View source for Virsh

<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, [[virsh/virsh shutdown|shutdown]] or suspend and to manage storage, [[virsh/KVM virsh Snapshots|snapshots]] and [[cell biology/Checkpoints|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>[[kVM/libvirt|libvirt-client]]</code>  package in [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux|RHEL]] and [[Ubuntu]] and uses [[kVM/libvirt|libvirt]] management API. Binaries included:
* virsh
* [[virt-admin]]
* [[virt-host-validate]]
* [[virt-login-shell]]
* [[virt-pki-validate]]
* [[virt-xml-validate]]

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

== All Commands ==
* <code>[[virsh autostart]] VM_NAME</code> or <code>[[virsh autostart]] VM_NAME --disable</code> (Related: <code>[[virsh/virsh start|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 change-media/]]</code>
* <code>[[/virsh create/]] [[/MY_XML_VM_DEFINITION.XML/]]</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 [[virsh/virsh autostart|autostart]] configuration.
* <code>[[/virsh dommemstat/]]</code>
* <code>[[/virsh domname/]]</code>
* <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/virsh setmem|virsh setmem]]</code>
** <code>[[virsh/virsh setmem|virsh setmem]] —-config</code>
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-create-as/]]</code>
* <code>[[virsh/virsh start|virsh start]]</code>
* <code>virsh suspend</code>
* <code>virsh save</code>
* <code>[[virsh/virsh shutdown|virsh shutdown]]</code>
* <code>[[/virsh undefine/]]</code>
* <code>virsh update-device</code>
* <code>[[virsh/virsh vcpuinfo|virsh vcpuinfo]]</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>
** List all Virtual Machines: <code>virsh list --all</code>

* <code>[[/virsh dominfo/]] MY_VM_NAME</code> Guess virtual machine information such us state and [[virsh/virsh autostart|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 [[virsh/net-list|net-list]]</code>
*<code>virsh [[virsh/net-info|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>


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

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

* <code>virsh version</code>
<pre>
virsh version
Compiled against library: libvirt 4.0.0
Using library: libvirt 4.0.0
Using API: QEMU 4.0.0
Running hypervisor: QEMU 2.11.1
</pre>

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

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

Snapshots:
* [[/virsh snapshot-create/]]
** [[/virsh snapshot-create/]] --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/KVM virsh Snapshots|KVM virsh Snapshots]] ==
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-create/]]</code> Create a snapshot from XML. See also: <code>[[kVM/qemu-img|qemu-img]]</code> and <code>[[KVM/qemu-img/qemu-img info|qemu-img info]]</code>
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-create-as/]]</code> Create a snapshot from a set of args.
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-current/]]</code> Get or set the current snapshot
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-delete/]]</code> Delete a domain snapshot
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-dumpxml/]] VM_MACHINE_NAME SNAPSHOT_NAME</code> Dump XML for a domain snapshot
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-edit/]]</code> edit XML for a snapshot
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-info/]]</code> snapshot information. (virsh snapshot-info --domain DOMAIN_NAME --snapshotname SNAPSHOT_NAME)
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-list/]] VM_MACHINE_NAME</code> List snapshots for a domain
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-parent/]]</code> Get the name of the parent of a snapshot
* <code>[[/virsh snapshot-revert/]]</code> Revert a domain to a snapshot

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

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

== [[KVM/qemu|QEMU]] ==
* <code>virsh qemu-attach</code>                    QEMU Attach
* <code>virsh qemu-monitor-command</code>           QEMU Monitor Command
* <code>virsh qemu-monitor-event</code>             QEMU Monitor Events
** <code>virsh qemu-monitor-event VM_MACHINE_NAME</code>  
* <code>virsh qemu-agent-command</code>             QEMU Guest Agent Command

== 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/virsh console]] command
# Learn difference between <code>[[/virsh define/]]</code> and <code>[[/virsh create/]]</code>
# [[/Create Live backups/]] with active [[virsh/virsh blockcommit|virsh blockcommit]]<ref>https://wiki.libvirt.org/page/Live-disk-backup-with-active-blockcommit</ref>
# [[KVM/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/virsh dumpxml|virsh dumpxml]]</code> and <code>[[virsh/MY XML VM DEFINITION.XML|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
* [[DevOps/Ansible/ovirt-RHV module]]
* [[KVM]] and [[libvirt]]
* [[virt-admin]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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