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Re: [Xen-users] Using custom domU kernels with Fedora,Debian,SUSE

To: Peter Braun <xenware@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Xen-users] Using custom domU kernels with Fedora,Debian,SUSE
From: "Luke S. Crawford" <lsc@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 11:04:52 -0800 (PST)
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On Thu, 1 Mar 2007, Peter Braun wrote:
I would like to ask people here who is using xen in production/hosting
enviroment.

I'm running a hosting service (right now, it's descending into 'broken toy' status; I've not met my SLA (or charged people) in several months, mostly because it needs some kernel hacker attention, and I'm the closest thing we have to a kernel hacker, and I have been focusing on my consulting clients) I also do consulting, and my client's systems run much better than my own. (my clients also use distro-specific kernels)

Have you ever experienced problems with para-virtualized guest while
using non-distribution kernels?

It's a lot like running a non-distribution kernel on a normal install; some things work, other things not so much. switching from a 2.4 to a 2.6 kernel requires new module-init-tools packages.

Current official xen kernel is 2.6.16. I have self compiled kernel for
domU - non-privileged.

Am using this kernel for wide range of guests like
fedora,debian,gentoo,opensuse without problems. Have you ever
experienced problems while using non distribution kernel in some
distribution?

Like I said, the biggest gotcha is if you are running a distro that expects 2.4 kernels and you are using a 2.6 kernel, you need to install a new module-init-tools; customers become annoyed when they cannot install modules. Also remember to compile all the default modules and leave them in /lib/modules/ within the DomU.

I tried to use fedora distribution xen guest kernel and its working but its fc5.
There is no available 2.6.16 based xen kernel for fc6.

If it's a Xen3 paravirt kernel, it should work even if it's not 2.6.16. One of my clients uses RHEL3 guests, and we use the xensource-provided linux 2.4 RHEL3 xenU kernel that you can find at http://xenbits.xensource.com/kernels It works great for them. (thanks Xensource!) The dom0s in this case use the standard xen 2.6.16 kernel. Since 3.0.3, we've not had any difficulties with this setup.

At my hosting business, we even run NetBSD XenU kernels, which work even though our Dom0s use the standard linux 2.6.16 kernels. (we have had some problems with these, but I am unsure those problems are related to the xen0/xenU differences. We've had lots of problems on my hosting setup in general)

(note, there are differences between Xen3.0.2 and 3.0.3 that cause issues; you probably want your xen0 and xenu kernels on the same side of that line)


According to fedora xen kernels - since fc5 - there arent separete xen
kernels for dom0 and domUs?

you can use the same kernel for Dom0 as DomU; all you get out of a seperate DomU kernel is saving some space and compile time (as it doesn't need the Dom0 specific code or any of the hw drivers) By default I use the Dom0 boot kernel for my guest xenU kernel unless they request otherwise.

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