version 1.77, 2015/01/17 01:36:44
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version 1.91, 2015/03/04 01:32:16
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Line 92 reasonable although trailing-edge choice
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Line 92 reasonable although trailing-edge choice
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xenkernel42 provides Xen 4.2. This is maintained by Xen, but old as |
xenkernel42 provides Xen 4.2. This is maintained by Xen, but old as |
of 2014-12. |
of 2014-12. |
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xenkernel45 provides Xen 4.5. This is new to pkgsrc as of 2015-01 and |
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not yet recommended for other than experimental/testing use. |
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Ideally newer versions of Xen will be added to pkgsrc. |
Ideally newer versions of Xen will be added to pkgsrc. |
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Note that NetBSD support is called XEN3. It works with 3.1 through |
Note that NetBSD support is called XEN3. It works with Xen 3 and Xen |
4.2 because the hypercall interface has been stable. |
4 because the hypercall interface has been stable. |
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Xen command program |
Xen command program |
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------------------- |
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Early Xen used a program called "xm" to manipulate the system from the |
Early Xen used a program called xm to manipulate the system from the |
dom0. Starting in 4.1, a replacement program with similar behavior |
dom0. Starting in 4.1, a replacement program with similar behavior |
called "xl" is provided. In 4.2 and later, "xl" is preferred. 4.4 is |
called xl is provided, but it does not work well in 4.1. In 4.2, both |
the last version that has "xm". |
xm and xl work fine. 4.4 is the last version that has xm. You must |
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choose one or the other, because it affects which daemons you run. |
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NetBSD |
NetBSD |
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------ |
Line 138 running an i386 NetBSD kernel as a domU,
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Line 142 running an i386 NetBSD kernel as a domU,
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(Note that emacs (at least) fails if run on i386 with PAE when built |
(Note that emacs (at least) fails if run on i386 with PAE when built |
without, and vice versa, presumably due to bugs in the undump code.) |
without, and vice versa, presumably due to bugs in the undump code.) |
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Stability |
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--------- |
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Mostly, NetBSD as a dom0 or domU is quite stable. |
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However, there are some open PRs indicating problems. |
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- [PR 48125](http://gnats.netbsd.org/48125) |
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- [PR 47720](http://gnats.netbsd.org/47720) |
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Note also that there are issues with sparse vnd(4) instances, but |
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these are not about Xen. |
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Recommendation |
Recommendation |
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-------------- |
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Line 340 to configure the dom0 tools. The daemon
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Line 356 to configure the dom0 tools. The daemon
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with Xen version and with whether one is using xm or xl. Note that |
with Xen version and with whether one is using xm or xl. Note that |
xend is for supporting "xm", and should only be used if you plan on |
xend is for supporting "xm", and should only be used if you plan on |
using "xm". Do NOT enable xend if you plan on using "xl" as it will |
using "xm". Do NOT enable xend if you plan on using "xl" as it will |
cause problems. |
cause problems. Running xl without xencommons=YES (and starting it) |
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will result in a hang (so don't do that; follow the HOWTO!). |
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The installation of NetBSD should already have created devices for xen |
The installation of NetBSD should already have created devices for xen |
(xencons, xenevt), but if they are not present, create them: |
(xencons, xenevt), but if they are not present, create them: |
Line 368 For 4.2 with xm, add to rc.conf
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Line 385 For 4.2 with xm, add to rc.conf
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xencommons=YES |
xencommons=YES |
xend=YES |
xend=YES |
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For 4.2 with xl (preferred), add to rc.conf: |
For 4.2 with xl, add to rc.conf: |
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xencommons=YES |
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TODO: explain if there is a xend replacement |
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For 4.5 (and thus with xl), add to rc.conf: |
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xencommons=YES |
xencommons=YES |
TODO: explain if there is a xend replacement |
TODO: explain if there is a xend replacement |
Line 376 For 4.2 with xl (preferred), add to rc.c
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Line 398 For 4.2 with xl (preferred), add to rc.c
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TODO: Recommend for/against xen-watchdog. |
TODO: Recommend for/against xen-watchdog. |
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After you have configured the daemons and either started them (in the |
After you have configured the daemons and either started them (in the |
order given) or rebooted, run the following (or use xl) to inspect |
order given) or rebooted, use xm or xl to inspect Xen's boot messages, |
Xen's boot messages, available resources, and running domains: |
available resources, and running domains. An example with xm follows: |
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# xm dmesg |
# xm dmesg |
[xen's boot info] |
[xen's boot info] |
Line 387 Xen's boot messages, available resources
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Line 409 Xen's boot messages, available resources
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Name Id Mem(MB) CPU State Time(s) Console |
Name Id Mem(MB) CPU State Time(s) Console |
Domain-0 0 64 0 r---- 58.1 |
Domain-0 0 64 0 r---- 58.1 |
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With xl, the commands are the same, and the output may be slightly |
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different. TODO: add example output for xl before the xm example, |
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after confirming on 4.2 and resolving the TODO about rc.conf. |
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### Issues with xencommons |
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xencommons starts xenstored, which stores data on behalf of dom0 and |
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domUs. It does not currently work to stop and start xenstored. |
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Certainly all domUs should be shutdown first, following the sort order |
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of the rc.d scripts. However, the dom0 sets up state with xenstored, |
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and is not notified when xenstored exits, leading to not recreating |
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the state when the new xenstored starts. Until there's a mechanism to |
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make this work, one should not expect to be able to restart xenstored |
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(and thus xencommons). There is currently no reason to expect that |
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this will get fixed any time soon. |
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anita (for testing NetBSD) |
anita (for testing NetBSD) |
-------------------------- |
-------------------------- |
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With the setup so far, one should be able to run anita (see |
With the setup so far (assuming 4.2/xl), one should be able to run |
pkgsrc/sysutils/py-anita) to test NetBSD releases, by doing (as root, |
anita (see pkgsrc/misc/py-anita) to test NetBSD releases, by doing (as |
because anita must create a domU): |
root, because anita must create a domU): |
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anita --vmm=xm test file:///usr/obj/i386/ |
anita --vmm=xl test file:///usr/obj/i386/ |
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Alternatively, one can use --vmm=xl to use xl-based domU creation instead. |
Alternatively, one can use --vmm=xm to use xm-based domU creation |
TODO: check this. |
instead (and must, on Xen <= 4.1). TODO: confirm that anita xl really works. |
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Xen-specific NetBSD issues |
Xen-specific NetBSD issues |
-------------------------- |
-------------------------- |
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Line 472 correct set of daemons. Ensure that the
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Line 510 correct set of daemons. Ensure that the
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for the new version. |
for the new version. |
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Running Xen under qemu |
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---------------------- |
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The astute reader will note that this section is somewhat twisted. |
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However, it can be useful to run Xen under qemu either because the |
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version of NetBSD as a dom0 does not run on the hardware in use, or to |
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generate automated test cases involving Xen. |
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In 2015-01, the following combination was reported to mostly work: |
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host OS: NetBSD/amd64 6.1.4 |
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qemu: 2.2.0 from pkgsrc |
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Xen kernel: xenkernel42-4.2.5nb1 from pkgsrc |
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dom0 kernel: NetBSD/amd64 6.1.5 |
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Xen tools: xentools42-4.2.5 from pkgsrc |
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See [PR 47720](http://gnats.netbsd.org/47720) for a problem with dom0 |
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shutdown. |
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Unprivileged domains (domU) |
Unprivileged domains (domU) |
=========================== |
=========================== |
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Line 532 domain, and see if it has finished stopp
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Line 589 domain, and see if it has finished stopp
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xm console foo |
xm console foo |
xm create -c foo |
xm create -c foo |
xm shutdown foo |
xm shutdown foo |
xm list |
xm list |
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Typing ^] will exit the console session. Shutting down a domain is |
Typing ^] will exit the console session. Shutting down a domain is |
equivalent to pushing the power button; a NetBSD domU will receive a |
equivalent to pushing the power button; a NetBSD domU will receive a |
Line 592 create an empty 4G virtual disk, simply
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Line 649 create an empty 4G virtual disk, simply
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dd if=/dev/zero of=foo-xbd0 bs=1m count=4096 |
dd if=/dev/zero of=foo-xbd0 bs=1m count=4096 |
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Do not use qemu-img-xen, because this will create sparse file. There |
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have been recent (2015) reports of sparse vnd(4) devices causing |
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lockups, but there is apparently no PR. |
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With the lvm style, one creates logical devices. They are then used |
With the lvm style, one creates logical devices. They are then used |
similarly to vnds. TODO: Add an example with lvm. |
similarly to vnds. TODO: Add an example with lvm. |
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Line 669 shutdown, in rc.conf add:
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Line 730 shutdown, in rc.conf add:
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xendomains="foo bar" |
xendomains="foo bar" |
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TODO: Explain why 4.1 rc.d/xendomains has xl, when one should use xm |
Note that earlier versions of the xentools41 xendomains rc.d scripth |
on 4.1. Or fix the xentools41 package to have xm |
usd xl, when one should use xm with 4.1. |
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Creating specific unprivileged domains (domU) |
Creating specific unprivileged domains (domU) |
============================================= |
============================================= |
Line 941 TODO: add link to NetBSD amazon howto.
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Line 1002 TODO: add link to NetBSD amazon howto.
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Using npf |
Using npf |
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--------- |
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In standard kernels, npf is a module, and thus cannot be loadeed in a |
In standard kernels, npf is a module, and thus cannot be loaded in a |
DOMU kernel. |
DOMU kernel. |
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TODO: explain how to compile npf into a custom kernel, answering (but |
TODO: explain how to compile npf into a custom kernel, answering (but |