Dear virt list
I have some virtual machines running on my notebook under VMWare 6.5.2 64 bit that I would like to move to a current 64 bit CentOS 5.3 machine with a current Intel Xeon processor. The virtual machines do use the GUI, e.g. they are not text only.
Is it better to use VMware server or Xen?
If using Xen, do I have to convert the images?
Regards,
Peter
On 07/10/2009 08:34 PM, Peter Hopfgartner wrote:
Dear virt list
I have some virtual machines running on my notebook under VMWare 6.5.2 64 bit that I would like to move to a current 64 bit CentOS 5.3 machine with a current Intel Xeon processor. The virtual machines do use the GUI, e.g. they are not text only.
Is it better to use VMware server or Xen?
"better" depends strictly on your needs and expertise. It's simpler to go the vmware server way, since all you have to do is to install the vmware-server rpm and register the existing VMs with it. By coincidence I've done exactly that 2 days ago. OTOH, xen is supported by the centos [and the wider linux] community , vmware is supported by others. Choose your poison :)
If using Xen, do I have to convert the images?
Yes, you do. Most probably you'll need to play at least with vmware-vdiskmanager
Hi Peter,
Am Freitag, den 10.07.2009, 19:34 +0200 schrieb Peter Hopfgartner:
Is it better to use VMware server or Xen?
As i can say both vm solutions works just fine. I use xen at home for "private pleasure"and cant say any worse about it. Vmware runs in the company i work. vmware in my opinion only wins if you can use vcenter and ESX Server. But at least its just a "weapon of choice".
If using Xen, do I have to convert the images?
Take a look at http://wiki.xensource.com/xenwiki/VMDKImage i never done it but it schould work as it seems
Best wishes
Joerg
To begin: No "problem" per se at the moment. And thank you all for the tips and information on this list.
If no one objects I would like to promote myself from "newb with scars" to "clueless duffer."
I need to move forward on my builds and I have some xm dmesg items unresolved or misunderstoo.
I have 2 domU's loaded, both CentOS 5.3, one as image, one as LVM blocks. SELinux is On and Enforced in domUs (not yet in dom0). Apparently all is currently stable.
Xen version 3.1.2-128.1.16.el5 domO = CentOS 5.3 current Hardware = TYAN S2912G2NR mobo, AMD 2 x 2212, WD VelicoRaptors in Raid1
1) Are the below messages benign? I have read all over the place and they are quoted in immediate lockup or failure to boot situations. I have had not had a lockup or crash (after cleaning up the domU confs and services, zeroing hwclocks, etc.) in days.
(XEN) ioapic_guest_write: apic=0, pin=2, old_irq=-1, new_irq=0 (XEN) ioapic_guest_write: old_entry=00010000, new_entry=000009f0 (XEN) ioapic_guest_write: Installing bogus unmasked IO-APIC entry! (XEN) mm.c:649:d1 Error getting mfn 25654 (pfn 5555555555555555) from L1 entry 0000000025654025 for dom1 (XEN) mm.c:3327:d1 ptwr_emulate: fixing up invalid PAE PTE 0000000025654025 (XEN) mm.c:625:d2 Non-privileged (2) attempt to map I/O space 000cba6b (XEN) mm.c:3327:d2 ptwr_emulate: fixing up invalid PAE PTE 00000000cba6b025
2) I went back to HPET because there seems no harm/difference. Does this XM DMESG indicate Xen is "fixing" it, or do I have a loose end:
with HPET On (current state):
(XEN) ENABLING IO-APIC IRQs (XEN) -> Using new ACK method (XEN) Platform timer overflows in 8589 jiffies. (XEN) Platform timer is 25.000MHz HPET
with HPET Off:
(XEN) ENABLING IO-APIC IRQs (XEN) -> Using new ACK method (XEN) ..MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC (XEN) works. (XEN) Platform timer overflows in 2 jiffies. (XEN) Platform timer is 1.193MHz PIT
Is HPET On and not setting clock to Jiffies going to bite me at some point?
3) I have been using the Apache ab "stress test" up to the edge of where I get cut off with synflood protection. My Xen servers will be primarily web applications and WAN services. When I first started test with ab I was able to provoke "Time goes backwards" reactions. I tweaked Xen and now I cannot crash or panic anything.
Is stress testing with ab an appropriate test for my environment and I can feel a bit more confident and move forward on my build?
Peter Hopfgartner wrote:
Dear virt list
I have some virtual machines running on my notebook under VMWare 6.5.2 64 bit that I would like to move to a current 64 bit CentOS 5.3 machine with a current Intel Xeon processor. The virtual machines do use the GUI, e.g. they are not text only.
Is it better to use VMware server or Xen?
If using Xen, do I have to convert the images?
Regards,
Peter
1: you can not run XEN and VMWare server at the same time. VMWare refuses to install with a XEN-enabled kernel. 2: A How-To for migrating CentOS images is at http://www.funkypenguin.info/tutorial/how-to-convert-a-centos-5-vmware-image...
Will try it next week.
Peter
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Ben Montanelli -
Joerg Stephan -
Manuel Wolfshant -
Peter Hopfgartner