VirtualBox 4.1.2#
I started looking at VirtualBox again, to assess it as a feasible low-cost virtualization solution.
I have been running my (2) servers on older laptops running in a closet at home. The laptops runs Ubuntu 8.04 (LTS) with an OpenVZ
kernel.
Since this is getting rather old now (almost 4 years), and every now and then you want to have something new (the only difference between a man and a box is the price of his toy) and I had some (not disclosed) issues with backups, I thought let's see if VirtualBox is any good here.
My wishlist/requirements.#
1) - (recent) Ubuntu Guest OS
2) - Easy Full Server Backup (off site)
3) - Easy re-sizing of disk images
4) - Remote console access
5) - No Graphical (X) server required
6) - Capable of running 5 guests
7) - Misc management capabilites
8) - No dependency on hardware virtualization capabilities
Resources#
The Journey#
Installation is smooth, o my testbed btw is my HP Dual Core 2GB laptop with Linux Mint 12 Lisa.
So simple installation with synaptic.
But after a couple of hours you discover that you also need the Extensions Pack, simply download and Startup VirtualBox => File => Preferences => Extensions. I needed the extensions to get VRDE to work, so I could startup a VM from the cmdline (so without a GUI) and get a VRDP session with it (using vinagre as vrdp client)
So the GUI now works fine, and we play a bit with creating VMs (Ubuntu 11.10 server), cloning, snapshot's, and this all works fine.
TIP: Use VM names without blanks
Creating and modifying a VM#
After fiddling a bit, I found the following command was good to create a VM:
VBoxManage createvm --name Ubuntu2 --ostype Linux --register
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage createvm --name Ubuntu2 --ostype Linux --register Virtual machine 'Ubuntu2' is created and registered. UUID: 9e527adc-ddc4-41b9-8b9e-9e730f8b49a1 Settings file: '/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2.vbox'
Let's see what the default attributes are after we have only created a VM, this is done with the showvminfo cmd:
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage showvminfo Ubuntu2 Name: Ubuntu2 Guest OS: Other Linux UUID: 949c6764-b229-462b-9175-57ac6e9976b8 Config file: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2.vbox Snapshot folder: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Snapshots Log folder: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Logs Hardware UUID: 949c6764-b229-462b-9175-57ac6e9976b8 Memory size: 128MB Page Fusion: off VRAM size: 8MB CPU exec cap: 100% HPET: off Chipset: piix3 Firmware: BIOS Number of CPUs: 1 Synthetic Cpu: off CPUID overrides: None Boot menu mode: message and menu Boot Device (1): Floppy Boot Device (2): DVD Boot Device (3): HardDisk Boot Device (4): Not Assigned ACPI: on IOAPIC: off PAE: off Time offset: 0 ms RTC: local time Hardw. virt.ext: on Hardw. virt.ext exclusive: on Nested Paging: on Large Pages: off VT-x VPID: on State: powered off (since 2011-12-31T12:12:45.649000000) Monitor count: 1 3D Acceleration: off 2D Video Acceleration: off Teleporter Enabled: off Teleporter Port: 0 Teleporter Address: Teleporter Password: NIC 1: MAC: 080027707CC7, Attachment: NAT, Cable connected: on, Trace: off (file: none), Type: Am79C973, Reported speed: 0 Mbps, Boot priority: 0, Promisc Policy: deny NIC 1 Settings: MTU: 0, Socket (send: 64, receive: 64), TCP Window (send:64, receive: 64) NIC 2: disabled NIC 3: disabled NIC 4: disabled NIC 5: disabled NIC 6: disabled NIC 7: disabled NIC 8: disabled Pointing Device: PS/2 Mouse Keyboard Device: PS/2 Keyboard UART 1: disabled UART 2: disabled Audio: disabled Clipboard Mode: Bidirectional VRDE: disabled USB: disabled USB Device Filters: <none> Available remote USB devices: <none> Currently Attached USB Devices: <none> Shared folders: <none> VRDE Connection: not active Clients so far: 0 Guest: Configured memory balloon size: 0 MB OS type: Linux Additions run level: 0 Guest Facilities: No active facilities.
Before you start creating things, you have to think about "how do I ever clean up the mess I created? ", so the question here is, how do I delete the VM again?
Well that can be done with the unregister subcommand:
I use the --delete option to really get rid of everything including harddisks, saved states and log files, simply I don't want to find anything of it anymore. (I reran the createvm subcommand again after deleting is.)
Now we are happy with most of the default, but a few changes would be nice, so we go to the subcommand modifyvm :
VBoxManage modifyvm Ubuntu2 --memory=256 --hwvirtex=off --hwvirtexexcl=off --vtxvpid=off --boot1=dvd --boot2=disk --boot3=none --nic1=bridged --bridgeadapter1=wlan0 --nicpromisc1=allow-all --vrde=on --vrdeport=13389
VBoxManage modifyvm Ubuntu2 --memory=256 --hwvirtex=off --hwvirtexexcl=off --vtxvpid=off --boot1=dvd --boot2=disk --boot3=none --nic1=bridged --bridgeadapter1=wlan0 --nicpromisc1=allow-all --vrde=on --vrdeport=13389
The modifyvm subcommand gives no output if it succeeds, if you want to see the result, issue the showvminfo command again.
Creating and attaching storage devices#
Now before we can boot the thing, we need a bootable ISO image, and a harddisk that can be used for installation.
I downloaded an Ubuntu 11.10 ISO in /home/metskem/iso/ubuntu-11.10-server-i386.iso.
First we have to define 2 controllers :
VBoxManage storagectl Ubuntu2 --name='IDE Controller' --add=ide --controller=PIIX4 --bootable=onVBoxManage storagectl Ubuntu2 --name='SATA Controller' --add=sata --controller=IntelAhci --bootable=on
The result with showvminfo :
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage showvminfo Ubuntu2|grep Storage Storage Controller Name (0): IDE Controller Storage Controller Type (0): PIIX4 Storage Controller Instance Number (0): 0 Storage Controller Max Port Count (0): 2 Storage Controller Port Count (0): 2 Storage Controller Bootable (0): on Storage Controller Name (1): SATA Controller Storage Controller Type (1): IntelAhci Storage Controller Instance Number (1): 0 Storage Controller Max Port Count (1): 30 Storage Controller Port Count (1): 30 Storage Controller Bootable (1): on
Now let us attach the ISO image as a DVD drive with the storageattach subcommand:
VBoxManage storageattach Ubuntu2 --storagectl='IDE Controller' --port=1 --device=1 --type=dvddrive --medium=/home/metskem/iso/ubuntu-11.10-server-i386.iso
And also this can be listed, this time with the list subcommand:
VBoxManage list dvds
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage list dvds UUID: 32feb261-654c-4562-8115-7b25e5aff798 Format: RAW Location: /home/metskem/iso/ubuntu-11.10-server-i386.iso State: created Type: readonly Usage: Ubuntu2 (UUID: df6e7d7d-3e48-43f9-8358-126a89428fe3)
And now the hard disk, but we first have to create a hard disk, that can be done with the createhd subcommand:
VBoxManage createhd --filename '/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi' --size=5000
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage createhd --filename '/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi' --size=5000 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100% Disk image created. UUID: daeb6941-e194-47ab-99a3-af74700b7e99
Watch out, this hdd is not yet "registered" with VirtualBox, you first have to attach it to a VM with the storageattach subcommand:
VBoxManage storageattach Ubuntu2 --storagectl='SATA Controller' --port=1 --device=0 --type=hdd --medium='/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi'
This command gives no output if it succeeds. You can now list the available hdds with the list subcommand:
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage list hdds UUID: daeb6941-e194-47ab-99a3-af74700b7e99 Parent UUID: base Format: VDI Location: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi State: created Type: normal Usage: Ubuntu2 (UUID: df6e7d7d-3e48-43f9-8358-126a89428fe3)
Starting the thing#
Now everything looks ready for the first boot, so use the startvm subcommand to boot :
VBoxManage startvm Ubuntu2 --type=headless
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage startvm Ubuntu2 --type=headless Waiting for VM "Ubuntu2" to power on... VM "Ubuntu2" has been successfully started.
Now to get the console, you have to use an RDP client (I used vinagre), and connect to localhost:13389, you should see a console with an Ubuntu LiveCD booting. (I had the issue that my screen was larger than the window...but this was a normal Ubuntu install and I accepted all defaults)
Removing the DVD drive#
After the installation has succeeded, we have to remove the DVD drive, so it will boot from hdd next time the VM starts.
This can be done with the modifyvm command again:
Backing up the VM#
My first idea was to simply clonevm the VM, but you cannot clone a running VM, so you would first have to stop the VM in order to clone it, not what we want.
It appears that you can make a snapshot while the machine is running and clonevm that snapshot. So:
VBoxManage snapshot Ubuntu2 take snapshot1
But here we run into a serious VirtualBox bug, and the running VM is now in a state GURU MEDITATION
But an easy workaround is to use the (not explained) --pause parameter:
So after powering down the VM ( VBoxManage controlvm Ubuntu2 poweroff ), and starting it again, we :
VBoxManage snapshot Ubuntu2 take snapshot1 --pause
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage snapshot Ubuntu2 take snapshot1 --pause 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
And you can see when you list the VM VBoxManage list --long runningvms :
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage list --long runningvms Name: Ubuntu2 Guest OS: Other Linux UUID: df6e7d7d-3e48-43f9-8358-126a89428fe3 Config file: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2.vbox Snapshot folder: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Snapshots Log folder: /home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Logs Hardware UUID: df6e7d7d-3e48-43f9-8358-126a89428fe3 Memory size: 256MB Page Fusion: off VRAM size: 8MB CPU exec cap: 100% HPET: off .......<cut>........... Guest: Configured memory balloon size: 0 MB Snapshots: Name: snapshot1 (UUID: 57ac3601-49b4-4d92-b9df-a8fba4035285) *
Now we can take a clone of this snapshot :
This takes a couple of minutes to complete :
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage clonevm Ubuntu2 --snapshot snapshot1 --options keepdisknames --name Ubuntu3 --basefolder '/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3' --register 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100% Machine has been successfully cloned as "Ubuntu3"
And we should also change the vrdeport to prevent conflicts with the other VM :
VBoxManage modifyvm Ubuntu2 --vrdeport=2338Listing what's on the file system shows :
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ find /home/metskem/VirtualBox\ VMs/
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2.vbox
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2.vbox-prev
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Logs
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Logs/VBox.log.2
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Logs/VBox.log
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Logs/VBox.log.1
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Snapshots
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Snapshots/{f2164651-5e1f-41a1-91e4-b29a6ca48786}.vdi
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Snapshots/{07ea6270-23e6-450a-8c7a-2f00821967fb}.vdi
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Snapshots/2012-01-02T17-59-06-647401000Z.sav
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3.vbox
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3/Logs
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3/Logs/VBox.log
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3/Snapshots
/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3/Ubuntu3/Snapshots/2012-01-02T17-59-06-647401000Z.sav
So, it's not a good idea to name the vdi after the VM it is attached to.
Also, you may see that the network of the cloned VM is not coming up , in that case you have to "rename" the NIC by editing /etc/network/interfaces (etho ==> eth1)
Resizing HD#
The modifyhd subcommand allows you to resize a harddisk :
VBoxManage modifyhd f1533722-250b-4bdc-8736-964bc6cbcfd7 --compact --resize 10000
metskem@gneisenau ~ $ VBoxManage modifyhd f1533722-250b-4bdc-8736-964bc6cbcfd7 --compact --resize 10000 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100% 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
After starting the VM and logging in, you can see the size of the disk has increased:
root@ubuntu:~# fdisk -l Disk /dev/sda: 15.7 GB, 15728640000 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1912 cylinders, total 30720000 sectors Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disk identifier: 0x0008fd7a Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sda1 * 2048 499711 248832 83 Linux /dev/sda2 501758 10237951 4868097 5 Extended /dev/sda5 501760 10237951 4868096 8e Linux LVM ........
Misc..#
Teleporting (Live Migration) cannot be used since this requires shared storage (which I don't have).
Summary of commands#
VBoxManage createvm --name Ubuntu2 --ostype Linux --register VBoxManage showvminfo Ubuntu2 VBoxManage unregistervm Ubuntu2 --delete VBoxManage modifyvm Ubuntu2 --memory=256 --hwvirtex=off --hwvirtexexcl=off --vtxvpid=off --boot1=dvd --boot2=disk --boot3=none --nic1=bridged --bridgeadapter1=wlan0 --nicpromisc1=allow-all --vrde=on --vrdeport=13389 VBoxManage storagectl Ubuntu2 --name='IDE Controller' --add=ide --controller=PIIX4 --bootable=on VBoxManage storagectl Ubuntu2 --name='SATA Controller' --add=sata --controller=IntelAhci --bootable=on VBoxManage storageattach Ubuntu2 --storagectl='IDE Controller' --port=1 --device=1 --type=dvddrive --medium=/home/metskem/iso/ubuntu-11.10-server-i386.iso VBoxManage list dvds VBoxManage createhd --filename '/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi' --size=5000 VBoxManage storageattach Ubuntu2 --storagectl='SATA Controller' --port=1 --device=0 --type=hdd --medium='/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu2/Ubuntu2Disk.vdi' VBoxManage startvm Ubuntu2 --type=headless VBoxManage modifyvm Ubuntu2 --boot1=disk --boot2=dvd --boot3=none VBoxManage snapshot Ubuntu2 take snapshot1 --pause VBoxManage list --long runningvms VBoxManage clonevm Ubuntu2 --options keepdisknames --name Ubuntu3 --basefolder '/home/metskem/VirtualBox VMs/Ubuntu3' --register VBoxManage modifyvm Ubuntu2 --vrdeport=2338 VBoxManage modifyhd f1533722-250b-4bdc-8736-964bc6cbcfd7 --compact --resize 10000