Table of Contents

Description

Add, remove and enable/disable auto start virtual machines (guests) at server boot.

Add guest

Available emulated hardware is displayed based on installed packages. A list of available hardware emulators can be displayed based on the attached license by entering "v".

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

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

Some checks are performed to verify the same network interface and same console ports are not already used, vdisk files if used exist or not, etc... This does not guarantee the configuration file is correct. Please refer to the corresponding CHARON product and version for configuration file details.

Once added, the guest can be started directly.

If the Charon log monitoring (global) option is set to enabled (default) in the preferences, the log monitoring service is created automatically when creating a virtual machine from menu option VM Management (add/remove VM, start, stop, console connection, ...).

Example: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.8 server with Charon-AXP V4.11 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) then use (3) and customize (4) the newly created file:

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

The editor will be asked if you did not set your favorite one in the preferences option.

Using the selected editor, here 'vim' with syntax highlighting, the configuration file can be customized:

Notes on the above example:

• 1 & 2 : The log rotation mechanism will be used in this example. Ensure the corresponding folder, here /charon/logs,  exists before starting the virtual machine
• 3 : The console is defined as a virtual serial line on port 10003 (default). Ensure the port number is unique if multiple virtual machines will run on the same server

• 4  & 5 : The iso file will be used to install Tru64 V5.1B r2650. The virtual disk that will be used as the system disk, pluto_tru64, 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

• Lines starting with "#INFO:" are comments that will be displayed when accessing the console

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

We can now start the guest. If the preferences have been set to have a continuous view of the log file, the log will be displayed:

...

...

 The error message above (white/red) 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

 The continuous log file stops itself as this was defined in the preferences: "Automatically stop continuous log view: Yes"

Press CTRL-C at any time to leave the log file view if the preference was set to not automatically stop or if the startup failed.

The "pluto" started message above, code 32C means the guest is UP and ready to be installed/booted

Enter 'q' twice to 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 started at Linux server boot ("OnBoot" column on the right side)

The "Stop script" line (see below) 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, please ensure it has been properly stopped (a check will automatically be performed before removal). The way the guest is stopped depends 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 7.8 server with Charon-AXP V4.11 installed, virtual machine as4100/pluto installed

We are now going to remove (1 & 2) the as4100/pluto guest, currently in active state:

No stop script has been defined so this guest will be stopped (see below) without proper shutdown (emulator process will receive a SIGKILL). The service status will then be considered as failed (last line in the screenshot below) and deleted:

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

Another guest can be added if needed (2).

Multiple CHARON guests can be added on the Linux server. This is however limited by the 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 7.5 server with Charon-AXP V4.9 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 like Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and CentOS 7.

For Linux systems using systemd like Red Hat Enterprise Linux/CentOS 7 & 8, the services description files will have to be modified to add dependencies using Before= or After= for example if you want to define a start and stop order.

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