XAPI Command Line Interface

== XAPI Command Line Interface ==
=== XE Basics ===
The XAPI toolstack includes a powerful command-line interface "xe" which talks to both hosts and Resource Pools over https, invoking XenAPI operations over XMLRPC. Commands may be issued both from within domain zero (xe is on the $PATH by default) and from remote hosts. For users of the bash shell extensive tab completion is available, greatly increasing usability. Please refer to the "Xen Cloud Platform Administrator Guide", chapter 8 on page 123 for more information and details on each of the xe commands.
For installing the 'xe' CLI on another Linux box, see XCP Install CLI
==== Basic xe Syntax ====
When run from domain zero:
xe <command-name> <argument=value>*
When run from another host:
xe -s <host> -u <username> -pw <password> <command-name> <argument=value>*
Note:
* With any command, hitting the "Tab" key on a keyboard will list out any options available for a particular command as well as complete command syntax. Values containing spaces should be enclosed with double-quotes.
==== Common Commands ====
List CD/ISO
 #xe cd-list 
Power on VM
 #xe vm-start vm=<target VM name> 
Mount an ISO
 #xe vm-cd-insert cd-name=<name of ISO or CD> vm=<target VM name> 
Show list of VMs on host
 #xe vm-list 
List SRs
 #xe sr-list 
Delete/Destroy VM on host
 #xe vm-destroy uuid=<UUID of target VM> 
Create Storage Repository
 #xe sr-create name-label=<name> physical-size=<size> type=<type> content-type=<content_type> device-config:<config_name>=<value> [host-uuid=<Xen Cloud Platform host UUID>] [shared=<true | false>] 
Destroy Storage Repository
 #xe sr-destroy uuid=<sr_uuid> 
==== Common Host (Xen Cloud Platform host) Commands ====
List Host in Pool
 #xe host-list 
Enable a Xen Cloud Platform Host
 #xe host-enable [<host-selector>=<host_selector_value>...] 
Reboot a Xen Cloud Platform Host
 #xe host-reboot [<host-selector>=<host_selector_value>...] 
Shutdown a Xen Cloud Platform Host
 #xe host-shutdown [<host-selector>=<host_selector_value>...] 
=== Virtual Machine Examples ===
This is a simple overview of a two easy was to get a Xen Cloud Platform host up and running with a virtual machine. Two examples will be provided:
# Debian Lenny 5.0 VM: Install and configure a Debian based VM using a network repository leveraging the xe command line interface.
# General VM: Install and configure a VM leveraging the local CDRom of the host and the xe commend line interface.
==== Debian Lenny 5.0 Example ====
* Download the lenny.xva from http://www.xen.org/files/XenCloud/Software/lenny.xva, saving to location where running the xe command line, either in domain zero or some other host.
* Import lenny.xva to your Xen Cloud Platform host:
* Create a VM based on the Lenny template:
* Set other-config to point to your Debian repository:
* Identify the target network interface.
* Add a VIF on an appropriate network:
 
* Start the VM, then go to its console and the Debian installer should be running and ready to install on the guest.
==== General VM Example ====
* Create a VM based on a base template:
 
* Identify the target network interface.
 
* Add a VIF on an appropriate network (use xe network-list to find the list of networks):
 
* View the CD list attached the host
 
* Add a new virtual CD to the selected VM
 
* Lists CDs attached to the specified VMs.
 
* Start the VM, then go to its console and the CD based OS installer should be running and ready to install on the guest.
 
=== Developer XAPI Viewer (with Console) ===
The Developer XAPI view tool is a simple way to view the various XAPI commands in a simple GUI, but also do things like:
* Start a virtual machine
* Connect to a virtual machine via a Java console
* Shutdown a virtual machine
==== Start a Virtual Machine ====
# Open up a web browser.
#* Firefox 3.5.3 and Java 6 Update 15 (build 1.6.0_15-b03) 
#* Chrome 3.0.195.27 and Java 6 Update 15 (build 1.6.0_15-b03)
# Type the IP of your host into the URL bar and connect.
# Type in the user name and password of your XAPI host connection.
# The list of XenAPI classes will appear.
# Click on the "Console" class and your list of running virtual machines will appear.
# Click on the target virtual machine and virtual machine properties will appear.
# Click on "Start" to boot the virtual machine.
==== Console Connections ====
# Open up a web browser.
#* Firefox 3.5.3 and Java 6 Update 15 (build 1.6.0_15-b03)
#* Chrome 3.0.195.27 and Java 6 Update 15 (build 1.6.0_15-b03)
# Type the IP of your host into the URL bar and connect.
# Type in the user name and password of your XAPI host connection.
# The list of XenAPI classes will appear.
# Click on the "Console" class and your list of running virtual machines will appear.
# Click on the target virtual machine and the console windows will open (requires Java).
# Click "Undock" to get a better console view of the virtual machine.
==== Shutdown/Restart Options for a Virtual Machine ====
# Open up a web browser.
#* Firefox 3.5.3 and Java 6 Update 15 (build 1.6.0_15-b03)
#* Chrome 3.0.195.27 and Java 6 Update 15 (build 1.6.0_15-b03)
# Type the IP of your host into the URL bar and connect.
# Type in the user name and password of your XAPI host connection.
# The list of XenAPI classes will appear.
# Click on the "Console" class and your list of running virtual machines will appear.
# Click on the target virtual machine and virtual machine properties will appear.
# Click on any of the following options		
#* clean_reboot to reboot the virtual machine properly leveraging the underlying operating system. This requires the VM to have the PV drivers/ guest tools installed.
#* clean_shutdown to shutdown reboot the virtual machine properly leveraging the underlying operating system. This requires the VM to have the PV drivers/ guest tools installed.
#* hard_reboot to force reboot the virtual machine.
#* hard_shutdown to force shutdown reboot the virtual machine.
=== Install the PV Drivers on a Windows Virtual Machine ===
* Log onto the host console (e.g. via ssh)
* Run the following xe command:
 
 
 
* Install the PV Drivers leveraging the console feature available in the XAPI Viewer tool.
Category:XCP
Category:Users
Category:Beginners
Category:XAPI