SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

We tested the instructions using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Service Pack 2.

We use the term Host Machine to refer to machines where Virtual Machines will be running. We use the term Management Machine to refer to the machine where Convirt will run to manage all the Host Machines. In the simplest case of just one computer, the Management Machine is also the Host Machine.

Setup the Management Machine

Under Construction.

Install dependent packages on the machine to run Convirt

1. pycairo
2. pycrypto
3. paramiko
4. vte
5. net-misc/socat

Download and unpack convirt

Setup KVM on the Host Machines (SLES)

Ensure sshd (SSH Daemon) is running, unless the Host Machine is the localhost.

sudo rc-update add sshd default

Install KVM

Reboot is necessary to reload the new kernel.

reboot

Start KVM

1. sudo /sbin/modprobe kvm
2. sudo /sbin/modprobe kvm-intel

Verify KVM Setup

To make sure you are using the right KVM

sudo kvm | head -n1

Should see something like QEMU PC emulator ... (kvm-7x)

sudo lsmod | grep kvm
sudo modinfo kvm

Should also show kvm-7x.

Test KVM Setup by create a disk image

kvm-img create -f qcow2 vdisk.qcow2 10G

Run KVM manually. Note: -net nic -net user may be necessary for network access

sudo kvm -hda vdisk.qcow2 -m 1024 -cdrom path-to-an-iso-file -net nic -net user

Other Steps

Convirt uses /dev/cdrom by default. Gentoo uses /dev/cdrom1 etc by default. Link your cdrom device, e.g. /dev/cdrom1 to /dev/cdrom

sudo ln -s /dev/cdrom1 /dev/cdrom

Troubleshoort KVM Setup Issues

If you see

open /dev/kvm: No such file or directory
Could not initialize KVM, will disable KVM support

That means either

• KVM was not compiled as modules
• KVM was not loaded into the kernel via modprobe kvm and modprobe kvm-intel
• Didn't run kvm as root, or as a user who has read/write access to /dev/kvm

Start Convirt on the Management Machine

cd convirt-0.9.5
sudo ./Convirt   # managing localhost and remote hosts via SSH, or
./Convirt        # managing remote host via SSH.