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Seems like 2.6.29 will be the first vanilla kernel supporting “pv_ops” in Dom0. Base platform to start the test was Ubuntu Intrepid Server (64-bit) with Ubuntu Desktop installed via tasksel. Packages required by Xen have been installed: openssl,x11,gettext,python-devel.

The root cause for port mentioned above to run 64-bit Solaris 10U6 HVM on SMP box with several vcpus. Install openssl,x11,gettext,python-devel packages required by Xen and bcc&libc6-dev-i386 via Synaptic Manager.The last two packages are needed to compile “hvmloader” and related binaries.

My experience with F10 PV DomU installs via profiles,described in details at recent post Xen 3.3.1rc1-pre port to CentOS 5.2 via http://bits.xensource.com mercurial repos and managing PV DomUs in graphical mode was negative, in regards of not providing an option to utilize local HTTP Mirror (NFS Share).Installer above just activated Xen Ethernet Interface at DomU and with no prompts addressed to Fedora's Internet Repositories,

As appears debootstrap RPM developed for Fedora 9 works fine at Xen 3.3.1 CentOS 5.2 Dom0 and provide an option to create Intrepid Server PV Guest via debootstrapped Ubuntu’s image in RH’s Xen Dom0 environment. Install F9’s rpm then debootstrap would understand non Ubuntu Environment.

I would also name this post xen-image-create&debootstrap vs python-vm-builder in regards of pre-building Xen Guests at Ubuntu Intrepid Server.View Bug #311943 at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu for details. Install Intrepid Server Dom0 with Novell’s Xen-ified kernel, enabling Dom0 and DomU support at a time. Tune xen-tools scripts and create Intrepid PV DomU. Actually, images been created via xen-create-image allow to upgrade DomU to real Intrepid Server PV DomU

This posting, in general, follows up Clayton Shepard's “Howto Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex 8.10 Xen Dom0". However, several things went different. First, i had to disable XFS Support building Novell’s kernel, otherwise build just failed with error. Second, i still had to comment out "xen" bridging initiated via /etc/xen/xend-config.sxp and manually add the bridge to /etc/network/interfaces configuration file. I didn’t take care of "xvc0" and used virtual frame buffer when tested CentOS 5.2 PV DomU and Ubuntu Intrepid Server HVM and PV DomUs at Xen 3.3.0 Intrepid Server Dom0 based on Novell's kernel

Attempting to reproduce How-To: Run Xen in Ubuntu Intrepid without compiling a Kernel by yourself from blog Chris’ World , i had to disable any xen bridge definitions inside /etc/xen/xend-config.sxp and manually add the bridge to /etc/network/interfaces configuration file. Otherwise, i wouldn’t be able get xen-bridging network running with debian 2.6.26-1-xen-amd64 kernel under Xen 3.3 Interpid Hypervisor installed on the system via Synaptic Manager.

Been creating Intrepid (lbex) HVM image,supposed to be loaded as PV DomU, i’ve got an issue with default LVM partitioning been done by Ubuntu Intrepid Server. Image been created may be easily loaded at Xen 3.3.X Dom0 via traditional xm-profile by not via “pygrub” or “pv-grub”, expecting /boot partition not of LVM’s type. Up on creating Intrepid HVM image, boot partition and LVM , containing “/” filesystem and swap partition have been setup

Xen 3.3.1-RC3 contains fix for bug SMP 64bit Solaris10u5 cause Xen crash RC3 & RC4 handle running mentioned 64-bit HVM with 2 vcpus (C2D box) , what causes openSUSE 11.1 Xen Host to reboot . Xen 3.3.1 openSUSE 11.1 host may run 64-bit S10U6 HVM with vcpus=1 only. Current build of Solaris Nevada (104) also allows only 1 vcpu for 64-bit S10U6 HVM Guest.

Recently Fred Oliver suggested an interesting patches to install Ubuntu Intrepid Server PV DomU at opensolaris 2008.11 (xvm 3.1.4) Dom0 on AMD Opteron based boxes, but not Intel. It appears that well known workaround helping to install mentioned PV DomU at Xen 3.3 Linux Dom0s may be successfully used to apply Fred's patches on Core2Duo based boxes without any virt-install involvement. In general, same technique should work also for RHEL 5.1 , F8 native Dom0s ( xen bits 3.1.2)

The most recent "Howto" mentioned in headline has been published about one week or latter then another one Installing Opensolaris 2008.11 RC2 on a Linux (RedHat/Centos) dom0

Notice that installation Ubuntu HVM and runtime performance at opensolaris 2008.11 Dom0 is extremely low versus same HVM perfomance at Xen 3.3.1 openSUSE 11.1 Dom0 on the same box with C2D E8400 and 8 GB RAM. Actually, Linux as well as Nevada HVM DomUs demonstrate very low performance even been installed on zvols. Paravirtual DomUs behave at opensolaris 2008.11 absolutely normal been installed on zvol’s images.

My primary target was testing xVM performance at opensolaris 2008.11(based on 101b Nevada build). Solaris Nevada works smoothly with images located on UFS and zpools.Opensolaris 2008.11 requires only zpools as image devices for Xen Guests to be installed in reasonable time.I believe it's a known issue caused by ZFS. From my standpoint the most impressive UI feature is Package Manager. It's really helpful.

During installation phase we would have to drop to shell and undertake some special actions to prepare runtime profile.Pygrub won’t be able to load DomU utilizing ZFS based image. In particular, ZFS-ID of boot environment will be obtained to compose extra line in runtime profile.

Install Xen Server package and booting openSUSE 11.1 RC1 Dom0 went pretty smoothy, however attempt to start vm-install either via YAST command center or from command line just brought up frozen blank window.

Failure to virt-install F10 PV DomU and repeated issue with CentOS 5.2 in stub domain after same port via http://gitco.de ( upgrading only hypervisor to keep virt-install alive at Dom0 ) brought me to idea just go through traditional “hg” cloning mercurial repository at http://bits.xensource.com and build local Xen with 2.6.18.8-xen kernel

To create loadable Fedora 10 PV image we would have to manage at Xen 3.3 CentOS 5.2 Dom0 either multibooting with Hardy Dom0 or remote.To install Fedora 10 PV DomU local NFS share will be utilized. Local Apache Server simulating HTTP mirror may be used as well. Installer provides both options. Attempts to perform install on Ubuntu Hardy Dom0 failed. Looks like Hardy has problems with the most recent Fedora’s file system. ISO image mounted via losetup doesn’t work correct versus it happens on CentOS 5.2

As of November 11 Intrepid Xen 3.3 Hypervisor may be back ported to Hardy Dom0 via repositories. Following bellow is a brief instruction for installation from scratch Ubuntu Hardy Dom0 with 2.6.24-21-xen kernel running with Xen 3.3 hypervisor

This is potentially a more time consuming backport but with Xen 3.3 being a huge improvement over 3.2 it would definitely help Ubuntu server market share to have Xen 3.3 available in Ubuntu 8.04. Many server operators will want Xen 3.3 but will want to continue running the LTS release rather than upgrade to Intrepid.

To load Ubuntu Intrepid Server PV DomU via serial console "pvops" kernel and ramdisk usually gets copied to Xen 3.3 Dom0. Parameters specifying root file system at image device and hvc0 console are also supposed to be included into startup profile at Dom0. At the same time all mentioned parameters may be specified via new entry into /boot/grub/menu.lst located at DomU, been placed into corresponding entry kernel line of grub configuration file at DomU. File /etc/event.d/tty1 at DomU should be also modified to work for xen console instead of vfb. All written above is not CentOS 5.2 specific, because pygrub comes to the system with Xen 3.3 port , no matter is it Debian or Gentoo