Sysadmin/Add virtual machine

Create new VM on Machine/treehouse

This procedure creates a clone of the Sysadmin/Template virtual machine.

virsh vol-create-as treehouse FOOBAR-root 10G
virt-clone --prompt -o template-lucid --file=/dev/treehouse/FOOBAR-root -n FOOBAR
virsh start --console FOOBAR
  • Now login as root from the console (there should be no password)
  • setup both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
vi /etc/network/interfaces

  • change machine fqdn
sed -i -e s/template-lucid/FOOBAR/ /etc/hostname /etc/postfix/main.cf

  • activate new IP and hostname
/etc/init.d/networking restart

  • install latest security/stability updates
aptitude update
aptitude full-upgrade

  • generate host keys and a key for root
ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key -t rsa
ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key -t dsa
ssh-keygen -N "" -f /root/.ssh/id_rsa -t rsa
  • Install /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub key on sugarbackup@backup.sugarlabs.org
  • Setup backups
vi /etc/system-full-backup.conf

  • Log in for the first time on backup server to accept ssh fingerprint
ssh sugarbackup@backup.sugarlabs.org
  • Move daily, weekly, monthly cronjobs to a unique timeslot to avoid cpu/net storms
vi /etc/crontab
  • The most important thing: come up with a funny quip for this machine
vi /etc/motd.tail

  • Taa--daah!
reboot
[housetree.sugarlabs.org]
       address housetree.sugarlabs.org

See also: Sysadmin/Delete virtual machine, Sysadmin/Migrate_virtual_machine.