Xen devel - Jun 2007 - Question regarding XenSouce disk format

Hi,
I am looking at the specifications on the file used to store hard disks when
virtual machines are created.

For e.g VHD for Microsoft and VMDK for VMware. These formats have some
specifications detailing the structure of the file/disk.

However I not able to find the corresponding format for XenSource.

Also I read several articles indicating that XenSource has licensed VHD
format for it 3.0 enterprise server. Does this mean that the image files
created will be same as VHD files created by Microsoft''s Virtual PC?
Will
these files have the .vhd extension and can they be directly used with
Microsoft''s VPC player?

Thanks in advance.

Parag Shah


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Hi there,

First off, this list deals mainly with the Open Source release of Xen.  This 
is not the same as XenSource''s commercial products, although they share
a
common foundation.  Thus people here tend to only know about the open source 
codebase, not about Xen{Express,Server,Enterprise}
> I am looking at the specifications on the file used to store hard disks
> when virtual machines are created.
>
> For e.g VHD for Microsoft and VMDK for VMware. These formats have some
> specifications detailing the structure of the file/disk.
>
> However I not able to find the corresponding format for XenSource.
The open source Xen uses either "raw" hard disk files (i.e. just a
file with
the contents of the guest''s hard disk in - no metadata) or can (I
think) now
use the qcow format also used by qemu.

It may sometimes use separate files for each partition the guest uses, rather 
than just a single file for the whole virtual disk.
> Also I read several articles indicating that XenSource has licensed VHD
> format for it 3.0 enterprise server. Does this mean that the image files
> created will be same as VHD files created by Microsoft''s Virtual
PC? Will
> these files have the .vhd extension and can they be directly used with
> Microsoft''s VPC player?
This I don''t really know about, since I''m not familiar with
the XenSource
product.  The forums on XenSource''s website might be able to help you
more
with this.

I should think they would at least be able to import/export against this 
format.  Qemu provides tools for manipulating (and, I think, converting 
between) VMware''s, MS''s, and its own virtual disk formats.

Cheers,
Mark

-- 
Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?  And no pedals!
Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a skateboard?
Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
Mark: My wheel has a wheel!

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