VMs boot-sequence to 'local-boot'. To do this please follow the steps below:

stop the VM by stopping its server object - Datacenter -> Server -> Select + StopThe stop hook now halts the VM by sending a ACPI-Shutdown Signal to the VMs KVM monitor socket. Since in this stage there is nowACPI service running on the VM the stop action will "force-stop" the VM. This will result in a warning via an error event which can beignored.in Plugins -> Virtualization -> KVM -> KVM VMs select the KVM Host and update the VM to boot 'local'now start the VM again by starting its server object - Datacenter -> Server -> Select + Start

Here a screenshot of the completed Debian installation after setting the boot-sequence of the VM to 'local'

Install the 'openqrm-local-vm-client'Now it is recommended to install the 'openqrm-local-vm-client' on the fresh installed system. For local-installed Virtual Machines (e.g. kvm(local VM),

xen(local VM), lxc(local VM), openvz(local VM) which have access to the openQRM network the 'openqrm-local-vm-client' activates the plugin-client-

boot-services to allow further management functionality (e.g. application deployment with Puppet, system statistics with Collectd etc). Monitoring and

openQRM actions are still running on behalf of the VM Host.



The 'openqrm-local-vm-client' also automatically makes sure that the 'acpi-support/acpid' package is installed to enable the reboot/restart

functionalities of KVM via the VM monitor socket. To install the 'openqrm-local-vm-client' on VM please follow the steps below:

Copy the 'openqrm-local-vm-client' utility to the running VM

scp openqrm-local-vm-client [ip-address-of-the-VM]:/tmp/

Then login to the VM

ssh [ip-address-of-the-VM]

This prompts for the password which was configured in the LinuxCOE automatic-installation template. Please give the password andexecute the openqrm-local-vm-client utility

/tmp/openqrm-local-vm-client

This will automatically setup the 'openqrm-local-vm-client' in the system init and start it.


Create additional KVM VMs by cloning/snapshotting the VolumeGo to Plugins -> Virtualization -> KVM -> KVM Volumes and select the 'openqrm-lvm' storage object. Then choose the 'kvmvg' logical volume group to

get a list of all available LVM volumes.

In this view you can use the 'clone' or 'snap' action to clone or snapshot existing, installed KVM LVM Volumes. The 'clone' action creates a new logical

volume and copies the content of the origin over. Snaptshoting is using the "copy-on-write" mechanism of LVM which is much more efficient. Actually

a deployd snapshot of a KVM LVM Volume just stores the changes compared to its origin. That means that creating snapshots e.g. per user allows to

'just' store the data which is different per user.

Here the Datacenter Dashboard after we have created the KVM Virtual Machine

Add more functionalities to your openQRM SetupTo continue and further enhance your openQRM KVM Virtualization Setup there are several things to do:

Enable the puppet plugin and automatically deploy your appliactions to your serverEnable the highavailability plugin to automatically gain HA for your serverEnable the hybrid-cloud plugin to automate your Amazon EC2 and Eucalyptus deploymentsEnable the cloud plugin for a complete Self-Service deployment of your Server and Software stack to end-usersEnable further Virtualization plugins and integrate remote Virtulization hosts for a fully distributed Cloud environment


Enable further Storage and Deployment plugins to automatically provision your Virtualization Hosts and other physical systems... and more.

LinksopenQRM Community: http://www.openqrm.com/ (http://www.openqrm.com/)openQRM Project at sourceforge: http://sourceforge.net/projects/openqrm/ (http://sourceforge.net/projects/openqrm/)openQRM Enterprise: http://www.openqrm-enterprise.com/ (http://www.openqrm-enterprise.com/)openQRM at Twitter: https://twitter.com/openQRM (https://twitter.com/openQRM)openQRM at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/openQRM-Enterprise/324904179687(https://www.facebook.com/pages/openQRM-Enterprise/324904179687)LinuxCOE Project: http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/ (http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/)

http://www.openqrm.com/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/openqrm/

http://www.openqrm-enterprise.com/

https://twitter.com/openQRM

https://www.facebook.com/pages/openQRM-Enterprise/324904179687

http://linuxcoe.sourceforge.net/