Editing Virsh

{{lowercase}}
<code>virsh</code><ref>http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/xenial/man1/virsh.1.html</ref><ref> https://github.com/libvirt/libvirt/blob/master/tools/virsh.c</ref> is a command line utility for managing virsh guest domains/virtual machines and the hypervisor<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/5/html/virtualization/chap-virtualization-managing_guests_with_virsh</ref>. Can be used to operate vm like create, list, start, [[shutdown]] or suspend and to manage [[Virsh storage information|storage]], [[Virsh Snapshots|snapshots]] and [[checkpoints]]<ref>https://github.com/libvirt/libvirt/commit/689beaa47c51fb49fafa992dd468116b8f6b0782#diff-f41fa7374ab97c527387ea4ce48fd04e</ref> among other actions. <code>[[virt-manager]]</code> is a graphical alternative to virsh. It supports Xen, QEMU, [[KVM]], [[LXC]], [[OpenVZ]], VirtualBox and VMware ESX.

<code>virsh</code>  is include in <code>[[libvirt|libvirt-client]]</code>  package in [[RHEL]] and [[Ubuntu]] and uses [[libvirt]] management API. Binaries included:
*<code>virsh</code>
*<code>[[virt-admin]]</code>
*<code>[[virt-host-validate]]</code>
*<code>[[virt-login-shell]]</code>
*<code>[[virt-pki-validate]]</code>
*<code>[[virt-xml-validate]]</code>

== Basic Commands ==
* <code>virsh</code>
* <code>virsh -r</code>

== All Commands ==
* <code>[[virsh --connect]]</code>
** <code>[[virsh -c]] qemu:///system list</code>
*<code>[[virsh attach-device]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh autostart]] VM_NAME</code> or <code>[[virsh autostart]] VM_NAME --disable</code> (Related: <code>[[virsh start]]</code> and <code>[[virsh pool-autostart]]</code>)
* <code>[[virsh blockcommit]]</code>. Allows Live-disk-backup-with-active-blockcommit <ref> https://wiki.libvirt.org/page/Live-disk-backup-with-active-blockcommit</ref>
* <code>[[virsh blockcopy]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh blockjob]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh blockresize]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh change-media]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh create]] [[MY_XML_VM_DEFINITION.XML/]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh console]] YOUR_VM</code>
* <code>[[virsh define]] [[MY_XML_VM_DEFINITION.XML]]</code> (define machine but do not start it)
** <code>[[virsh define]] xmlfile.xml --validate</code>
** <code>[[virsh destroy]] VM_MACHINE_NAME </code> (Ungraceful Shutdown but do not destroy data or VM but you can corrupt guest file systems)
** <code>[[virsh destroy]] VM_MACHINE_NAME --graceful</code>
* <code>[[virsh domblklist]] VMNAME</code>
**<code>[[virsh domblklist]] --details VM_MACHINE_NAME</code>
* <code>[[virsh domblkstat]] VMNAME</code>
* <code>[[virsh domblkinfo]] VMNAME BLOCK_DEVICE</code> (BLOCK_DEVICE from [[virsh domblklist]] command)
* <code>[[virsh domdisplay]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh domfsfreeze]]</code> Quiesces the guest filesystem in isolation<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/virtualization_deployment_and_administration_guide/sect-using_the_qemu_guest_virtual_machine_agent_protocol_cli-libvirt_commands</ref>
* <code>[[virsh domfsthaw]]</code> Quiesces the guest filesystem in isolation<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/virtualization_deployment_and_administration_guide/sect-using_the_qemu_guest_virtual_machine_agent_protocol_cli-libvirt_commands</ref>
* <code>[[virsh domid]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh dominfo]] VMNAME_OR_ID</code> Guess virtual machine information such us state and [[autostart]] configuration.
* <code>[[virsh dommemstat]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh domname]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh domrename]]</code> (since 2015)
* <code>virsh dump --memory-only --verbose</code>
* <code>[[virsh dumpxml]] VMNAME</code> - domain information in XML (Can be used to move VMs between hosts <ref>https://serverfault.com/questions/434064/correct-way-to-move-kvm-vm</ref>)
* <code>[[virsh edit]] VMNAME</code>
* <code>[[virsh list]]</code>
** <code>virsh list --name</code>
* <code>[[virsh memtune]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh migrate]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-autostart]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-build]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-create]]</code> create '''temporary''' storage pools from command line
* <code>[[virsh pool-create-as]]</code> create '''temporary''' storage pools from XML file
* <code>[[virsh pool-define]]</code> (create '''persistent''' storage from options from XML file)<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html-single/configuring_and_managing_virtualization/index#creating-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli_managing-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli</ref>
* <code>[[virsh pool-define-as]]</code> (create '''persistent''' storage from  options from command line)<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html-single/configuring_and_managing_virtualization/index#creating-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli_managing-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli</ref>
* <code>[[virsh pool-event]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh reboot]]</code>
* <code>virsh restore</code>
* <code>[[virsh resume]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh save]]</code>
* <code>virsh set-lifecycle-action</code>. Added in November 2017 (v.3.9.0)<ref>https://libvirt.org/news.html</ref>
* <code>[[virsh setmaxmem]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh setmem]]</code>
** <code>[[virsh setmem]] —-config</code>
* <code>[[virsh setvcpus]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh snapshot-create-as]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh start]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh suspend]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh shutdown]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh undefine]]</code>
* <code>virsh update-device</code>
* <code>[[virsh vcpuinfo]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh vncdisplay]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh backup-begin]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh checkpoint-create]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh nodedev-list --tree]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh nodedev-dumpxml]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh nodedev-dettach]]</code>

== Getting Information ==
* List Running Virtual Machines:
** <code>[[virsh list]]</code><ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/5/html/virtualization/chap-virtualization-managing_guests_with_virsh</ref><ref>https://help.ubuntu.com/community/KVM/Managing</ref>
** <code>virsh list --name</code>
** <code>virsh list --all</code>

* <code>[[virsh dominfo]] MY_VM_NAME</code> Guess virtual machine information such us state and [[autostart]] configuration.

* <code>[[virsh domstats]]</code> (show all VMs)
** <code>[[virsh domstats]] --list-persistent</code>
** <code>[[virsh domstats]] MY_VM_MACHINE</code>
*** <code>virsh domstats MY_VM_MACHINE --state</code>
*** --no-wait option https://libvirt.org/news.html

* <code>[[virsh nodeinfo]]</code>

* View configuration: 
** <code>[[virsh dumpxml]] {guest-id, VM_NAME or uuid}</code> > yourfilename.xml<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/virtualization_deployment_and_administration_guide/sect-domain_commands-creating_a_virtual_machine_xml_dump_configuration_file</ref>
** Virtual interfaces: <code>virsh domiflist VM_NAME</code>

Network info: 
*<code>[[virsh net-list]]</code>
*<code>[[virsh net-info]]</code>

Storage info: 
* <code>[[virsh pool-list]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-info]] <pool></code>
* <code>[[virsh vol-list]] <pool></code> (Displays Name and Path)
** <code>[[virsh vol-list]] --details <pool></code> (Includes also Capacity and Allocation)
* <code>[[virsh vol-info]] <vol></code>

[[Virsh display|Display info]]:
* <code>[[virsh vncdisplay]] VM_NAME</code>
* <code>[[virsh domdisplay]] VM_NAME</code>

Guest info:
* <code>[[virsh guestinfo]]</code> v5.7.0 (2019-09-03)<ref>https://fossies.org/linux/libvirt/NEWS</ref> ([[Libvirt Release notes]])

* <code>virhostuptime</code> (Since August 2019) https://github.com/libvirt/libvirt/commit/8b802f13cb47817706cba101f5d52e2c8957698d#diff-8d027e5576f9d83750bb73c63b12a6e3

* <code>[[virsh version]]</code>

* <code>[[virsh capabilities]]</code>

== Operations ==
[[Changing VM running status operations]]: 
{{virsh operations}}

* <code>[[virsh console]] VM_MACHINE_NAME</code>

Snapshots:
* <code>[[virsh snapshot-create]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh snapshot-create]]</code> --validate (08/2019) <ref>https://libvirt.org/news.html</ref>

Migrations:
* <code>[[virsh migrate]] --live GuestName DestinationURL</code>
* <code>[[virsh migrate]] --offline</code><ref>https://libvirt.org/migration.html#offline</ref> (copying non-shared storage or other file based storages (e.g. UEFI variable storage) is not supported during offline migration)

Configuration:
* <code>[[virsh autostart]] VM_MACHINE_NAME</code>

== [[Virsh Storage commands]] ==
=== [[Virsh Storage Information]] ===
{{virsh storage info TOC}}

=== All Storage commands ===
* <code>[[virsh domblklist]] VMNAME</code>
* <code>[[virsh domblkinfo]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-autostart]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-build]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-create]]</code> create '''temporary''' storage pools from command line
* <code>[[virsh pool-create-as]]</code> create '''temporary''' storage pools from XML file
* <code>[[virsh pool-define]]</code> (create '''persistent''' storage from options from XML file)<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html-single/configuring_and_managing_virtualization/index#creating-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli_managing-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli</ref>
* <code>[[virsh pool-define-as]]</code> (create '''persistent''' storage from  options from command line)<ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html-single/configuring_and_managing_virtualization/index#creating-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli_managing-storage-for-virtual-machines-using-the-cli</ref>
* <code>[[virsh pool-event]]</code>
** <code>[[virsh pool-event]] --list</code>
** <code>[[virsh pool-event]] --event lifecycle</code>
** <code>[[virsh pool-event]] --event refresh</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-list]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-info]] <pool></code>
* <code>[[virsh pool-start]] <pool></code>
* <code>[[virsh vol-clone]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh vol-create-as]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh vol-info]] --pool POOL_NAME VOL_NAME</code>
* <code>[[virsh vol-list]] <pool></code>

== [[Virsh Snapshots]] ==
{{virsh snapshots TOC}}

== [[Virsh CPU Commands]] ==
* <code>[[virsh cpu-models]] x86_64</code>
* <code>[[virsh setvcpus]]</code>

== [[Virsh Memory Commands]] ==
{{virsh memory commands}}

== [[QEMU]] ==
{{virsh qemu TOC}}

== Networking ==
*   <code>virsh net-autostart </code>                 autostart a network
*   <code>virsh net-create </code>                    create a network from an XML file
*   <code>virsh net-define </code>                    define an inactive persistent virtual network or modify an existing persistent one from an XML file
*   <code>virsh net-destroy </code>                   destroy (stop) a network
*   <code>[[virsh net-dhcp-leases]] </code>               print lease info for a given network
*   <code>[[virsh net-dumpxml]]</code> NET_NAME             network information in XML
*   <code>[[virsh net-edit]]</code>                      edit XML configuration for a network
*   <code>virsh net-event </code>                     Network Events
*   <code>[[virsh net-info]]</code>                      network information
*   <code>[[virsh net-list]]</code>                      list networks
*   <code>virsh net-name  </code>                     convert a network UUID to network name
*   <code>virsh net-start </code>                      start a (previously defined) inactive network
*   <code>virsh net-undefine </code>                   undefine a persistent network
*   <code>virsh net-update </code>                     update parts of an existing network's configuration
*   <code>virsh net-uuid </code>                       convert a network name to network UUID

== Activities ==
# Review virsh command cheatsheet https://computingforgeeks.com/virsh-commands-cheatsheet/
# Read https://github.com/libvirt/libvirt/blob/master/tools/virsh.c source code.
# Enable access to your VM Machines via [[virsh console]] command
# Learn difference between <code>[[virsh define]]</code> and <code>[[virsh create]]</code>
# [[Create Live backups]] with active [[virsh blockcommit]]<ref>https://wiki.libvirt.org/page/Live-disk-backup-with-active-blockcommit</ref>
# [[Offline Migrate or move a virtual machine between two KVM servers without shared storage]]<ref>https://serverfault.com/questions/434064/correct-way-to-move-kvm-vm</ref>: <code>[[virsh dumpxml]]</code> and <code>[[virsh define]]</code>

== See also ==
* <code>[[virtinst]]</code> package<ref>https://github.com/virt-manager/virt-manager/tree/master/virtinst</ref>, includes following python binaries: <code>[[virt-clone]]</code>, <code>virt-convert</code>, <code>[[virt-install]]</code><ref>https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html/configuring_and_managing_virtualization/getting-started-with-virtualization-in-rhel-8_configuring-and-managing-virtualization</ref>
* [[virt-top]] 'top'-like utility for virtualization stats
* [[ovirt-RHV module]]
* [[virt-admin]]
* {{libvirtd}}
* {{KVM}}
* {{virsh}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Linux]]
[[Category:KVM]]