Using rvirsh (command line)

Managing guests on a remote KVM host can be awkward using the standard virsh tool as you have to remember the correct --connect incantation. A local wrapper rvirsh to virsh has been written to simply things.

rvirsh <hostname> [virsh command]

Specify . for to run the virsh command on the local host. If you omit the virsh command, a virsh shell will be created on the specified KVM server.

The following assume that your guest is on the KVM host circle :-

Starting a guest (and connect to serial console)

rvirsh circle start <guest> --console

Connect to guest's serial console

rvirsh circle console <guest>

Clean shutdown

rvirsh circle shutdown <guest>

Kill a guest

rvirsh circle destroy <guest>

Modify boot order to network,hd

kvmtool setbootorder --name <guest> --host circle --bootorder network,hd

Deleting a guest

kvmtool delete --name <guest> --host circle

Note that the guest's disk image will not be deleted: add -purge if you want to delete the disk image.

Emergency reboot of a stuck guest

• rvirsh circle send-key <guest> KEY_LEFTALT KEY_SYSRQ KEY_S

• rvirsh circle send-key <guest> KEY_LEFTALT KEY_SYSRQ KEY_U

• rvirsh circle send-key <guest> KEY_LEFTALT KEY_SYSRQ KEY_B

Note that kvmtool defaults to the system hypervisor regardless of whether it is called as a normal user or root. It also accepts the shortcut --host as a way of accessing the system hypervisor on a remote host.

-- AlastairScobie - 13 Mar 2012 -- ChrisCooke - 6 Jul 2012