Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Windows Server 2008 does not run on the KVM version (36) in the CentOS
repository. W2008 is the current version of Windows Server and not a
Beta any more, so increasing numbers of people will be attempting to
install CentOS+KVM+W2008, and running into difficulties.

KVM version 72 is required for W2008 according to this:
http://www.linux-kvm.org/page/Guest_Support_Status

What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?

There is a very good KVM HowTo...
http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/KVM
...but it does not explain how to install a version that will run W2008.

I have documented a solution in this forum post...
http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=19034&forum=38
...but it relies on unofficial RPMs from www.lfarkas.org. Is it OK to
put that advice in a HowTo?

It took me days of research, recompiling kernels and packages etc to get
CentOS+KVM+W2008 working. I'm not complaining, it was fun, but I'm
concerned that other people are just giving up and switching to Xen or
Debian e.g.
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?p=5606587#post5606587
...and it would not take much to keep them on-board.

Thanks,
Julian Price


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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

I should have said, I have posted on this subject to centos-virt.*
There were some useful suggestions for resolving issues with KVM
configuration.* Regarding what version of the RPM should reside in
which repository, I was advised to post on this list.





Karanbir Singh wrote:

Julian Price wrote:


What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?



talking to the people actually using kvm and centos on the centos-virt
list would be a good place to start.







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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Karanbir Singh wrote:
> Julian Price wrote:
>
>> What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?
>>
> well, are you proposing to take ownership of this bit of code ? if
> so, propose a .spec file perhaps ?
>
> Tim will prolly need to weigh in with views
>
It was more of a suggestion really.

I don't think I'm qualified to take ownership. I've used yum but I don't
know how it works, same goes for KVM, and I'm not really set up for
testing here either. I have been writing some KVM documentation for the
Wiki though, and that's what led me to make this suggestion.
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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Julian Price wrote:
> What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?

talking to the people actually using kvm and centos on the centos-virt
list would be a good place to start.

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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Karanbir Singh wrote:

Phil Schaffner wrote:


http://www.lfarkas.org/linux/packages/centos/5/x86_64/

are from Farkas Levente, who frequents this list, perhaps he would like
consider offering them for inclusion in CentOS repos?



that would be quit cool. however, isnt there a problem with what runs on
what ver of KVM ? in that centos-5 does not run beyond a certain
release, whereas windows needs something else and opensolaris needs
something completely different. or have those issues been resolved now ?

...


Farkas's version is KVM-84, which is the latest, and I have that running here on a clean install of CentOS 5.2 with one W2008 guest. Call it anecdotal evidence.

As for what will run on that version:
http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-virt/2009-February/000876.html
"we only test with intel hosts and a dozens of guests, but this is the first series which seems to stable and really usable"

However, if that version goes into a repository and existing production installations do an update then they may get a KVM version that doesn't work for them. Or maybe it works but only after a config change. Is that the issue? Maybe it should go in the testing repository then.

- Julian




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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Julian Price wrote:
> I should have said, I have posted on this subject to centos-virt. There
> were some useful suggestions for resolving issues with KVM
> configuration. Regarding what version of the RPM should reside in which
> repository, I was advised to post on this list.
>
>
> Karanbir Singh wrote:
>> Julian Price wrote:
>>
>>> What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?
>>>
>>
>> talking to the people actually using kvm and centos on the centos-virt
>> list would be a good place to start.

ah! well, are you proposing to take ownership of this bit of code ? if
so, propose a .spec file perhaps ?

Tim will prolly need to weigh in with views

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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Julian Price wrote:
> Karanbir Singh wrote:
>> Julian Price wrote:
>>
>>> What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?
>>>
>> well, are you proposing to take ownership of this bit of code ? if
>> so, propose a .spec file perhaps ?
>>
>> Tim will prolly need to weigh in with views
>>
> It was more of a suggestion really.
>
> I don't think I'm qualified to take ownership. I've used yum but I don't
> know how it works, same goes for KVM, and I'm not really set up for
> testing here either. I have been writing some KVM documentation for the
> Wiki though, and that's what led me to make this suggestion.

Since the packages in question

http://www.lfarkas.org/linux/packages/centos/5/x86_64/

are from Farkas Levente, who frequents this list, perhaps he would like
consider offering them for inclusion in CentOS repos?

Phil

P.S. Thanks to Julian for contributing to the Wiki.
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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Phil Schaffner wrote:
> http://www.lfarkas.org/linux/packages/centos/5/x86_64/
>
> are from Farkas Levente, who frequents this list, perhaps he would like
> consider offering them for inclusion in CentOS repos?

that would be quit cool. however, isnt there a problem with what runs on
what ver of KVM ? in that centos-5 does not run beyond a certain
release, whereas windows needs something else and opensolaris needs
something completely different. or have those issues been resolved now ?

Does anyone know what @redhat.com folks are working on for EL5.4 / EL6 ?
If possible, we could offer them access to our repo's so they could
push testing builds and get a wider community feedback loop in place.
</thinking out loud>

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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

Julian Price wrote:
> Windows Server 2008 does not run on the KVM version (36) in the CentOS
> repository. W2008 is the current version of Windows Server and not a
> Beta any more, so increasing numbers of people will be attempting to
> install CentOS+KVM+W2008, and running into difficulties.
>
> KVM version 72 is required for W2008 according to this:
> http://www.linux-kvm.org/page/Guest_Support_Status
>
> What needs to happen to get KVM-72 or later into a repository?

Regardless of what happens here, I think you should also raise the
question on the Tikanga (RHEL5) list hosted by Red Hat.

By all means point to your documentation, it will help generate interest.

Whatever CentOS (and Scientific Linux) folk do, if RH attends to it then
their efforts are trumped.


--

Cheers
John

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Windows Server 2008 guest on KVM
 

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Julian Price wrote:
> Karanbir Singh wrote:
>> Phil Schaffner wrote:
>>
>>> http://www.lfarkas.org/linux/packages/centos/5/x86_64/
>>>
>>> are from Farkas Levente, who frequents this list, perhaps he would like
>>> consider offering them for inclusion in CentOS repos?
>>>
>>
>> that would be quit cool. however, isnt there a problem with what runs on
>> what ver of KVM ? in that centos-5 does not run beyond a certain
>> release, whereas windows needs something else and opensolaris needs
>> something completely different. or have those issues been resolved now ?
>>
>> ...
>>
> Farkas's version is KVM-84, which is the latest, and I have that running here on a clean install of CentOS 5.2 with one W2008 guest. Call it anecdotal evidence.

Now run Centos 5.2 as another guest. Will that work as well? That seems
to be the problem.

Hugo.

- --
hvdkooij@vanderkooij.org http://hugo.vanderkooij.org/
PGP/GPG? Use: http://hugo.vanderkooij.org/0x58F19981.asc

A: Yes.
>Q: Are you sure?
>>A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
>>>Q: Why is top posting frowned upon?

Bored? Click on http://spamornot.org/ and rate those images.
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