CentOS virt - Feb 2015 - Upgrading Xen 3 on SL 5 server with CentOS 5 and SL 5

I'm dealing with an old Xen 3 server, and badly need to update it and all
the vm's on it to more contemporary operating systems.  So far, so good!

Can the Xen server on CentOS 5 para-virtualized CentOS 6? And if not, I'm
having real trouble getting a live cd or installation media to boot in full
virtualization to do the update of the guests.

I'd normally start by updating the Xen server first, but that's not
workable right now.

Nico Kadel-Garcia
Email: nkadel at gmail.com
Sent from iPhone
> On Feb 18, 2015, at 11:59, SilverTip257 <silvertip257 at gmail.com>
wrote:
> 
>> On Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 3:10 AM, C. L. Martinez <carlopmart at
gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Tue, Feb 17, 2015 at 1:43 PM, Sven Kieske <s.kieske at
mittwald.de> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > On 17/02/15 09:18, C. L. Martinez wrote:
>> >> Hi all,
>> >>
>> >> How can I stop/disable a nic in a virtual guest using a virsh
>> >> command?? I am searching the same effect like if I unplug
network
>> >> cable ... Is it possible?? I have tried with
"detach-interface"
>> >> command without luck. I don't want to remove the nic from
guest
>> >> configuration, only to stop the nic ...
>> >
>> > Depending on your network architecture you could just ifdown
>> > the vmnet, but this just works if you don't have multiple
>> > vms on one vmnet (which you shouldn't).
>> >
>> > HTH
>> >
>> > --
>> 
>> Ok, to do a ifdown of virtual bridge it seems the only option.
>> 
>> Many thanks to all for your answers.
> 
> 
> * Definitely look to Juerg Haefliger's solution.  It's exactly what
you want since you requested a method that can be done from the virsh interface.
Thanks Juerg!
> 
> 1) down the vnetX interface from the host node
>   ip link show dev vnetX
>   ip link set down vnetX
>   ip link show dev vnetX
> 
> And if using bridged networking, you have one more option.
> 2) remove the vnetX interface from the bridge
>   brctl delif <bridge_int> vnetX
> 
> Certainly downing the interface using either Juerg's solution via virsh
or mine via iproute2 tools is most ideal since it's easier/simpler to
reinstate.  You can use ifconfig if you prefer it over ip tools, but enjoy those
tools and syntax while it remains! [0]  ;-)
> 
> [0]
https://dougvitale.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/deprecated-linux-networking-commands-and-their-replacements/
> 
> -- 
> ---~~.~~---
> Mike
> //  SilverTip257  //
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> CentOS-virt at centos.org
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Sorry about the accidental bulky quoting! Boston public transit is still slow
from storms, and I'm using my phone right now.

Also, has Xen console access gotten any better for fully virtualized guests?
I've just been forcibly reminded how awkward it was to access the Linux
installation screens to manipulate kickstart setups.

Nico Kadel-Garcia
Email: nkadel at gmail.com
Sent from iPhone

On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 9:56 AM, Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel at gmail.com>
wrote:
> I'm dealing with an old Xen 3 server, and badly need to update it and
all
> the vm's on it to more contemporary operating systems.  So far, so
good!
>
> Can the Xen server on CentOS 5 para-virtualized CentOS 6? And if not,
I'm
> having real trouble getting a live cd or installation media to boot in full
> virtualization to do the update of the guests.
>
> I'd normally start by updating the Xen server first, but that's not
workable
> right now.
Following up: I've gotten full virtualization of CentOS 6 on an SL 5
Xen server by using the "virt-install" command and avoiding manual
editing of /etc/xen/ config files.

I've also been reminded, forcibly, of why I hated the "/etc/xen"
directory. The lack of distinction between a "/etc/xen/myserfer", the
example files there, and any other unqualified files there as valid
configation files means making safe backups of the files such as
"myserver.hvm" or "myserver.old" quite painful. I wound up
putting
/etc/xen/ under git source control, just for tracking changes.

On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 10:07:54AM -0500, Nico Kadel-Garcia
wrote:
> Sorry about the accidental bulky quoting! Boston public transit is still
slow from storms, and I'm using my phone right now.
> 
> Also, has Xen console access gotten any better for fully virtualized
guests? I've just been forcibly reminded how awkward it was to access the
Linux installation screens to manipulate kickstart setups.
>
I haven't had problems accessing the graphical console of PV or HVM guests.
I'm usually using virt-viewer to use the VNC console.

-- Pasi

 
> Nico Kadel-Garcia
> Email: nkadel at gmail.com
> Sent from iPhone
> _______________________________________________
> CentOS-virt mailing list
> CentOS-virt at centos.org
> http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos-virt

On Sat, 2015-02-21 at 13:20 -0500, Nico Kadel-Garcia
wrote:
> ...
> Following up: I've gotten full virtualization of CentOS 6 on an SL 5
> Xen server by using the "virt-install" command and avoiding
manual
> editing of /etc/xen/ config files.
> 
> I've also been reminded, forcibly, of why I hated the
"/etc/xen"
> directory. The lack of distinction between a "/etc/xen/myserfer",
the
> example files there, and any other unqualified files there as valid
> configation files means making safe backups of the files such as
> "myserver.hvm" or "myserver.old" quite painful. I wound
up putting
> /etc/xen/ under git source control, just for tracking changes.
  I use virsh list --all to get currently defined VMs and virsh dumpxml
<vm name> to get domain definitions.