Service management - Update guests list

Table of Contents

Description

This option allows you to add virtual machines (guests), remove, enable/disable start at server boot or change the stop order.

Add guest

Available emulated hardware is displayed based on installed packages. You can also display available hardware you can use based on your license by entering "v".

Select the emulator you want to add based on the "Available emulated hardware" list then you can then enter the name of the configuration file you previously created/edited (out of the menu) or clone (c) an existing one based on the list you can display (l).

Once cloned, the configuration file must be edited to change settings like disks, network interface(s), etc..

A check is performed to verify the same network interface and same console ports are not already used.

Once added, you can start the guest directly.

Example: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.1 server with CHARON-AXP V4.7 installed

We are now going to update the guests list and add a virtual machine:

An AlphaServer 4100 (1) will be added by cloning the as4100 configuration file template (2 & 3) to the /charon/pluto.cfg (4 & 5):

Use the 'l' option to list available configuration files and templates

Once the clone is completed, we can leave the clone utility (1 & 2 below) and use (3) and customize the newly created file (4 & 5):

 If you don't edit the file now, you won't we prompted to start the guest (virtual machine)

Using the selected editor, "as4100/pluto" configuration file can be customized:

Notes:

• 1 & 2 above: The log rotation mechanism will be used in this example. Ensure corresponding folder exist before starting the virtual machine
• 3 above: The console is defined as a virtual serial line on port 10011 (default). Ensure the port number is unique

• 4 above: The iso file will be used to install Tru64 V5.1B r2650 and the virtual disk that will be used as the system disk has to be created using the "mkdskcmd" command. Ensure the virtual disk exists before starting the virtual machine.
  Example:

  [root@rhel71 Desktop]# mkdir -p /data/disks [root@rhel71 Desktop]# mkdskcmd -o /data/disks/pluto_tru64.vdisk -d rz29 Please wait... 100% done   Success. [root@rhel71 Desktop]# ls -l /data/disks/pluto_tru64.vdisk -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 4290600960 Nov 26 15:49 /data/disks/pluto_tru64.vdisk

When leaving the editor, the guest log file name is extracted and the monitoring service is enabled (installed).

We can see below the rotating log file name (1)  and a parameter is missing in the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ens34. It does not prevent CHARON from starting but it's preferable to solve this (from a separate session) and re-edit the configuration file then leave the editor again (2):

We can now start the guest (1) and optionally have a continuous view of the log file (2):

...

The error message above is expected the first time the virtual machine is started. It tells the .bin file does not exist as it is initialized when console parameters are set

Press CTRL-C at any time to leave the log file view. The service status will then be displayed for information (this view depends on Linux distribution and version):

Press enter and enter 'q' multiple times until you reach the "Service management" menu: we can see below the service is active, meaning the emulator is running ( this does not mean "booted") and will be automatically restarted on Linux server reboot. The "Stop script" column shows the script has not been initialized meaning the guest will receive a SIGKILL signal upon stop request. This will be explained further (see Service management - Create/Edit guest stop script)

Remove guest

 Before removing a guest, you must ensure the it has been stopped. A check will automatically be performed before removal and you will be proposed to stop it. The way the guest is stopped is dependent on the "Stop script" existence and settings (see Service management - Create/Edit guest stop script)

If the guest log is monitored, you will be proposed to stop and remove the monitoring service

Example: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.1 server with CHARON-AXP V4.7 installed, virtual machine as4100/pluto installed

We are now going to remove (1) the as4100/pluto guest, currently in active state:

No stop script has been defined so this guest will be stopped (1 below) without proper shutdown (emulator process will receive a SIGKILL) and then the service status will be considered as failed:

As the guest has been deleted, the log monitoring service can also be removed (1 below):

We can now add another guest if needed (2).

You can add multiple CHARON guests on the Linux server. This is however limited by your license (available products and instances allowed) and the Linux server hardware configuration.

Enable/Disable start at server boot

Use this option if you want (default) or do not want a guest to be started at Linux server boot

By default newly added guests are started automatically at Linux server boot ( this does not mean "booted")

Example: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.1 server with CHARON-AXP V4.7 installed, virtual machine as4100/pluto installed

We are now going to prevent from the as4100/pluto guest to be started automatically (1). Once completed enter 'n' to return to the previous menu (2):

Edit guests lists (for stop order)

Use this option to change the order of managed guests using the text editor of your choice

Use with caution, do not add nor delete lines (or at your own risk)

 This option is not active for Linux systems using systemd (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and Fedora).

For Linux systems using systemd (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and Fedora), the services description files will have to be modified to add dependencies using Before= or After= for example.

For more information, see manpages: # man systemd.unit