Everything Under Control

Creating the Server Host Object

Next, go to Server | Add Server and create a new server object. To make sure that the new object matches the openQRM naming conventions, press the Generate name button and assign a meaningful description in the comment box. Apply the default openQRM Server (Physical system) in the next window, and then press Submit . In the list with the server overview, edit the server object you just created by selecting KVM Host as the virtualization type in the drop-down. Finally, apply the settings by pressing Submit .

The virtual machine also needs a server object. Create it as previously with Server | Add Server . In the window that follows, select New Resource and assign KVM (localboot) Virtual Machine as the type. You are automatically taken to the KVM host server selection. When you get there, click on VMs and select Add local VM to add a new virtual machine. Set the desired parameters, such as the number of CPUs and memory, and make sure that the first network adapter (Network_0) is connected with the network bridge (br0).

In the Boot from section, select ISO , press the Browse button, and navigate to the directory in which you stored the ISO image previously (this is /root in this example). Assign a VNC password, which you will use later to access the virtual machine via noVNC and to initiate the operating system installation. Then, complete this step again with Submit . What is slightly confusing is that you end up back in the wizard again, so you will need to press Submit yet again to confirm the resource you just created.

Creating an Image and a Logical Drive

Once you have also completed this step, the wizard shows you a New Image button. When openQRM refers to an image, it means a logical object that will be mapped to physical storage later on. Click on New Image | LVM deployment for KVM and select LVM in the KVM host selection. The kvmg volume group, which you created as LVM storage earlier, now appears (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Logical volume management can be handled in openQRM.

You can press Select | Add new logical volume to add new logical volume. Define the logical volume's size in megabytes and complete the remaining settings. Then, press Submit to open the image in edit mode. Now define the operating system type (Windows , Linux , or Other ). In the case of an automatic installation with LinuxCOE, you could also give the installer the root password here; of course, you do not need this step in a manual installation scenario. Submit takes you back to the list of servers with your new virtual machine at the bottom. Pressing Start now fires up the virtual machine.

Installing the Operating System

You are now ready to install the operating system on the virtual machine. When it started up, the virtual machine booted the installation ISO image; it is now waiting for keyboard input. To continue the installation, use the Novnc button to access a virtual machine; you need the VNC password that you defined previously for this. If everything worked out, you should see the Debian installer start screen and be able to complete the installation of the operating system in the normal way.

After completing the installation of the new operating system on the VM, you need to remove the ISO image as the boot medium and set the virtual machine to local boot . To do this, open the server overview in the dashboard and pause the server you just set up by pressing Stop . Open the overview of your virtual machines with the plugin manager Virtualization | KVM | Hosts dialog; you will see the virtual machine assigned to the server object with a current status of Idle . Pressing Update takes you back to the settings dialog for the virtual machine, where you can change the boot order from ISO to Local . The next time it starts, the server will boot from its local boot medium.