<tt>virsh</tt> Command and Domain Management - System Administration Guide: Virtualization Using the Solaris Operating System

`virsh` Command and Domain Management

The main command interface used to control both Solaris xVM and guest domains is the virsh command. virsh provides a generic and stable interface for controlling virtualized operating systems. Use virsh instead of xm wherever possible.

Many virsh commands act asynchronously. This means that the system prompt can return before the operation has completed.

If you modify CPUs or memory by using the virsh command, these changes will be saved in the configuration file and persist across reboots.

`virsh` Command Structure

Most virsh commands follow the format:

# virsh subcommand domain-id | name | uuid [options]

subcommand: One of the subcommands listed in the virsh(1M) man page
domain-id, name, or uuid: A domain identifier
options: An option to a subcommand

Example 41-1 Using a virsh Command

This line connects to a domU named sxc18.

# virsh console sxc18

`virsh`Command

The virsh is used to manage domains. You must run the commands as the root user or by assuming the Primary Administrator role on the host operating system. The commands cannot be run in the guest domain.

`virsh` Command	Description
`virshattach-device`	Attach device from an XML file
`virsh` `attach-disk`	Attach disk device
`virsh` `autostart`	Configure a domain to automatically start at boot time.
`virsh` `capabilities`	Return capabilities of the hypervisor and drivers.
`virsh` `connect`	Connect to the hypervisor.
`virsh` `connect--readonly`	Connect to the hypervisor in read-only mode.
`virsh` `consoledomain`	Connect to a guest console
`virsh` `create` file	Create a domain based on the parameters contained in the XML file, where file is an absolute pathname. Such a file can be created using `virsh` `dumpxml` subcommand. The XML configuration file should not be directly edited.
`virsh` `define` file	Define a domain from an XML file, but do not start the domain
`virsh` `destroy` domain-id	Terminate a domain immediately
`virsh` `detach-device` domain-idfile	Detach a device defined by the given XML file from the specified domain.
`virsh` domid domain_name	Converts a domain name to a numeric domain ID.
`virsh` `dominfo` domain_id	Return basic info about a domain
`virsh` domname domain_id	Converts a numeric domain ID to a domain name.
`virsh` `domstate` domain_id	Returns the state of a running domain. See the `list` subcommand.
`virsh` `domuuid` domain	Convert the specified domain name or ID to a domain UUID.
`virsh` `dump` domainfile	Dump the core of the domain specified by domain to the file specified by file for analysis.
`virsh` `dumpxml` domain-id	Obtain domain information in XML
`virsh` `help`	Display descriptions of the subcommands. Include a subcommand at the end of the command line to display help about that subcommand.
`virsh` `list`	List domains. By default, only running domains are displayed. Use `--inactive` to display only non-running domains. Use `--all` to display both running and non-running domains.
`virsh` `nodeinfo`	Print basic information about a node. # virsh nodeinfo CPU model: i86pc CPU(s): 2 CPU frequency: 2391 MHz CPU socket(s): 2 Core(s) per socket: 1 Thread(s) per core: 1 NUMA cell(s): 1 Memory size: 4127744 kB
`virsh` `quit`	Quit this interactive terminal
`virsh` `reboot` domain-id	Reboot a domain. This command is identical to the effect of running `init 6`. The command returns immediately, but the entire reboot process might take a minute or more.
`virsh` `restore` state-file	Restore a domain from a saved state file.
`virsh` `resume` domain-id	Moves a domain out of the paused state, making the domain eligible for scheduling by the hypervisor.
`virsh` `reboot` domain-id	Reboot a domain
`virsh` `restore` domain-id	Restore a domain from a saved state
`virsh` `resume` domain-id	Resume running a suspended domain.
`virsh` `save` domain state-file	Save a running domain to a state file so that it can be restored by using the `restore` subcommand at a later time. In this state, the domain is not running on the system, thus the memory allocated for the domain will be free for use br other domains. Note that network connections present before the save operation might be severed because TCP timeouts might have expired.
`virsh` `setvcpus` domaincount	Change the number of virtual CPUs active in the specified guest domain. The count parameter is the number of virtual CPUs.
`virsh` `schedinfo` domain	Show or set the scheduling paramaters for the specified domain name, ID, or UUID. This subcommand takes the options `--weight number` and `--cap number`.
`virsh` `setmaxmem` domain kilobytes	Change the maximum memory allocation limit in the specified guest domain. The kilobytes parameter is the maximum memory limit in kilobytes.
`virsh` `setmem` domain kilobytes	Change the current memory allocation in the specified guest domain. The kilobytes parameter is the number of kilobytes in memory.
`virsh` `setvcpus` domain count	Change the number of virtual CPUs active in the specified guest domain. The count parameter is the number of virtual CPUs.
`virsh` `shutdown` domain	Coordinates with the domain operating system to perform graceful shutdown. The effect of this command is identical to the effect of running `init 5`. The shutdown might take an unexpected length of time, depending on the services that must be shut down in the domain. In addition, it is possible that the subcommand will not succeed.
`virsh` `start` domain	Start a previously defined inactive domain.
`virsh` `suspend` domain	Suspend a domain. A domain in this state still consumes allocated resources, such as memory, but is not eligible for scheduling by the hypervisor.
`virsh` `undefine` domain	Undefine the configuration for the inactive domain by specifying either its domain name or UUID.
`virsh` `vcpuinfo` domain	Return basic information about the domain's virtual CPUs.
`virsh` `vcpupin` domain vcpu cpulist	Pin domain's virtual CPUs to the host's physical CPUs. The domain parameter is the domain name, ID, or UUID. The vcpu parameter is the VCPU number. The cpulist parameter is a list of host CPU numbers, separated by commas.
`virsh` `version`	Display version information.
`virsh` `vncdisplay` domain-id	VNC display

Suspend and Resume Functions and Commands

Some xVM operations are not yet implemented in the virsh command. In those cases, the equivalent xm command can be used. Subcommand terminology differs between the xmand virsh commands. In particular, the suspend and resume commands have different meanings.

Table 41-1 Equivalent `virsh` and `xm`Commands

`virsh`	`xm`
`suspend`	`pause`
`resume`	`unpause`
`save`	`suspend` without an output file argument
`restore`	`resume` without an output file argument

virsh Command and Domain Management

virsh Command Structure

virshCommand

Suspend and Resume Functions and Commands

Table 41-1 Equivalent virsh and xmCommands

`virsh` Command and Domain Management

`virsh` Command Structure

`virsh`Command

Table 41-1 Equivalent `virsh` and `xm`Commands