Note: This is not totally automated yet. I need to fix several things.
Install Type
- Non-interactive
- Network boot
- Commandline
- Paravirtualized
Prerequisites
- XCP/Xenserver
- Access to Internet
- Working DHCP server
- Working DNS name resolution
Introduction
In this tutorial I create a disk, download a kernel, preseed file and install Debian Wheezy using the preseed file. This has proven very popular since you can't install a paravirtualized domain using an install disk. This has been a very nice installation howto because you don't have to download any install CD/DVDs and you could create VMs using nothing more than a commandline login. It's also very nice because it can be mirrored locally if you're doing a bunch of them just by rsyncing a Ubuntu mirror locally then downloading my files and editing them.
Note: This tutorial is designed so you can copy and paste the text inside the boxes. I don't actually type any of this in and neither should you.
1. Getting the network info
This line gets the Network UUID for xenbr0. If you're using a different bridge you will want to insert it here. Get a list of XCP networks with xe network-list. This network is connected to the outside interface. This tutorial requires there to be a DHCP server on this network answering requests and providing network access to the Internet.
NETUUID=$(xe network-list bridge=xenbr0 --minimal)
2. Creating the VM and setting parameters
Here we create a new template from the Debian Squeeze template. Then we create the VM from the new Debian template, create a network interface and add it to our network from step one. Additional settings are for configuring the install repository and specifying thepreseed file from my site. The last setting turns off VNC so we can watch the install via a text console (very important in my environment). Even if you can't see all the text below just highlight and paste. The text is there even if it's not visible.
TMPLUUID=$(xe template-list | grep -B1 'name-label.*Debian.*Squeeze.*64-bit' | awk -F: '/uuid/{print $2}'| tr -d " ") VMUUID=$(xe vm-install new-name-label="Debian Wheezy" template=${TMPLUUID}) xe vif-create vm-uuid=${VMUUID} network-uuid=${NETUUID} mac=random device=0 xe vm-param-set uuid=${VMUUID} other-config-install-repository=http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ xe vm-param-set uuid=${VMUUID} other-config:debian-release=wheezy xe vm-param-set uuid=${VMUUID} other-config:install-methods=http,cdrom,ftp,nfs xe vm-param-set uuid=${VMUUID} PV-args="netcfg/get_hostname=Wheezy debian-installer/locale=en_US console-keymaps-at/keymap=us console-setup/layoutcode=us console-setup/ask_detect=false interface=eth0 netcfg/disable_dhcp=false preseed/url=http://grantmcwilliams.com/files/preseed-debian-wheezy.cfg console=hvc0" xe vm-param-set uuid=${VMUUID} other-config:disable_pv_vnc=1
3. Starting the VM and watching the install
The VM installs without any interaction from the user at this point. It is however, nice to watch it using xenconsole. Once it's done installing it will shutdown.
If you're using XCP 1.0/1.1
xe vm-start uuid=$VMUUID
DOMID=$(xe vm-list uuid=${VMUUID} params=dom-id --minimal)
/usr/lib/xen/bin/xenconsole ${DOMID}
If you're using XCP 1.5b/1.6
xe vm-start uuid=$VMUUID ; xe console uuid=$VMUUID
4. Starting the VM and configuring settings
We need to boot the VM up again and using xenconsole log in to reset the finish configuration.
If you're using XCP 1.0/1.1
xe vm-start uuid=$VMUUID
DOMID=$(xe vm-list uuid=${VMUUID} params=dom-id --minimal)
/usr/lib/xen/bin/xenconsole ${DOMID}
If you're using XCP 1.5b/1.6
xe vm-start uuid=$VMUUID
xe console uuid=$VMUUID
Now that your Debian Wheezy VM is running you can login. The password was automatically set by the preseed file.
- Username: debian
- Password: password
Reset the ubuntu users password. If you want to keep the IP assignment dynamic note the ip address.
5. Shutting down the VM and re-enabling VNC
If you're going to use XVP or some other method of connecting to the VMs direct VNC connection you'll need to enable it.
xe vm-shutdown uuid=$VMUUID
xe vm-param-remove uuid=${VMUUID} other-config:disable_pv_vnc
xe vm-start uuid=$VMUUID
7. Export our VM for safe keeping
Before you start modifying the base Debian Wheezy image you should back it up.
xe vm-export uuid=$VMUUID filename=DebianWheezy-base.xva
Be aware that you may not have enough space on the Control Domain's disk to export it. A good solution (and shorter than explaining how to add disks to the control domain) is to mount an nfs volume and export it there.
mount nfsserver:/share /media/share
xe vm-export uuid=$VMUUID filename=/media/share/DebianWheezy-base.xva
This would mount the NFS share on nfsserver to /media/share. The exported disk would be saved on the NFS share.