virt-v2v-output-local(1)

Usage

virt-v2v [-i* options] [-o libvirt] -os POOL

virt-v2v [-i* options] -o local -os DIRECTORY

virt-v2v [-i* options] -o qemu -os DIRECTORY [--qemu-boot]

virt-v2v [-i* options] -o null

Overview

This page documents how to use virt-v2v(1) to convert guests to local files or to a locally running libvirt instance. There are four output modes you can select on the virt-v2v command line:

-o libvirt -os "POOL"

-os "POOL"

This converts the guest to a libvirt directory pool call "POOL", and instantiates the guest in libvirt (but does not start it running). See "OUTPUT TO LIBVIRT" below.

-o libvirt is the default if no -o option is given, so you can omit it.

-o local -os "DIRECTORY"

This converts the guest to files in "DIRECTORY". A libvirt XML file is also created, but unlike -o libvirt the guest is not instantiated in libvirt, only files are created.

The files will be called:

 NAME-sda, NAME-sdb, etc.      Guest disk(s).
 NAME.xml                      Libvirt XML.

where "NAME" is the guest name.

-o qemu -os "DIRECTORY"

-o qemu -os "DIRECTORY" --qemu-boot: This converts the guest to files in "DIRECTORY". Unlike -o local above, a shell script is created which contains the raw qemu command you would need to boot the guest. However the shell script is not run, unless you also add the --qemu-boot option.

-o null: The guest is converted, but the final result is thrown away and no metadata is created. This is mainly useful for testing.

Output to libvirt

The -o libvirt option lets you upload the converted guest to a libvirt-managed host. There are several limitations:

•: You can only use a local libvirt connection [see below for how to workaround this].

•: The -os pool option must specify a directory pool, not anything more exotic such as iSCSI [but see below].

•: You can only upload to a KVM hypervisor.

Workaround for output to a remote libvirt instance and/or a non-directory storage pool

1.

Use virt-v2v in -o local mode to convert the guest disks and metadata into a local temporary directory:

 virt-v2v [...] -o local -os /var/tmp

This creates two (or more) files in /var/tmp called:

 /var/tmp/NAME.xml     # the libvirt XML (metadata)
 /var/tmp/NAME-sda     # the guest’s first disk

(for "NAME" substitute the guest’s name).

2.: Upload the converted disk(s) into the storage pool called "POOL":

size=$(stat -c%s /var/tmp/NAME-sda) virsh vol-create-as POOL NAME-sda $size --format raw virsh vol-upload --pool POOL NAME-sda /var/tmp/NAME-sda

3.

Edit /var/tmp/NAME.xml to change /var/tmp/NAME-sda to the pool name. In other words, locate the following bit of XML:

 <disk type='file' device='disk'>
   <driver name='qemu' type='raw' />
   <source file='/var/tmp/NAME-sda' />
   <target dev='hda' bus='ide' />
 </disk>

and change two things: The "type='file'" attribute must be changed to "type='volume'", and the "<source>" element must be changed to include "pool" and "volume" attributes:

 <disk type='volume' device='disk'>
   ...
   <source pool='POOL' volume='NAME-sda' />
   ...
 </disk>

4.: Define the final guest in libvirt:

virsh define /var/tmp/NAME.xml

Releases

3 releases since Debian 10 (Buster); the text changed 2 times.

10
12
13

Referred to by

virt-v2v(1) Convert a guest to use KVM