Specify the correct order of steps necessary to creating and mounting a vhd.
Oracle VM VirtualBox is a cross-platform virtualization application. What does that mean? For one thing, it installs on your existing Intel or AMD-based computers, whether they are running Windows, macOS, Linux, or Oracle Solaris operating systems (OSes). Secondly, it extends the capabilities of your existing computer so that it can run multiple OSes, inside multiple virtual machines, at the same time. As an example, you can run Windows and Linux on your Mac, run Windows Server on your Linux server, run Linux on your Windows PC, and so on, all alongside your existing applications. You can install and run as many virtual machines as you like. The only practical limits are disk space and memory. Show
Oracle VM VirtualBox is deceptively simple yet also very powerful. It can run everywhere from small embedded systems or desktop class machines all the way up to datacenter deployments and even Cloud environments. The following screenshot shows how Oracle VM VirtualBox, installed on an Apple Mac computer, is running Windows Server 2016 in a virtual machine window. Figure�1.1.�Windows Server 2016 Virtual Machine, Displayed on a macOS Host In this User Manual, we will begin simply with a quick introduction to virtualization and how to get your first virtual machine running with the easy-to-use Oracle VM VirtualBox graphical user interface. Subsequent chapters will go into much more detail covering more powerful tools and features, but fortunately, it is not necessary to read the entire User Manual before you can use Oracle VM VirtualBox. You can find a summary of Oracle VM VirtualBox's capabilities in Section�1.3, “Features Overview”. For existing Oracle VM VirtualBox users who just want to find out what is new in this release, see the Chapter�15, Change Log. 1.1.�Why is Virtualization Useful?The techniques and features that Oracle VM VirtualBox provides are useful in the following scenarios:
When dealing with virtualization, and also for understanding the following chapters of this documentation, it helps to acquaint oneself with a bit of crucial terminology, especially the following terms:
The following is a brief outline of Oracle VM VirtualBox's main features:
1.4.�Supported Host Operating SystemsCurrently, Oracle VM VirtualBox runs on the following host OSes:
Note that any feature which is marked as experimental is not supported. Feedback and suggestions about such features are welcome. 1.4.1.�Host CPU RequirementsSSE2 (Streaming SIMD Extensions 2) support is required for host CPUs. 1.5.�Installing Oracle VM VirtualBox and Extension PacksOracle VM VirtualBox comes in many different packages, and installation depends on your host OS. If you have installed software before, installation should be straightforward. On each host platform, Oracle VM VirtualBox uses the installation method that is most common and easy to use. If you run into trouble or have special requirements, see Chapter�2, Installation Details for details about the various installation methods. Oracle VM VirtualBox is split into the following components:
1.6.�Starting Oracle VM VirtualBoxAfter installation, you can start Oracle VM VirtualBox as follows:
When you start Oracle VM VirtualBox, the VirtualBox Manager interface is shown. See Section�1.7, “VirtualBox Manager”. VirtualBox Manager is the user interface for Oracle VM VirtualBox. You can use VirtualBox Manager to create, configure, and manage your virtual machines. This section describes the main features of the VirtualBox Manager user interface. Subsequent sections and chapters describe how to use VirtualBox Manager to perform tasks in Oracle VM VirtualBox. When you start Oracle VM VirtualBox, the VirtualBox Manager window is displayed. Figure�1.2, “VirtualBox Manager, Showing Welcome Screen After Initial Startup” shows VirtualBox Manager the first time you start Oracle VM VirtualBox, before you have created any virtual machines. Figure�1.2.�VirtualBox Manager, Showing Welcome Screen After Initial Startup Figure�1.3, “VirtualBox Manager Window, After Creating Virtual Machines” shows how VirtualBox Manager might look after you have created some virtual machines. Figure�1.3.�VirtualBox Manager Window, After Creating Virtual Machines The main components of the VirtualBox Manager window are as follows:
The list of virtual machines in the left pane is called the machine list. The following methods can be used to control and configure virtual machines in the machine list: The Details pane shows configuration information for a virtual machine that is selected in the machine list. The pane also includes a toolbar for performing tasks. Figure�1.4.�VirtualBox Manager Details Pane, Including Toolbar The Details pane includes the following: VirtualBox Manager ToolbarA toolbar at the top of the Details pane contains buttons that enable you to configure the selected virtual machine, or to create a new virtual machine. The toolbar includes the following buttons:
A summary of settings is shown for the virtual machine. You can change some virtual machine settings, by clicking on the setting in the Details pane. NoteIf a virtual machine is running, some settings cannot be altered. You must stop the virtual machine first in order to change the setting. Virtual machine settings can also be changed using the Settings button on the VirtualBox Manager toolbar. The virtual machine settings on the Details pane are organized in sections that correspond to those used in the Settings window. See Chapter�3, Configuring Virtual Machines. Click the arrow icon to hide or show each section. The virtual machine display is shown in a small window. You can use the Preview window to check if your virtual machine has finished booting up. Click the arrow icon to hide or show the Preview window. Notification messages may be shown in a sliding panel on the right of the Details pane, called the Notification Center. Click the warning triangle to show the notification messages. Most system messages that do not require user interaction are displayed in the Notification Center, including task failure alerts. The progress of some tasks can be observed and stopped using the Notification Center. 1.7.3.�VirtualBox Manager ToolsVirtualBox Manager provides two types of user tools, to enable you to perform common tasks easily. In the left pane of the VirtualBox Manager window, click the Menu icon in the Tools banner located above the machine list. The Global Tools menu is displayed. Figure�1.5.�Global Tools Menu A drop-down list enables you to select from the following global tools: The Pin icon is used to keep the Tools banner visible as you scroll down the entries in the machine list. In the machine list in the left pane of the VirtualBox Manager window, select a virtual machine. Click the Menu icon to the right of the virtual machine name. The Machine Tools menu is displayed. Figure�1.6.�Machine Tools Menu A drop-down list enables you to select from the following machine tools:
The Help Viewer is a window that displays context-sensitive help to assist you in completing common VirtualBox Manager tasks. You can display the Help Viewer in the following ways:
The Help Viewer has the following features:
1.7.5.�About VirtualBox Manager WizardsVirtualBox Manager includes wizards that enable you to complete tasks easily. Examples of such tasks are when you create a new virtual machine or use the cloud integration features of Oracle VM VirtualBox. To display a help topic for the wizard, click the Help button. Some wizards can be displayed in either of the following modes:
Click the button at the bottom of the wizard window to switch between Guided mode and Expert mode. 1.8.�Creating Your First Virtual MachineClick New in the VirtualBox Manager window. The Create Virtual Machine wizard is shown, to guide you through the required steps for setting up a new virtual machine (VM). The Create Virtual Machine wizard pages are described in the following sections. 1.8.1.�Create Virtual Machine Wizard: Name and Operating SystemFigure�1.7.�Creating a Virtual Machine: Name and Operating System Use this page to specify a name and operating system (OS) for the virtual machine and to change the storage location used for VMs. You can also choose to disable the unattended guest operating system install feature. See also Section�1.8.2, “(Optional) Create Virtual Machine Wizard: Unattended Guest OS Install”. The following fields are available on this wizard page:
Click Next to go to the next wizard page. 1.8.2.�(Optional) Create Virtual Machine Wizard: Unattended Guest OS InstallUnattended guest OS installation enables you to install the OS on a virtual machine automatically. NoteThis page is optional. It is not displayed if you have selected the Skip Unattended Installation option on the initial wizard page. Use this page to set up the required parameters for unattended guest OS installation and to configure automatic installation of the Oracle VM VirtualBox Guest Additions. See also Section�1.8.6, “Some Examples of Unattended Installation” for some typical scenarios when using automated installation. Figure�1.8.�Creating a Virtual Machine: Unattended Guest OS Installation The following fields are available on this wizard page:
Click Next to go to the next wizard page. 1.8.3.�Create Virtual Machine Wizard: HardwareUse this page to configure hardware settings for the virtual machine. Figure�1.9.�Creating a Virtual Machine: Hardware The following fields are available on this wizard page:
Click Next to go to the next wizard page. 1.8.4.�Create Virtual Machine Wizard: Virtual Hard DiskUse this page to specify a virtual hard disk for the virtual machine. There are many ways in which Oracle VM VirtualBox can provide hard disk space to a VM, see Chapter�5, Virtual Storage. The most common way is to use a large image file on your physical hard disk, whose contents Oracle VM VirtualBox presents to your VM as if it were a complete hard disk. This file then represents an entire hard disk, so you can even copy it to another host and use it with another Oracle VM VirtualBox installation. Figure�1.10.�Creating a New Virtual Machine: Virtual Hard Disk The following fields are available on this wizard page:
To prevent your physical hard disk on the host OS from filling up, Oracle VM VirtualBox limits the size of the image file. But the image file must be large enough to hold the contents of the guest OS and the applications you want to install. For a Windows or Linux guest, you will probably need several gigabytes for any serious use. The limit of the image file size can be changed later, see Section�8.31, “VBoxManage modifymedium”. NoteYou can skip attaching a virtual hard disk file to the new virtual machine you are creating. But you will then need to attach an hard disk later on, in order to install a guest operating system. After having selected or created your image file, click Next to go to the next wizard page. 1.8.5.�Create Virtual Machine Wizard: SummaryThis page displays a summary of the configuration for the virtual machine. If you are not happy with any of the settings, use the Back button to return to the corresponding page and modify the setting. Click Finish to create your new virtual machine. The virtual machine is displayed in the machine list on the left side of the VirtualBox Manager window, with the name that you entered on the first page of the wizard. 1.8.6.�Some Examples of Unattended InstallationTo configure unattended installation, you typically just need to specify an ISO image in the Create Virtual Machine wizard. Oracle VM VirtualBox then detects the OS type and the unattended installation process is done automatically when the wizard is completed. However, in some situations the installation may need be completed manually. The following list describes some common scenarios for unattended installation:
See also Section�3.2, “Unattended Guest Installation” for details of how to perform unattended installation from the command line. 1.9.�Running Your Virtual MachineTo start a virtual machine, you have the following options:
Starting a virtual machine displays a new window, and the virtual machine which you selected will boot up. Everything which would normally be seen on the virtual system's monitor is shown in the window. See Figure�1.1, “Windows Server 2016 Virtual Machine, Displayed on a macOS Host”. In general, you can use the virtual machine as you would use a real computer. The following topics describe a few points to note when running a VM. 1.9.1.�Starting a New VM for the First TimeWhen you start a VM for the first time the OS installation process is started automatically, using the ISO image file specified in the Create Virtual Machine wizard. Follow the onscreen instructions to install your OS. 1.9.2.�Capturing and Releasing Keyboard and MouseOracle VM VirtualBox provides a virtual USB tablet device to new virtual machines through which mouse events are communicated to the guest OS. If you are running a modern guest OS that can handle such devices, mouse support may work out of the box without the mouse being captured as described below. See Section�3.5.1, “Motherboard Tab”. Otherwise, if the virtual machine detects only standard PS/2 mouse and keyboard devices, since the OS in the virtual machine does not know that it is not running on a real computer, it expects to have exclusive control over your keyboard and mouse. But unless you are running the VM in full screen mode, your VM needs to share keyboard and mouse with other applications and possibly other VMs on your host. After installing a guest OS and before you install the Guest Additions, described in Chapter�4, Guest Additions, either your VM or the rest of your computer can own the keyboard and the mouse. Both cannot own the keyboard and mouse at the same time. You will see a second mouse pointer which is always confined to the limits of the VM window. You activate the VM by clicking inside it. To return ownership of keyboard and mouse to your host OS, Oracle VM VirtualBox reserves a special key on your keyboard: the Host key. By default, this is the right Ctrl key on your keyboard. On a Mac host, the default Host key is the left Command key. You can change this default using the Preferences window. See Section�1.17, “Preferences”. The current setting for the Host key is always displayed at the bottom right of your VM window. Figure�1.11.�Host Key Setting on the Virtual Machine Taskbar This means the following:
As this behavior is inconvenient, Oracle VM VirtualBox provides a set of tools and device drivers for guest systems called the Oracle VM VirtualBox Guest Additions. These tools make VM keyboard and mouse operations much more seamless. Most importantly, the Guest Additions suppress the second "guest" mouse pointer and make your host mouse pointer work directly in the guest. See Chapter�4, Guest Additions. 1.9.3.�Typing Special CharactersSome OSes expect certain key combinations to initiate certain procedures. The key combinations that you type into a VM might target the host OS, the Oracle VM VirtualBox software, or the guest OS. The recipient of these keypresses depends on a number of factors, including the key combination itself.
1.9.4.�Changing Removable MediaWhile a virtual machine is running, you can change removable media in the Devices menu of the VM's window. Here you can select in detail what Oracle VM VirtualBox presents to your VM as a CD, DVD, or floppy drive. The settings are the same as those available for the VM in the Settings window of VirtualBox Manager. But as the Settings window is disabled while the VM is in the Running or Saved state, the Devices menu saves you from having to shut down and restart the VM every time you want to change media. Using the Devices menu, you can attach the host drive to the guest or select a floppy or DVD image, as described in Section�3.7, “Storage Settings”. The Devices menu also includes an option for creating a virtual ISO (VISO) from selected files on the host. 1.9.5.�Resizing the Machine's WindowYou can resize the VM's window while that VM is running. When you do, the window is scaled as follows:
1.9.6.�Saving the State of the MachineWhen you click on the Close button of your virtual machine window, at the top right of the window, just like you would close any other window on your system, Oracle VM VirtualBox asks you whether you want to save or power off the VM. As a shortcut, you can also press Host key + Q. Figure�1.12.�Closing Down a Virtual Machine The difference between the three options is crucial. They mean the following:
The Discard button in the VirtualBox Manager window discards a virtual machine's saved state. This has the same effect as powering it off, and the same warnings apply. VM groups are groups of VMs that you can create as and when required. You can manage and perform functions on them collectively, as well as individually. The following figure shows VM groups displayed in VirtualBox Manager. Figure�1.13.�Groups of Virtual Machines The following features are available for groups:
With snapshots, you can save a particular state of a virtual machine for later use. At any later time, you can revert to that state, even though you may have changed the VM considerably since then. A snapshot of a virtual machine is thus similar to a machine in Saved state, but there can be many of them, and these saved states are preserved. To see the snapshots of a virtual machine, click on the machine name in VirtualBox Manager. In the machine tools menu for the VM, click Snapshots. The Snapshots tool is displayed. Figure�1.14.�Snapshots Tool, Showing Snapshot Properties If you select multiple VMs in the machine list, all snapshots are listed for each VM. Until you take a snapshot of the virtual machine, the list of snapshots will be empty, except for the Current State item. This item represents the current point in the lifetime of the virtual machine. The Snapshots window includes a toolbar, enabling you to perform the following snapshot operations:
1.11.1.�Taking, Restoring, and Deleting SnapshotsThere are three operations related to snapshots, as follows:
1.11.2.�Snapshot ContentsThink of a snapshot as a point in time that you have preserved. More formally, a snapshot consists of the following:
1.12.�Virtual Machine ConfigurationWhen you select a virtual machine from the list in the VirtualBox Manager window, you will see a summary of that machine's settings on the right. Clicking on Settings displays a window, where you can configure many of the properties of the selected VM. But be careful when changing VM settings. It is possible to change all VM settings after installing a guest OS, but certain changes might prevent a guest OS from functioning correctly if done after installation. NoteThe Settings button is disabled while a VM is either in the Running or Saved state. This is because the Settings window enables you to change fundamental characteristics of the virtual machine that is created for your guest OS. For example, the guest OS may not perform well if half of its memory is taken away. As a result, if the Settings button is disabled, shut down the current VM first. Oracle VM VirtualBox provides a wide range of parameters that can be changed for a virtual machine. The various settings that can be changed in the Settings window are described in detail in Chapter�3, Configuring Virtual Machines. Even more parameters are available when using the VBoxManage command line interface. See Chapter�8, VBoxManage. 1.13.�Removing and Moving Virtual MachinesYou can remove a VM from Oracle VM VirtualBox or move the VM and its associated files, such as disk images, to another location on the host.
For information about removing or moving a disk image file from Oracle VM VirtualBox, see Section�5.3, “The Virtual Media Manager”. 1.14.�Cloning Virtual MachinesYou can create a full copy or a linked copy of an existing VM. This copy is called a clone. You might use a cloned VM to experiment with a VM configuration, to test different guest OS levels, or to back up a VM. The Clone Virtual Machine wizard guides you through the cloning process. You can start the Clone Virtual Machine wizard in one of the following ways:
NoteThe Clone menu item is disabled while a virtual machine is running. The New Machine Name and Path page is displayed. Figure�1.16.�Clone Virtual Machine Wizard: New Machine Name and Path The following clone options are available:
Click Next. The Clone Type page is displayed. Figure�1.17.�Clone Virtual Machine Wizard: Clone Type The Clone Type option specifies whether to create a clone that is linked to the source VM or to create a fully independent clone:
(Optional) Click Next. The Snapshots page is displayed. NoteThe Snapshots page is only displayed for machines that have snapshots and the selected clone type is Full Clone. Figure�1.18.�Clone Virtual Machine Wizard: Snapshots You use this page to select which parts of the snapshot tree to include in the clone. The available options are as follows:
Click Finish to start the clone operation. The duration of the clone operation depends on the size and number of attached disk images. In addition, the clone operation saves all the differencing disk images of a snapshot. You can also use the VBoxManage clonevm command to clone a VM. See Section�8.11, “VBoxManage clonevm”. 1.15.�Importing and Exporting Virtual MachinesOracle VM VirtualBox can import and export virtual machines in the following formats: 1.15.1.�About the OVF FormatOVF is a cross-platform standard supported by many virtualization products which enables the creation of ready-made virtual machines that can then be imported into a hypervisor such as Oracle VM VirtualBox. Oracle VM VirtualBox makes OVF import and export easy to do, using VirtualBox Manager or the command-line interface. Using OVF enables packaging of virtual appliances. These are disk images, together with configuration settings that can be distributed easily. This way one can offer complete ready-to-use software packages, including OSes with applications, that need no configuration or installation except for importing into Oracle VM VirtualBox. NoteThe OVF standard is complex, and support in Oracle VM VirtualBox is an ongoing process. In particular, no guarantee is made that Oracle VM VirtualBox supports all appliances created by other virtualization software. For a list of known limitations, see Chapter�14, Known Limitations. Appliances in OVF format can appear in the following variants:
NoteOVF cannot describe snapshots that were taken for a virtual machine. As a result, when you export a virtual machine that has snapshots, only the current state of the machine will be exported. The disk images in the export will have a flattened state identical to the current state of the virtual machine. 1.15.2.�Importing an Appliance in OVF FormatThe following steps show how to import an appliance in OVF format.
You can use the VBoxManage import command to import an appliance. See Section�8.16, “VBoxManage import”. 1.15.3.�Exporting an Appliance in OVF FormatThe following steps show how to export an appliance in OVF format.
You can use the VBoxManage export command to export an appliance. See Section�8.17, “VBoxManage export”. 1.16.�Integrating with Oracle Cloud InfrastructureThis section describes how to use the features of Oracle VM VirtualBox to integrate with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Integrating with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure involves the following steps: 1.16.1.�Preparing for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure IntegrationPerform the following configuration steps before using Oracle VM VirtualBox to integrate with your Oracle Cloud Infrastructure account. 1.16.2.�Creating an API Signing Key PairTo use the cloud integration features of Oracle VM VirtualBox, you must generate an API signing key pair that is used for API requests to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Your API requests are signed with your private key, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure uses the public key to verify the authenticity of the request. You must upload the public key to the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Console. NoteThis key pair is not the same SSH key that you use to access compute instances on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
1.16.3.�Uploading the Public Key to Oracle Cloud InfrastructureUse the following steps to upload your public key to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
1.16.4.�Creating a Cloud ProfileOracle VM VirtualBox uses a cloud profile to connect to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. A cloud profile is a text file that contains details of your key files and Oracle Cloud Identifier (OCID) resource identifiers for your cloud account, such as the following:
You can create a cloud profile in the following ways:
1.16.5.�Using the Cloud Profile ManagerThis section describes how to use the Cloud Profile Manager to create a cloud profile. To open the Cloud Profile Manager click File, Cloud Profile Manager in VirtualBox Manager. Figure�1.21.�The Cloud Profile Manager You can use the Cloud Profile Manager in the following ways:
Perform the following steps to create a new cloud profile automatically, using the Cloud Profile Manager:
Perform the following steps to import an existing Oracle Cloud Infrastructure configuration file into the Cloud Profile Manager:
1.16.6.�Using Oracle VM VirtualBox With Oracle Cloud InfrastructureThis section describes how you can use Oracle VM VirtualBox with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to do the following tasks: 1.16.7.�Using Cloud Virtual MachinesA cloud virtual machine (cloud VM) is a type of VM that represents an instance on a cloud service. Cloud VMs are shown in the machine list in VirtualBox Manager, in the same way as local VMs are. By using cloud VMs you can create, manage, and control your Oracle Cloud Infrastructure instances from VirtualBox Manager. NoteCloud VMs do not install, export, or import instances to the Oracle VM VirtualBox host. All operations are done remotely on the cloud service. Figure�1.22.�Cloud VMs, Shown in VirtualBox Manager Cloud VMs can be used to do the following tasks in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: 1.16.7.1.�About the OCI VM GroupAll cloud VMs are shown in the machine list in VirtualBox Manager, in a special VM group called OCI. Cloud VMs are further grouped according to the cloud profile used to connect to them. The cloud profile identifies the user and compartment for the cloud VM and includes details of the key pair used to connect to cloud instances. See Section�1.16.4, “Creating a Cloud Profile”. Figure�1.23.�OCI Group, Containing Cloud VMs All cloud profiles registered with Oracle VM VirtualBox are listed automatically in the OCI group. To enable or disable listing of cloud VMs in VirtualBox Manager for a specific cloud profile, do the following: Display the Cloud Profile Manager and select or deselect the List VMs check box for each cloud profile. 1.16.7.2.�Creating a New Cloud VMWhen you create a new cloud VM, a new Oracle Cloud Infrastructure instance is created and associated with the cloud VM. Perform the following steps to create a new cloud VM:
1.16.7.3.�Adding a Cloud VMWhen you add a cloud VM, an existing Oracle Cloud Infrastructure instance is associated with the cloud VM. You can only add one cloud VM for each instance. Perform the following steps to add a cloud VM:
1.16.7.4.�Changing Settings for a Cloud VMSelect the cloud VM in VirtualBox Manager and click Settings.
1.16.7.5.�Controlling a Cloud VMYou can use VirtualBox Manager to control a cloud VM as follows:
When you control a cloud VM in VirtualBox Manager the machine list is updated automatically with the current instance state, such as Stopped or Running. When you control an instance using the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure console, VirtualBox Manager updates the status for the corresponding cloud VM automatically. 1.16.7.6.�Removing a Cloud VMYou can use VirtualBox Manager to remove a cloud VM as follows: Right-click on the cloud VM name and select Remove.
1.16.7.7.�Creating an Instance Console Connection for a Cloud VMTo create a instance console connection, the cloud VM must be in Running state.
See the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure documentation for details about how you can use an instance console connection to troubleshoot instance problems. 1.16.8.�Exporting an Appliance to Oracle Cloud InfrastructureOracle VM VirtualBox supports the export of VMs to an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure service. The exported VM is stored on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as a custom Linux image. You can configure whether a cloud instance is created and started after the export process has completed. Use the following steps to export a VM to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure:
You can also use the VBoxManage export command to export a VM to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. See Section�8.17.2.2, “Export a Virtual Machine to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure”. 1.16.8.1.�Preparing a VM for Export to Oracle Cloud InfrastructureOracle Cloud Infrastructure provides the option to import a custom Linux image. Before an Oracle VM VirtualBox image can be exported to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, the custom image needs to be prepared to ensure that instances launched from the custom image can boot correctly and that network connections will work. This section provides advice on how to prepare a Linux image for export from Oracle VM VirtualBox. The following list shows some tasks to consider when preparing an Oracle Linux VM for export:
For more information about importing a custom Linux image into Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, see also: https://docs.cloud.oracle.com/iaas/Content/Compute/Tasks/importingcustomimagelinux.htm 1.16.9.�Importing an Instance from Oracle Cloud InfrastructurePerform the following steps to import a cloud instance from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure into Oracle VM VirtualBox:
You can also use the VBoxManage import command to import an instance from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. See Section�8.16.2.3, “Cloud Import Options”. Importing an Instance: Overview of EventsThe following describes the sequence of events when you import an instance from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
1.16.10.�Using a Cloud NetworkA cloud network is a type of network that can be used for connections from a local VM to a remote Oracle Cloud Infrastructure cloud instance. To create and use a cloud network, do the following:
1.16.11.�Using VBoxManage Commands With Oracle Cloud InfrastructureThis section includes some examples of how VBoxManage commands can be used to integrate with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and perform common cloud operations. Creating a Cloud Profile To create a cloud profile called $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem1: VBoxManage modifyvm "vm01" --groups ""8 The new cloud profile is added to the $ mkdir ~/.oci1 file in your Oracle VM VirtualBox global configuration directory. For example, this is $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem4 on a Windows host. Listing Cloud Instances To list the instances in your Oracle Cloud Infrastructure compartment: VBoxManage modifyvm "vm01" --groups ""9 Exporting an Oracle VM VirtualBox VM to the Cloud To export a VM called $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem5 and create a cloud instance called $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem6: VBoxManage modifyvm "vm01" --groups "/TestGroup,/TestGroup2"0 Importing a Cloud Instance Into Oracle VM VirtualBox To import a cloud instance and create an Oracle VM VirtualBox VM called $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem7: VBoxManage modifyvm "vm01" --groups "/TestGroup,/TestGroup2"1 Creating a New Cloud Instance From a Custom Image To create a new cloud instance from a custom image on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: VBoxManage modifyvm "vm01" --groups "/TestGroup,/TestGroup2"2 Terminating a Cloud Instance To terminate an instance in your compartment on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: VBoxManage modifyvm "vm01" --groups "/TestGroup,/TestGroup2"3 For more details about the available commands for cloud operations, see Section�8.14, “VBoxManage cloud”. The Preferences window offers a selection of settings, which apply to all virtual machines of the current user. To display the Preferences window, do either of the following:
The following settings are available:
1.18.�Alternative Front-EndsAs briefly mentioned in Section�1.3, “Features Overview”, Oracle VM VirtualBox has a very flexible internal design that enables you to use multiple interfaces to control the same virtual machines. For example, you can start a virtual machine with the VirtualBox Manager window and then stop it from the command line. With Oracle VM VirtualBox's support for the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), you can even run virtual machines remotely on a headless server and have all the graphical output redirected over the network. The following front-ends are shipped in the standard Oracle VM VirtualBox package:
If the above front-ends still do not satisfy your particular needs, it is possible to create yet another front-end to the complex virtualization engine that is the core of Oracle VM VirtualBox, as the Oracle VM VirtualBox core neatly exposes all of its features in a clean API. See Chapter�11, Oracle VM VirtualBox Programming Interfaces. Oracle VM VirtualBox provides a soft keyboard that enables you to input keyboard characters on the guest. A soft keyboard is an on-screen keyboard that can be used as an alternative to a physical keyboard. See Section�1.19.1, “Using the Soft Keyboard” for details of how to use the soft keyboard. CautionFor best results, ensure that the keyboard layout configured on the guest OS matches the keyboard layout used by the soft keyboard. Oracle VM VirtualBox does not do this automatically. Figure�1.28.�Soft Keyboard in a Guest Virtual Machine The soft keyboard can be used in the following scenarios:
By default, the soft keyboard includes some common international keyboard layouts. You can copy and modify these to meet your own requirements. See Section�1.19.2, “Creating a Custom Keyboard Layout”. 1.19.1.�Using the Soft Keyboard
1.19.2.�Creating a Custom Keyboard LayoutYou can use one of the supplied default keyboard layouts as the starting point to create a custom keyboard layout. NoteTo permananently save a custom keyboard layout, you must save it to a file. Otherwise, any changes you make are discarded when you close down the Soft Keyboard window. Custom keyboard layouts that you save are stored as an XML file on the host, in the $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem8 folder in the global configuration data directory. For example, in $ chmod 600 ~/.oci/oci_api_key.pem9 on a Linux host.
1.20.�Monitoring of Virtual MachinesVirtualBox Manager includes the following tools for viewing runtime information and changing the configuration of virtual machines. 1.20.1.�VM Activity OverviewThe VM Activity Overview tool displays several performance metrics for all running virtual machines and for the host system. This provides an overview of system resources used by individual virtual machines and the host system. To display the VM Activity Overview tool, do the following: Go to the global Tools menu and click Activities. The VM Activity Overview window is shown. Figure�1.29.�VM Activity Overview Tool To show metrics for all virtual machines, including those that are not running, right-click on the list of virtual machines and select List All Virtual Machines. To configure the set of metrics to be shown, click Columns in the toolbar. You can then sort the list of virtual machines by a particular metric. To see more performance information for a virtual machine, select the VM name and click VM Activity in the toolbar. The VM Activity tab of the Session Information dialog is shown, see Section�1.20.2, “Session Information Dialog”. 1.20.2.�Session Information DialogThe Session Information dialog includes multiple tabs which show important configuration and runtime information for the guest system. The tabs of the dialog are as follows:
To display the Session Information dialog, select Machine, Session Information in the guest VM. Figure�1.30.�Session Information Dialog, Showing VM Activity Tab Every time you start up a VM, Oracle VM VirtualBox creates a log file that records system configuration and events. The Log Viewer is a VirtualBox Manager tool that enables you to view and analyze system logs. Figure�1.31.�Log Viewer Tool, Showing System Events To display the Log Viewer, do either of the following:
Log messages for the VM are displayed in tabs in the Log Viewer window. See Section�12.1.2, “Collecting Debugging Information” for details of the various log files generated by Oracle VM VirtualBox. If you select multiple VMs in the machine list, logs are listed for each VM. The toolbar of the Log Viewer includes the following options:
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