Making it easier to install VMs on XCP
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Revision as of 11:01, 29 November 2011 by Dave.scott (talk | contribs) (Created page with "Installing a linux VM on XCP requires the following steps: # Clone a template # Add a CDROM or a VIF # Tweak some VM.other_config:parameters (e.g. to include the exact URL of an …")
Installing a linux VM on XCP requires the following steps:
- Clone a template
- Add a CDROM or a VIF
- Tweak some VM.other_config:parameters (e.g. to include the exact URL of an install repo)
- Answer the VM installer's questions
Ideally we would have
- Fewer steps (more sensible defaults)
- More tolerance to user error (e.g. if the network URL isn't perfect, use a heuristic to find the install files)
Ideas for improvement
- Add a VIF to our default templates to the main management network. This would make network installation easier.
- If no network install URL is provided, fall back to a known good one
- Even better would be to use a tool like Debian netselect to choose a good one
- If a network install URL is provided but it slightly wrong (typical failure would be to point at a subdirectory by mistake), attempt to auto-correct it
- If a CDROM is attached, attempt to detect the install files and work out what kind of system it is (debianlike or rhlike)
- Allow the user to request an auto-install via an answerfile or preseed file
- Even better would be to serve-up default answerfiles from the system
Measuring the improvements
- Count the number of characters you need to type to install a particular guest type (eg Debian 6.0). Lower is better.
