The VM administration tab displays an overview of the existing XenVMs and enables you to create or delete XenVMs.
> | Select Systems The VM administration tab provides information on the XenVMs which have already been configured. |
Creating new XenVM
When a XenVM is created, not only the main memory and CPUs are configured, but also virtual devices. From the viewpoint of the guest system (Linux/Windows), these devices look like real devices. To enable the guest system to recognize and use the devices configured on the XenVM, the corresponding device drivers must be installed in the guest system.
Requirements
This action is not possible if the maximum number of 64 VMs (BS2000 and XenVM) has been reached.
Before you begin to create a XenVM, the required resources should be available. The system requirements depend on the operating system which is to be installed. You must in particular ensure that a virtual disk of a sufficient size exists or can be created so that the guest system can be installed without any problem. The Data Center Edition of Windows 2008 Server requires, for example, at least 18 GB of disk storage. Before creation begins, missing resources must be configured to offer sufficient capacity, e.g. create or extend disk pool (see section "Managing virtual disks"), upload ISO image of the required operating system to the local library as an installation source (see section "Managing installation sources").
> | Click Create new XenVM. In the Create new XenVM wizard you can specify the required properties of the XenVM step by step. The wizard initiates the process of VM creation in the background and, depending on the installation type, also installation and startup of the XenVM. |
Monitoring configuration of the XenVM and error handling
When a XenVM is configured, all the resources specified in the wizard must be available at this time.
If the configured XenVM is started immediately, configuration of a XenVM is a process which can take somewhat longer depending on the resources specified (in particular main memory).
As a complete check to ensure that all the configuration data is correct and consistent only takes place in the course of this process, an error (e.g. incorrect installation source) results in the process aborting relatively quickly (aborted status on the VM installation tab), and no XenVM is configured. In this case the error message and error cause can be displayed directly in the dialog window.
However, it can occur that the configuration process starts normally (e.g. reaches the INSTALL status in the case of installation), but the configured XenVM is subsequently discarded (e.g. because of a memory bottleneck). In this case you will find no XenVM in the dialog window despite the supposed positive acknowledgment. If the XenVM is displayed in the navigation, you will also find the current status in the XenVM-specific Operation tab.
If the installation or configuration process has not reached one of the statuses ABORTED, INSTALL or FINISHED after a certain time, the monitoring function of the process is aborted with a corresponding message. You will find the current status in the logging file of the installation or configuration process (see the VM installation tab). If the XenVM is displayed in the navigation, you will also find the current status on the XenVM-specific Operation tab.
XenVM console
If the XenVM has been started, you can open the XenVM console. When installation takes place, you can then, for example, track the messages while the operating system is installed and answer queries, see section "Opening the console of the XenVM".
Deleting XenVM
This action is only available in the VM status STOPPED.
> | Click on the Delete icon by the XenVM to be deleted, specify whether the virtual disks are also to be deleted, and confirm the action. |
Depending on requirements, first the virtual disks of the XenVM are deleted. Then the XenVM is deleted.