xen-tools ========= * [Homepage](http://www.xen-tools.org/software/xen-tools) * Git Repository: * [at Gitorious](http://gitorious.org/xen-tools) * [at GitHub](http://github.com/xtaran/xen-tools) * [Mailing Lists](http://www.xen-tools.org/software/xen-tools/lists.html) About ----- xen-tools contains a collection of Perl scripts for working with Xen guest images under Linux. Using this software, you can easily create new [Xen](http://www.xen.org) guests configured to be accessible over the network via [OpenSSH](http://www.openssh.org/). xen-tools currently has scripts to install most releases of [Debian](http://www.debian.org/) (starting with 3.1 "Sarge") and [Ubuntu](http://www.ubuntu.com/) (starting with 6.06 LTS "Dapper") and some RPM-based distributions. On the Dom0 side all current Xen supporting distributions should work. However, currently only Debian and Ubuntu releases are tested and known to work reliably, i.e.: ### Debian * Sarge 3.1 (i386 and DomU only) * Etch 4.0 (Dom0 no more tested) * Lenny 5.0 * Squeeze 6.0 * Wheezy 7.0 * Jessie 8.0 (preliminary support as it's not yet available) * Sid (works at least at the moment of writing :-) ### Ubuntu (only DomUs tested) * Dapper Drake 6.06 * Edgy Eft 6.10 * Feisty Fawn 7.04 * Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 * Hardy Heron 8.04 (see [1][]) * Interpid Ibex 8.10 * Jaunty Jackaplope 9.04 * Karmic Koala 9.10 * Lucid Lynx 10.04 * Maverick Meerkat 10.10 * Natty Narwhal 11.04 * Oneiric Ocelot 11.10 * Precise Pangolin 12.04 * Quantal Quetzal 12.10 * Raring Ringtail 13.04 (preliminary support as it's not yet available) [1]: http://www.linux-vserver.org/Installing_Ubuntu_8.04_Hardy_as_guest "There is an issue with debootstrap on hardy not installing ksyslogd This can be fixed by chrooting into the newly installed system and removing the startup scripts." ### CentOS (only DomUs tested, pygrub support incomplete): * CentOS 5 * CentOS 6 Packages -------- xen-tools are available prepackaged in Debian (and derivates) and as source tar-ball for local installation. Installing from source should work flawlessly on most Linux systems that meet the installation requirements. Requirements ------------ To use these tools you'll need the following software: * [debootstrap](http://packages.debian.org/debootstrap) * Perl * The Perl module [Text::Template](http://search.cpan.org/dist/Text-Template/) ([Debian Package libtext-template-perl](http://packages.debian.org/libtext-template-perl)) * The Perl module [Config::IniFiles](http://search.cpan.org/dist/Config-IniFiles/) ([Debian Package libconfig-inifiles-perl](http://packages.debian.org/libconfig-inifiles-perl)) * Make, if you are not installing through a package manager You can try to install RPM-based distributions such as CentOS, or Fedora Core, but you will need a correctly installed and configured [rinse](http://packages.debian.org/rinse) package. This is currently not fully supported. If you wish to create new Xen instances which may be controlled by users via a login shell you can have a look at the (currently unmaintained) [xen-shell](http://xen-tools.org/software/xen-shell/) project. Installation ------------ As root or with sudo, execute `make instal`. See `debian/README.source` how to build the Debian package from a checked out copy of the git repository (i.e. without a source tar ball). The Scripts ----------- Here is a brief description of each included script, for more thorough documentation please consult the appropriate man page. ### xen-create-image This script is designed to create new images which may be used with the Xen hypervisor. This script performs the initial setup, then delegates the real work to a collection of helper scripts: * `xt-install-image`: Installs a distribution into a directory. * `xt-customize-image`: Run a collection of hook scripts to configure the freshly installed system. * `xt-create-xen-config`: Create a configuration file in `/etc/xen` such that Xen can boot the newly created machine. * `xt-guess-suite-and-mirror`: In case of a Debian or Ubuntu Dom0, this script tries to guess the most suitable suite and mirror for DomUs based on the Dom0's `/etc/apt/sources.list`. ### xen-create-nfs This script is similar in spirit to `xen-create-image`, but much less complex. It allows the creation of Xen guests which are diskless, mounting their root filesystem over a remote NFS-share. There are not many options to tweak, but still a useful addition to the suite. ### xen-delete-image This script will allow you to completely remove Xen instances which have previously been created by `xen-create-image`, this includes removing the storage block devices from the system, and deleting the Xen configuration file. ### xen-list-images List all the created images beneath a given root directory along with a brief overview of their setup details. ### xen-update-image This script runs "apt-get update; apt-get upgrade" for a given Xen image. #### NOTES * The image should not be running or corruption will occur! * The script should only be used for Xen instances of Debian or a Debian-derived distribution. -- The Xen-Tools Developer Team