Re: [Xen-users] XCP - xenserver tools required?

[George Shuklin <george.shuklin@xxxxxxxxx>]

That problem was bother me long time ago.

Any 'guest' part is need for some HVM-junk (like windows) and do nothing 
good for PV guests.
So we solve problem by creating 'faking tools' (I post script few weeks 
ago in xen-api@) allowing us to migrate (and other operations) without 
guest tools with any PV domain. Actually, I have plans to remove 
xe-guest-tools from installation scripts of our customers with next 
update...
More clear solution is removing checking guest tools version for PV 
guest in xapi code...


On 24.03.2011 08:08, brooks@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> One of the issues I've had using XenServer in a multitenant 
> environment is the requirement for the VMs to have xentools installed 
> as it causes significant issues when upgrading the VM OS or the pool 
> from one version of XenServer (XCP) to another.  Having to touch 
> hundreds VMs (by hand) after an upgrade just doesn't scale nor is 
> delegating the task to VM owners an option.  Unfortunately a customer, 
> even if they could be educated to do so, can't easily install or 
> update the tools unless the xs-tools iso is in the virtual DVD drive, 
> and to load it into the DVD drive you need access to XenCenter or to 
> the CLI (vm-cd-add, vm-cd-eject, vm-cd-insert, vm-cd-list, 
> vm-cd-remove). On the flip side, even if we did cental admin for all 
> the VMs (what a nightmare) we wouldn't necessarily have root access to 
> the VM preventing us from installing the new tools.
> Not only does this create a management issue it also requires a fair 
> amount of knowledge to do the right thing based on the VM.  I've seen 
> situations where the kernel on the VM has been updated yet install.sh 
> wants to downgrade the kernel.  For example, I have a Debian Etch VM 
> that is running an updated kernel:
>     2.6.18.8.xs5.5.0.15.449
>
> Yet, running install.sh on that VM without the -k option causes an 
> older kernel to be installed:
>     2.6.18.8.xs1.0.0.16.450_1.0.0.16.450
>
> Not only that but the tools that get installed are for XCP 1.0.
>
>     xe-guest-utilities_1.0.0-647_i386.deb
>
> I have installed the patch file (/etc/xensource/xapi_version_override) 
> and XenCenter does report back the correct version:
>     XenServer Version: 5.6.199
>
> Yet, if you run:
>
>     install.sh -k
>
>     warning: downgrading xe-guest-utilities from 5.5.0-466 to 1.0.0-647.
>
> It's doing the correct thing by installing 1.0.0-647 (XCP 1.x), but is 
> certainly doesn't look correct unless you do some digging.  XCP really 
> needs it's own version of XenCenter, or a better alternative.
> The XenServer 5.6fp1 manual states:
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>
> XenServer Tools must be installed for each Virtual Machine (Windows 
> and Linux) in order for the VM to have a fully supported 
> configuration, and to be able to use the XenServer management tools 
> (the xe CLI or XenCenter). A Windows VM will function without them, 
> but performance will be significantly hampered unless the tools are 
> installed.
> Without the tools being installed, you cannot:
>
>       - Cleanly shut down a VM
>       - Cleanly reboot a VM
>       - Suspend a VM
>       - Migrate a running VM (aka XenMotion)
>       - Use the checkpoint and roll back feature
>       - Change the vCPUs Live
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>
> Given the above it would seem that it's important to have windows pv 
> drivers, some older CentOS kernels, and the xe-guest-utilities 
> installed in an XCP environment.  But how do we manage it?  The 
> cloud.com guys (which is based on the free version of XenServer) seem 
> to ignore the problem.  What do you do?
> All ideas, comments, and opinons are welcome.
>
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