Partition Xen Server

Most of the Linux installation is straightforward, except for the disk configuration. This is explained in some detail.

1. Boot the first Linux CD/DVD and start the installation.

2. The installation procedure will help you partition the disk. We suggest that the disk be partitioned using LVM. Put Linux in the first Volume Group, and create a second Volume Group for Guest VMs.

3. When you get to the Disk Setup page, you will need to make some changes.

a. Delete LVM Volume Group VolGroup00 – click on it and then select Delete

b. Delete /dev/hda2 (of type LVM PV) – This is the big partition that is the rest of the disk besides /boot. Click on it and then select Delete

c. Make a new, smaller LVM PV – Click on New. In the Add Partition dialog box, change the file system type to physical volume (LVM). Make the size such that you have a substantial amount of remaining space in which to install Windows. For instance, on a 40GB disk, I made a 16384MB partition plus a 2048MB swap file + 64MB (partition overhead) = 18496. I made the swap file

twice the physical memory in the system. The remainder of the disk will be used for Guest VM Partitions. Make sure you set it to Fixed Size, and clear force to be a primary partition.

d. Now click on LVM. In the Make LVM Volume Group dialog box, we’re going to add two logical volumes. First add the swap space (file system type = swap) of size 2048, and then add mount point «/» (type ext3) and give it the remaining space.

e. Click on New again to add a new physical volume. Once again, make the file system type physical volume (LVM). I selected Fill to maximum allowable size to be able to use the remainder of the hard drive for guest VMs.

f. Select the newly created partition (/dev/hda3 in my case), and select LVM. Make the volume group name VG_Guests (your choice). You don’t need to add any logical volumes right now.

g. If the partitioning gets confused in some way, just click Back, and then click Next to start the partitioning over again.

4. For example, a sample partitioning scheme for a 40GB disk could be:

5. SELinux must be disabled. We suggest that any firewall be disabled.

6. In addition to the default package set, the X Window System and one of KDE or Gnome should be installed.

7. After the installation has completed, login and install the packages SDL, sysfsutils and bridge-utils if not installed as part of the installation.