Xen Virtualization Essentials

1. Configuring and Installating a Xen Hardware Virtual Machine (HVM) domainU Guest
   • Full Virtualization vs. Para-Virtualization
   • Checking Hardware Support for Xen Hardware Virtual Machines (HVM)
   • Preparing to Install a Xen HVM domainU Guest
   • Creating a Xen HVM Configuration File
   • Booting the HVM Guest
   • Connecting to the HVM dominU Guest Graphical Console
     
     
2. Installing and Running Windows XP or Vista as a Xen HVM domainU Guest
   • Pre-Requisites for Installing a Windows Xen Guest
   • Preparing to Install Windows
   • Preparing the Windows XP / Windows Vista for Xen HVM Installation
   • Configuring the Xen Windows Guest Configuration File
   • Starting the Xen Windows HVM Guest
     
     
3. Building a Xen Virtual Guest Filesystem on a Disk Image (Cloning Host System)
   • Xen Requirements
   • Creating a Disk Image for the Root Filesystem
   • Creating a Swap Space Disk Image
   • Cloning the Host OS on the Guest Domain
   • Creating a Xen Configuration File
   • Configuring System Files for the Guest Operating System
   • Modifying /etc/fstab for the Guest System
   • Booting the Guest OS
   • Xen Guest Boot Problems
     
     
4. Building a Xen Virtual Guest Filesystem on a Physical Disk Partition (Cloning Host System)
   • An Overview of the Xen Host and Guest Physical Disks
   • Preparing the Xen Disk Partitions
   • Creating the a Filesystem on the Xen Guest Root Partition
   • Configuring the Swap Partition for the Xen Guest System
   • Mounting the Root Filesystem
   • Cloning the Host OS on the Guest Root Partition
   • Creating a Xen Configuration File
   • Configuring System Files for the Guest Operating System
   • Modifying /etc/fstab for the Guest System
   • Booting the Guest OS
   • Xen Guest Boot Problems
     
     
5. Building a Xen Virtual Guest Filesystem using Logical Volume Management (LVM)
   • The Key Components of Logical Volume Management
   • Preparing for an LVM based Xen Guest Domain
   • Converting Physical Disks into Physical Volumes
   • Creating a Volume Group
   • Creating a Logical Volume for the Xen Guest System
   • Creating a Filesystem on the Logical Volume
   • Configuring the Swap Partition for the Xen Guest System
   • Mounting the Root Filesystem
   • Cloning the Host OS on the Guest Root Partition
   • Creating a Xen Configuration File
   • Configuring System Files for the Guest Operating System
   • Modifying /etc/fstab for the Guest System
   • Booting the Guest OS
   • Xen Guest Boot Problems
     
     
6. Building a Xen Guest Root Filesystem using yum and rpm
   • An Overview of Repository Based Installation
   • Preparing to Create a Xen Guest Root Filesystem from Repositories
   • Beginning the Installation
   • Configuring the Guest System using chroot
   • Booting the Xen Guest System
   • Xen Guest Boot Problems
     
     
7. Building a Debian or Ubuntu Xen Guest Root Filesystem using debootstrap
   • Creating the Xen Guest Root Filesystem
   • Creating Swap for the Xen Guest Domain
   • Installing the Base Ubuntu/Debian System using debootstrap
   • Configuring the root Password
   • Creating a Configuration File for the Guest Domain
   • Configuring System Files for the Guest Operating System
   • Modifying /etc/fstab for the Guest System
   • Booting the Guest OS
   • Xen Guest Boot Problems
     
     
8. Building a Xen Guest Domain using Xen-Tools
   • Getting Xen-Tools
   • Configuring Xen-Tools
   • Specifiy Xen-Tools Installation Location
   • Specifying the Xen-Tools Installation Source and Method
   • Configuring Disk Space and Memory for the Xen Guest
   • Choosing a Linux Distribution
   • Configuring Xen Guest Network Options
   • Configuring the Kernel and RAM Disk
   • Defining the Installation Source
   • Miscellaneous Settings Xen-Tools Configuration
   • Xen Guest Console Settings
   • Options Disk Drive Device Naming
   • Building the Xen Guest Images
   • Booting the Xen Guest System
     
     
9. Using QEMU Disk Images for Xen DomainU Systems
   • Creating a QEMU Disk Image for the Xen domainU
   • Installing the Guest Operating System
   • Configuring the Guest Operating System for Xen
   • Mounting QEMU Disk Image Partitions
   • pyGRUB and the Xen Configuration File
   • Booting the Xen domainU System
     
     
10. Creating and Booting a Xen Guest domainU using an NFS Mounted Root Filesystem
    • Kernel Requirements for NFS based Root Filesystems
    • Populating the Root Filesystem
    • Exporting and Mounting the Xen Guest Root Filesystem
    • Creating the Xen Configuration File for the NFS Root Filesystem
    • Booting the Xen domainU
      
      
11. Configuring a VNC based Graphical Console for a Xen Paravirtualized domainU Guest
    • What is VNC?
    • VNC Security
    • Configuring a Xen domainU for VNC Access
    • Connecting to the Guest Desktop using VNC Viewer
    • Starting a Graphical Desktop on the Xen domainU Guest
    • Establishing a Secure Remote Desktop Session
      
      
12. Running and Connecting to VNC Servers on a Xen Guest (domainU) System
    • Installing VNC on the Xen domainU Guest
    • Creating Xen domainU VNC Desktop Sessions
    • Connecting to a Xen domainU Remote Desktop
    • Configuring the Xen domainU Desktop Environment
    • Closing Down a domainU VNC Desktop Session
      
      
13. Adding Disk, CDROM and DVD Devices to a Running Xen domainU Guest System
    • Requirements for Xen domainU Block Device Attachment
    • An Overview of xm block-attach
    • Attaching a Device to a domainU Guest
    • Mounting the Device in the domainU Guest
    • Detaching a Device from the domainU Guest
      
      
14. Xen Monitoring Tools and Techniques
    • Why Monitor a Xen Environment?
    • Obtaining Xen Configuration and System Information
    • Monitoring Xen Performance with XenMon
    • Monitoring Performance with XenTop
      
      
15. Solving Common Xen Boot Problems