Manage VirtualBox

To ensure higher security of your server you may want to host FEMhub in VirtualBox. This guide lists detailed step by step instructions how to setup virtual images from the command line. In case of any doubts or for more information, consult the excellent official documentation for VirtualBox.

Install VirtualBox

To install VirtualBox (this guide is tested with 3.2.8):

$ wajig install virtualbox-ose

Answer yes to install the kernel module, it should just work. Create the virtual image:

$ VBoxManage createvm -name ubuntu -register
$ VBoxManage modifyvm ubuntu -memory "2048MB" -acpi on -boot1 dvd -nic1 nat
$ VBoxManage createvdi -filename ~/.VirtualBox/Machines/ubuntu/ubuntu.vdi -size 20000 -register
$ VBoxManage modifyvm ubuntu -hdb ~/.VirtualBox/Machines/ubuntu/ubuntu.vdi
$ VBoxManage registerimage dvd ~/ext/debian-40r6-i386-netinst.iso
$ VBoxManage modifyvm ubuntu -dvd ~/ext/debian-40r6-i386-netinst.iso

Start the Image

To start the virtual image do:

$ VBoxHeadless --startvm ubuntu
VirtualBox Headless Interface 2.1.2
(C) 2008-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.

Listening on port 3389

Connect to the image (requires X) on the same machine:

$ rdesktop localhost

Or you can login remotely by forwarding the 3389 port:

$ ssh -L 3389:localhost:3389 server

And from your desktop computer

$ rdesktop localhost

If you are already using the port 3389, then the VRDP will fail to start. You can specify a different port by

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ubuntu --vrdpport 5000,5010-5012

then forward it using ssh -L 3389:localhost:5000 server and view it locally using rdesktop localhost.

Install the system. After installing it, remove the cd (iso image) by

$ VBoxManage modifyvm ubuntu --dvd none

Stop the Image (Do not Save Changes)

To stop the image without saving changes, do

$ VBoxManage controlvm ubuntu poweroff

Stop the Image (Save Changes)

To stop the image saving changes,

$ VBoxManage controlvm ubuntu savestate

Networking

In order to be able to login using ssh, do:

$ VBoxManage modifyvm "ubuntu" --natpf1 "guestssh,tcp,,2222,,22"

Then you can login on the server using:

$ ssh -p 2222 localhost

Or if you put this into your .ssh/config:

Host pythonnb
  HostName localhost
  User ondrej
  Compression no
  Port 2222

Then you can connect just by ssh pythonnb.

To forward the port 8000, do:

$ VBoxManage modifyvm "ubuntu" --natpf1 "guesthttp,tcp,,8000,,8000"

To see what rules are active, do:

$ VBoxManage showvminfo new_lab_backend
[...]
NIC 1 Rule(0):   name = guesthttp, protocol = tcp, host ip = , host port = 8002, guest ip = , guest port = 8000
NIC 1 Rule(1):   name = guestssh, protocol = tcp, host ip = , host port = 2224, guest ip = , guest port = 22
[...]

One can then delete any of the rules above by:

$ VBoxManage modifyvm "ubuntu" --natpf1 delete "guestssh"

(or guesthttp). One can use any names instead of guesthttp/guestssh.

Import the Appliance

First use dry run:

VBoxManage import ext/virtualbox_image/new_lab.ovf --dry-run

Check that the name and other things are ok, or change them using the suggested cmd line options that it offers. In our case:

VBoxManage import ext/virtualbox_image/new_lab.ovf --dry-run --vsys 0 --vmname new_lab_backend

Once satisfied, do it for real:

$ VBoxManage import ext/virtualbox_image/new_lab.ovf --vsys 0 --vmname new_lab_backend
[...]
0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Successfully imported the appliance.

And you are done, the new virtual machine will show up:

$ VBoxManage list vms
Oracle VM VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.2.8
(C) 2005-2010 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

"ubuntu" {7b6c0b84-9070-4e64-9bc1-af659c1f5efb}
"new_lab" {42d7216a-1b7c-4376-a46c-719f9363c212}
"new_lab_backend" {edf1e2ee-1c8a-4f5d-957f-3adda9e25e6b}