How to extend / on a XEN DomU?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server SLES Virtualization
1

Hi,
I am running XEN hypervisor on a SLES11sp4 host. Guest-OS is SLES11sp3 - with OES11sp2. DomU disks are host partitions - not files.
I am running low on space on the / partition on one of my guests. Can this be expanded without a actual re-install?

2

Hi Claus,

[QUOTE=clausbc;30641]Hi,
I am running XEN hypervisor on a SLES11sp4 host. Guest-OS is SLES11sp3 - with OES11sp2. DomU disks are host partitions - not files.
I am running low on space on the / partition on one of my guests. Can this be expanded without a actual re-install?[/QUOTE]

This should be feasible the same as with a physical machine: Once you provided a larger (virtual) disk (i.e. by moving to a larger Dom0 partition), the next DomU reboot should pick up the larger sized vDisk. It then depends on the specifics of your installation if i.e. moving existing partitions, extending PVs or something else is required to increase the effective size of the root partition.

Situations like this are the main reason for me to set up DomUs with LVM… add another virtual disk, create the PV, add the PV to the volume group, resize your LV and then the partition. All this can even be done online.

Regards,
Jens

3

I took you advice and moved to LVM - thank you. The DomU is running.
First impression is fine - except disk i/o seems to suffer. What is you experience on that?

4

Hi Claus,

First impression is fine - except disk i/o seems to suffer. What is you experience on that?

I’ve not run tests to benchmark non-LVM / LVM configurations. The operational advantages are above any potential speed loss, at least at the moment :wink:

Best regards,
Jens