Re: KVM virtual machines and storage.
On Wed, Jun 13, 2012 at 1:32 PM, Alan Chandler
<alan@chandlerfamily.org.uk> wrote:
> I currently run a necessary Windows 7 (Home Premium) installation in a
> VirtualBox virtual machine on my Debian Unstable desktop. Its OK, but I
> have had the occasional glitch when Debian tries to upgrade by kernel
> version and for one reason or another the VirtualBox kernel module hasn't
> kept up.
>
> I would like to migrate to a KVM setup, where the required module is in the
> mainline kernel. I feel that would be safer longer term.
>
> One problem, which I haven't satisfactorily solved so far, is backing up the
> files on the disk in that virtual machine. The best I can do is back up the
> entire file that represents the disk. However the vast majority of that
> disk is not changing on a regular basis and at 120GB of the image in use, it
> takes a lot of resource to back it up. I would much prefer some sort of
> approach that allows me to copy only the recent changes to a rolling
> backup/archive store I have set up for my normal (linux) desktop .
Since the guest is running Windows 7, have you considered just using
Windows Backup (it comes with Windows) and having it backup your files
"over the network" either through Samba or using a VBox shared folder
to your host's hard disk? A Samba route would also work for KVM. I
don't know if KVM can do shared folders the way VBox does.
> The other area that is currently puzzling me is the migration process. At
> the moment the "disk image" that windows 7 is working with contains a
> hardware environment that is created by Virtual Box. If I move to KVM I
> presume that some of the devices will not be the same. Does Windows manage
> with these changes, or would I be better creating an environment from
> scratch (including re-installing all my key applications)
Windows 7 should "reconfigure itself" on its own for the "new machine"
-- but you may need to re-activate it with Microsoft once done (a 5
minute process over the phone).
--
Chris
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