LibVirt¶

KVM Virtual Machines¶

Build a Linux machine¶

Linux Machine¶

virt-install \
   --connect qemu:///system \
   --virt-type kvm \
   --name testkvm \
   --memory 2048 \
   --disk /media/KVM/pool/testkvm.qcow,format=qcow2,size=10 \
   --cdrom /media/source/pool/template/iso/debian-12.1.0-amd64-netinst.iso \
   --network bridge=vmbr1 \
   --graphics vnc \
   --os-type linux \
   --os-variant debiantesting

Build a Windows machine¶

Windows 7 Machine¶

virt-install \
   --connect qemu:///system \
   --virt-type kvm \
   --name UESX01 \
   --memory 4096 \
   --disk /media/KVM/pool/uesx01.qcow,format=qcow2,size=60 \
   --cdrom /media/source/pool/template/iso/Windows.7.SP1.ENG.x86-x64.ACTiVATED.iso \
   --network bridge=vmbr1 \
   --graphics spice \
   --os-variant=win7

Windows 10 Machine¶

virt-install \
   --connect qemu:///system \
   --virt-type kvm \
   --name UESX02 \
   --memory 4096 \
   --disk /media/KVM/pool/uesx02.qcow,format=qcow2,size=60 \
   --cdrom /media/source/pool/template/iso/Win10_22H2_English_x64v1.iso \
   --network bridge=vmbr1 \
   --graphics spice \
   --os-variant=win10

Import Disk¶

virt-install  \
  --name demo  \
  --memory 512 \
  --disk /home/user/VMs/mydisk.img \
  --import

Import Windows Machine with session : Refer to session configuration¶

virt-install --connect qemu:///session \
   --virt-type kvm
   --name integradb
   --memory 4096
   --disk /media/KVM/elph-pool/db_gst_apr_2025.qcow2
   --import
   --network bridge=vmbr0
   --osinfo detect=on,require=off

Server¶

virt-install --connect qemu:///system
   --name vmname
   --memory 49152
   --boot uefi
   --machine q35
   --disk /home/elph/kvm/elph-pool/gst/disk.qcow2
   --import
   --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi,driver.iommu=on
   --controller type=virtio-serial,driver.iommu=on
   --rng /dev/random,driver.iommu=on
   --memballoon driver.iommu=on
   --vcpus 16
   --network bridge=vmbr0,model=virtio,driver.iommu=on
   --graphics spice
   --graphics vnc
   --os-info win2k19

localtion¶

virt-install --virt-type kvm --name bookworm-amd64 \
   --location https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/bookworm/main/installer-amd64/ \
   --os-variant debian12 \
   --disk size=10 --memory 1024

virt-install --connect qemu:///system --name optimainv --memory 4096 --machine q35 --disk /home/elph/kvm/elph-pool/gst/gst_optimainv.qcow2 --import --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi,driver.iommu=on --controller type=virtio-serial,driver.iommu=on --rng /dev/random,driver.iommu=on --memballoon driver.iommu=on  --vcpus 4 --network bridge=vmbr0,model=virtio,driver.iommu=on,mac.address=52:54:00:fb:ea:cc --graphics spice --graphics vnc --osinfo debian11

virt-install --connect qemu:///system --name proxy --memory 4096 --machine q35 --vcpus 6 --boot uefi --disk /home/elph/kvm/elph-pool/gst/gst_proxy.qcow2,size=60 --cdrom https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.10.0-amd64-netinst.iso --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi,driver.iommu=on --controller type=virtio-serial,driver.iommu=on --rng /dev/random,driver.iommu=on --memballoon driver.iommu=on  --network bridge=vmbr0,model=virtio,driver.iommu=on --video qxl --graphics spice --graphics vnc --os-variant debiantesting

virt-install --connect qemu:///system --name proxy --memory 4096 --machine q35 --vcpus 6 --boot uefi --disk /home/elph/kvm/elph-pool/gst/gst_proxy.qcow2,size=60 --cdrom https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.10.0-amd64-netinst.iso --controller type=scsi,model=virtio-scsi,driver.iommu=on --controller type=virtio-serial,driver.iommu=on --rng /dev/random,driver.iommu=on --memballoon driver.iommu=on  --network bridge=vmbr0,model=virtio,driver.iommu=on --video qxl --graphics spice --graphics vnc --os-variant debiantesting

Debian 12 iso¶

https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-12.10.0-amd64-netinst.iso

https://debian.osuosl.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-amd64/

Setup Tunnel¶

ssh elph@akbal.hbues.net -f -N  -L *:5900:localhost:5900  -L *:5901:localhost:5901  -L *:5902:localhost:5902 -L *:5903:localhost:5903

Note

https://192.200.100.162:9090/machines user : usr pass : pass ssh elph@192.200.100.162 -f -N -L *:5900:localhost:5900 -L *:5901:localhost:5901 -L *:5902:localhost:5902 -L *:5903:localhost:5903 insstallar spicy: sudo apt install spice-client-gtk connectar: spicy -h localhost -p 5900

connect sshfs¶

# Create a group
# add users to group
# add dir to group
# add user_allow_other to /etc/fuse.conf
# connect

sudo sshfs -o allow_other,idmap=user baizabal@utah.netdynamics24.com:/home/baizabal/gst/ /media/source/backup/

Machine Management¶

List Machines¶

virsh -c qemu:///system list --all
 Id Name                 State
----------------------------------
  8 testkvm              shut off

Start a Machine¶

virsh -c qemu:///system start testkvm
Domain testkvm started

Get Connection info¶

virsh -c qemu:///system vncdisplay testkvm
127.0.0.1:0

Note

Other available virsh subcommands include:

reboot to restart a virtual machine;
shutdown to trigger a clean shutdown;
destroy, to stop it brutally;
suspend to pause it;
resume to unpause it;
autostart to enable (or disable, with the #.#.disable option) starting the virtual machine automatically when the host starts;
undefine to remove all traces of the virtual machine from libvirtd.

All these subcommands take a virtual machine identifier as a parameter.

Full deletion¶

virsh -c qemu:///system undefine testkvm --remove-all-storage --delete-snapshots

Connect to Machine¶

Note

this connection should be automatically started. If not, or if we operate remotely, virt-viewer can be run from any graphical environment to open the graphical console (note that the root password of the remote host is asked twice because the operation requires 2 SSH connections):

virt-viewer --connect qemu+ssh://root@server/system testkvm
root@server's password:
root@server's password:

Local connection¶

virt-viewer --connect qemu:///system UESX01

Create Storage Pool¶

# create pool
virsh pool-define-as --name kvm --type dir --target /path/to/pool/ --build
# init pool
virsh pool-start kvm
# set autostart
virsh pool-autostart kvm

Temporal Source¶

virsh pool-create-as srv-kvm dir --target /media/KVM/pool/

Last update: Jun 03, 2025