harry@aasterud.com
2010-Oct-29 10:36 UTC
Re: [Xen-users] In the process of deciding to virtualize, manyuncertainties
Hi all, did some more research after the tip on the USB server. Seems that none of the hardware solutions support linux VMs. However, I found one link to a free software solution, tested by a linux user, and he claims it works just fine. His story you can find here: http://www.virtualinsanity.com/index.php/2008/11/20/a-slick-usb-over-ip-solu tion-that-i-use-every-day/ The software you can find here: http://www.incentivespro.com Of course, I stumbled on my first problem: The installer tells me this: --------------------------------------------- Kernels versions 2.6.25 through 2.6.28.8 have a bug with EHCI USB controllers that leads to large memory leaks with isochronous devices like Webcams or Sound cards. If you have patched your kernel against this bug - please manually recompile the driver executing ''make USE_EHCI_FIX=n'' command. Otherwise USB Server will try to automatically walk around this bug (without guaranties) See http://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/13428/ for more information. Please do not worry about this warning if you are not going to use USB 2.0 isochronous devices on your system. ---------------------------------------------- Xenserver 5.6.0 is running on 2.6.27.42. I basically don''t know if this will be an issue for me (I am only using USB HDDs, USB printer and USB card readers), so I decided for now just to skip this recompiling message. Would be nice though if anybody can tell me if XenServer still has this bug? Second problem is when I continue with the installer I get the error "make command not found". On the Xenserver site I found information on this topic, where it is said that make is not included. http://forums.citrix.com/thread.jspa?threadID=245559 Developer kid needs to be installed. Can somebody tell me if there is another way? Like downloading cmake from the internet and compile it? If not, is there a more detailed description in how to fix this? Would be great if this software would work. The software vendor claims that it supports VMware. Regards, Harry Original Message: ----------------- From: kcobler@coblercorp.com Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:28:21 -0500 To: xen-users@lists.xensource.com Subject: Re: [Xen-users] In the process of deciding to virtualize, manyuncertainties Quoting "harry@aasterud.com" <harry@aasterud.com>:> Hi all, > > I have 2 web servers running with Raid 5 (software raid). They run centos > 5.4. No other devices attached. > > Then I have a windows 2003 server running backups on the network,including> the web servers via samba. Backup is stored on a external hard disk, > connected to the win server over USB. > > There is a fourth server running linux, that is used for general purpose > and special scripting testing. It has a USB hub connected, with 2 or more > smart card readers (type Smargo). No raid, just basic setup. > > I started testing of virtual servers with Oracle Virtualbox. The hosing OS > was windows XP pro 32 bit. The entire OS and data was encrypted with > truecrypt. Easy going, but found out the hard way that the virtualplatform> is only as safe as the host OS it is running on. Got a nasty virus, and > after 2 weeks trying to get rid of the virus, I found that this is notsafe> enough as a production server solution. > > So I reformatted the new server and installed XenServer. One of the first > things I found out was that the USB printer that I had connected did not > show on the installed Win XP VM. After doing some reading, Is this a known > problem? Also the DVD burner could read discs, and be used for installing > software on the Win XP VM, but not for burning. The external HDD connected > with USB cable was not recognized either, just as the USB pen was not > recognized. > > So I am seeking assistance... . Is PCI and USB passthrough is supported in > one of the XenServer products? By the way, my server hardware is 64 bit > compatible, how tell I XenServer to run in 64 bit, and can I run 32 bit > VM''s? > > In the mean time I am trying to anticipate any future issues. Next on my > list is to do a basic test by installing Win XP VM. Can anyone advice mein> if the know issues are going to be solved: > > - USB printer in XP VM > - HDD via USB cable visible in XP VM > - Burning DVDs on XP VM > > If this is working, next is the Linux server with the USB hub and USB > Smargo card readers. Is this supported by XenServer? > > Next will be importing the 2 Centos web servers. Is software raid > supported? Can anybody confirm this? If not, I wonder how to convert the > server to VM? I can not make an image of the entire setup including all > mirror partitions. Any suggestions? > > If raid5 is not supported, then what is the best solution to have my > servers secured against HDD failures? What is the best strategy? NormallyI> consider one server at a time, like choosing the raid type, firewall, > antivirus, etc . > > Backups are another concern. Right now I use Acronis Enterprise, but feel > that this solution is not good enough, due to the fact that I am in big > troubles when shit will hit the fan, and it will. Ive been there ;-). > Acronis is just not fool proof when it comes to securing linux servers. I > am looking for a bare metal recovery solution like R1Soft, where snapshots > are being used, and hotcopying the partitions. What is the closed I get > when using XenServer? I could consider running 2 VMware servers, and where > server 2 is a mirrored copy of server one, to ensure load balancing / > redundancy. Or is there an easier solution? Please your 2 cents. > > Last, but not least, is encryption. When using software like Truecrypt, > does XenServer allow to encrypt the entire OS and underlying data, or itit> advisable to encrypt only the VMs? >PCI passthru was difficult for me (hardware had to support it). USB passthru was limited to one device. My solution for USB in a VM environment is USB over IP device. http://www.silexamerica.com/products/usb_device_connectivity/sx-3000gb.html This device allowed me to add a USB hub to support multiple USB devices. Also the device is supported by Windows 2003/XP, etc. I also could have different devices attached to different VMs at the same time. Ken Cobler _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
kcobler@coblercorp.com
2010-Oct-29 12:10 UTC
Re: [Xen-users] In the process of deciding to virtualize, manyuncertainties
Quoting "harry@aasterud.com" <harry@aasterud.com>:> Hi all, > > did some more research after the tip on the USB server. Seems that none of > the hardware solutions support linux VMs. > > However, I found one link to a free software solution, tested by a linux > user, and he claims it works just fine. His story you can find here: > > http://www.virtualinsanity.com/index.php/2008/11/20/a-slick-usb-over-ip-solu > tion-that-i-use-every-day/ > > The software you can find here: http://www.incentivespro.com > > Of course, I stumbled on my first problem: > > The installer tells me this: > > --------------------------------------------- > > Kernels versions 2.6.25 through 2.6.28.8 have a bug with EHCI USB > controllers that leads to large memory leaks with isochronous devices like > Webcams or Sound cards. > > If you have patched your kernel against this bug - please manually > recompile the driver executing ''make USE_EHCI_FIX=n'' command. Otherwise USB > Server will try to automatically walk around this bug (without guaranties) > > See http://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/13428/ for more information. > > Please do not worry about this warning if you are not going to use USB 2.0 > isochronous devices on your system. > > ---------------------------------------------- > > Xenserver 5.6.0 is running on 2.6.27.42. I basically don''t know if this > will be an issue for me (I am only using USB HDDs, USB printer and USB card > readers), so I decided for now just to skip this recompiling message. Would > be nice though if anybody can tell me if XenServer still has this bug? > > Second problem is when I continue with the installer I get the error "make > command not found". On the Xenserver site I found information on this > topic, where it is said that make is not included. > > http://forums.citrix.com/thread.jspa?threadID=245559 > > Developer kid needs to be installed. Can somebody tell me if there is > another way? Like downloading cmake from the internet and compile it? If > not, is there a more detailed description in how to fix this? > > Would be great if this software would work. The software vendor claims that > it supports VMware. > > Regards, > > Harry > > >> if the know issues are going to be solved: >> >> - USB printer in XP VM >> - HDD via USB cable visible in XP VM >> - Burning DVDs on XP VM >> >> > My solution for USB in a VM environment is USB over IP device. > > http://www.silexamerica.com/products/usb_device_connectivity/sx-3000gb.html > > This device allowed me to add a USB hub to support multiple USB > devices. Also the device is supported by Windows 2003/XP, etc. I also > could have different devices attached to different VMs at the same time. >Since XP is supported by many USB over IP devices, there are solutions for those guest OSes. As for Linux guest OS, I would let dom0 manage the device for the Linux guests. Use Samba or NFS to mount the USB HDD to the Linux guests. Use CUPS to access USB printer on dom0 inside Linux or XP guest. Ken Cobler _______________________________________________ Xen-users mailing list Xen-users@lists.xensource.com http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users