Virtual machines¶
The Virtual machines module gives control over the virtual machines reported by the hypervisors declared in cyberelements. An administrator reads their properties, drives their power state, deletes one, or purges the records of those that vanished on the hypervisor side. Machines are not created here: they are discovered.
Prerequisite: Workplace association
This module only appears when the Workplace association is active and console merging is active too. The objects managed here are shared between CyberElements and Workplace: a change made in either product shows in the other.
Virtual machine list¶
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name of the machine, preceded by a state icon: started, suspended or stopped. |
| Host | Hypervisor hosting it. |
| Host type | Type of that hypervisor. |
| System | Name of the operating system, preceded by a matching icon (Windows and its versions, Linux, or none). |
| IP address | IP address of the machine. |
| Linked clone | A tick marks a linked clone; the cell stays empty otherwise. |
As long as no machine is reported, the grid shows No extended VDI machine found. The grid footer
offers an Items per page: selector set to 15, 25 or 50.
Toolbar actions¶
There is no add button: the machines come from the hypervisors.
| Action | Availability | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Edit icon — tooltip Properties | Selection = 1 | Opens the read-only record (see chapter Read the properties). |
| × — tooltip Delete | Selection = 1 | Deletes the machine (see chapter Delete a virtual machine). |
| Refresh | Selection = 1 | Reads the properties back from the hypervisor and updates the row, without reloading the grid. |
| Clean the database — tooltip Purge noexistent machines | Always | See chapter Purge non-existent machines. |
| Start VM | Machine stopped or suspended | Starts the machine. |
| Suspend VM | Machine started | Suspends the machine. |
| Stop VM | Machine started | Stops the machine. |
The last three actions launch a task followed in the background; the state icon of the row is updated when it ends. If the task cannot be followed, the console shows Impossible de control this task. under the title Warning — the message is worded that way in the product.
Read the properties¶
Select a machine then click the Properties icon (or double-click). The Extended VDI machine properties window opens: it is entirely read-only and its only button is Close. It consists of two boxes.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name of the machine. |
| IP Address | IP address. |
| State | An icon, followed by the state as STARTED, SUSPENDED or STOPPED. |
| Template | States whether the machine is a template. |
| Operating system | An icon depending on the system, followed by its name. |
Despite its title, this box holds the hardware characteristics of the machine.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Size | Disk space used. |
| CPU | Processor configuration. |
| Memory | Allocated memory. |
Delete a virtual machine¶
Select the machine then click ×.
The machine is destroyed on the hypervisor
The confirmation is explicit: Warning, this action will permanently delete the virtual machine on the host! Do you want to continue? This is therefore not about removing a console record, but about destroying the machine on the hypervisor.
Two refusal cases
Deletion is refused, with the message Warning, you can not delete an extended VDI machine if it is associated to a desktop clone or is not stopped!, when the machine is not stopped or is associated with a desktop clone. Stop the machine, or release the clone, then start again.
The deletion itself is followed by a task; the grid reloads once it completes.
Purge non-existent machines¶
The Clean the database button is active without a selection. It first asks for confirmation — Delete the information of machines identified as non-existent? — then removes from CyberElements the records of the machines that are no longer found on their original hypervisor. Machines still present are left untouched.