[TriLUG] New Qemu and VirtualBox docs for Linux

Sun May 24 16:40:09 EDT 2015

On Sun, May 24, 2015 at 4:15 PM, Steve Litt via TriLUG
<trilug at trilug.org> wrote:
> On Sun, 24 May 2015 12:49:14 -0400
> "Hrivnak, Michael" <mhrivnak at hrivnak.org> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for sharing. FWIW, I think a much better comparison would be
>> virtualbox vs. kvm+libvirt+virt-manager. Your scripts allow someone
>> to use qemu+kvm without getting into qemu's command-line minutia.
>> libvirt and virt-manager have a similar goal, but they've been around
>> a long time and are the standard tools people use to manage qemu+kvm.
>> Having used virtualbox in the past, I now use virt-manager for a
>> similar graphical experience that I find just as easy to use.
>>
       I myself have been using libvirt to manage my kvm-based vms.
Here is a retarded example adding a new disk
(http://unixwars.blogspot.com/2014/12/adding-disk-to-libvirtkvm-vm-client.html)
and another doing USB passthrough
(http://unixwars.blogspot.com/2015/05/usb-passthrough-in-kvmlibvirt.html).

>> Your summary frames virtualbox as the "intuitive GUI" one and
>> qemu+kvm as the "command line" one, which is only true if you ignore
>> virt-manager. Is there some reason you chose to do so?
>
> Yes. Because I was unaware of virt-manager, until you and one other
> person let me know. I'll be researching virt-manager very soon now.
> Thank you for the info!
>
>>
>> It's also worth noting that virtualbox has an extensive command-line
>> interface, so I wouldn't describe it as "resistant to scripting".
>
> Thank you. I didn't know that. Where can I read more about Virtual
> Box's CLI?
>
      The VBox manual should have it. Usually it goes "here is how to
do it using the clickety-click interface. And now here is how to do it
using command line." Command is a bit easier when you, say, want to
have machines be saved and restored when the host reboots (kinda like
what you can do in kvm)  or when there are drives you just can't get
rid of (http://unixwars.blogspot.com/2011/06/deleting-virtualbox-drives-that-do-not.html).

I should post the script to save them vms on shutdown sometime...

>>
>> Sorry I'm providing unsolicited feedback, but as a big fan of
>> kvm+libvirt+virt-manager, I'd like to see that side fully
>> represented. :)
>
> Thank you much for providing unsolicited feedback. I'm just one guy who
> can't know everything, but thanks to unsolicited feedback like yours, I
> can improve articles after I write them. Your feedback is priceless!
>
> SteveT
>
> Steve Litt
> May 2015 featured book: Quit Joblessness: Start Your Own Business
> http://www.troubleshooters.com/startbiz
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