Citrix Systems 6.2.0 manual Appendix D. Enabling VNC for Linux VMs

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Appendix D. Enabling VNC for Linux VMs

VMs might not be set up to support Virtual Network Computing (VNC), which XenServer uses to control VMs remotely, by default. Before you can connect with the XenCenter graphical console, you need to ensure that the VNC server and an X display manager are installed on the VM and properly configured. This section describes the procedures for configuring VNC on each of the supported Linux operating system distributions to allow proper interactions with the XenCenter graphical console.

CentOS-based VMs should use the instructions for the Red Hat-based VMs below, as they use the same base code to provide graphical VNC access. CentOS 4 is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, and CentOS 5 is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.

D.1. Enabling a Graphical Console on Debian Squeeze VMs

Note:

Before enabling a graphical console on your Debian Squeeze VM, ensure that you have installed the Linux guest agent. See Section 5.5, “Installing the Linux Guest Agent” for details.

The graphical console for Debian Squeeze virtual machines is provided by a VNC server running inside the VM. In the recommended configuration, this is controlled by a standard display manager so that a login dialog is provided.

1.Install your Squeeze guest with the desktop system packages, or install GDM (the display manager) using apt (following standard procedures).

2.Install the Xvnc server using apt-get(or similar):

apt-get install vnc4server

Note:

Significant CPU time can be taken by the Debian Squeeze Graphical Desktop Environment, which uses the Gnome Display Manager version 3 daemon. Citrix strongly advises that customers uninstall the Gnome Display Manager gdm3 package and install the gdm package as follows:

apt-get install gdm apt-get purge gdm3

3.Set up a VNC password (not having one is a serious security risk) using the vncpasswd command, passing in a filename to write the password information to. For example:

vncpasswd /etc/vncpass

4.Modify your gdm.conf file (/etc/gdm/gdm.conf) to configure a VNC server to manage display 0 by extending the [servers] and [daemon] sections as follows:

[servers]

0=VNC

[daemon]

VTAllocation=false [server-VNC] name=VNC

command=/usr/bin/Xvnc -geometry 800x600 -PasswordFile /etc/vncpass BlacklistTimeout=0 flexible=true

5.Restart GDM, and then wait for the graphical console to be detected by XenCenter:

/etc/init.d/gdm restart

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Contents Citrix XenServer 6.2.0 Virtual Machine Users Guide Trademarks Contents VM Migration with XenMotion and Storage XenMotion Importing the Demo Linux Virtual Appliance Windows VM Release Notes Setting Up a Red Hat Installation Server XenServer Documentation About this DocumentOverview Other Methods of VM Creation Virtual MachinesCreating VMs XenServer Tools Importing an Exported VMPage Operating System Minimum Maximum Minimum Disk Space Supported Guests and Allocating ResourcesSupported Guests, Virtual Memory, and Disk Size Limits 4GB 8GB Experimental Guests Operating SystemVirtual device Linux VMs Windows VMs Deprecated GuestsXenServer Product Family Virtual Device Support VM Block Devices Basic Procedure for Creating a Windows VM Creating Windows VMsAvailable Windows Templates Template Name DescriptionTo create a Windows 7 32-bit VM Using XenCenter to Create a VMAttaching an ISO Image Library Page Using the CLI to Create a Windows VM Installing a Windows VM from an ISO Repository Using the CLICreating Linux VMs Install From Network From CD Repository Distribution VendorCreating a Linux VM by Installing from a Physical CD/DVD Creating a Linux VM by Installing From an ISO Image Network Installation NotesTo install Rhel Using a Kickstart File Advanced Operating System Boot ParametersTo install Debian using a preseed file Installing the Linux Guest Agent To install the guest agentAdditional Installation Notes for Linux Distributions Linux Distribution Installation NotesPreparing to Clone a Linux VM Additional Debian NotesMachine Name IP addressPage VM Migration with XenMotion and Storage XenMotion XenMotion and Storage XenMotionXenMotion Storage XenMotionLimitations and Caveats Migrating a VM using XenCenterLive VDI Migration To Move Virtual Disks To uninstall the XenServer Tools Updating VMsUpdating Windows Operating Systems Updating XenServer Tools for Windows VMsPage Creating a vApp using XenCenter VAppsManaging vApps in XenCenter Creating vAppsStart and shutdown vApps using XenCenter Deleting vApps using XenCenterDeleting vApps To start a vAppTo import a vApp Importing and Exporting vAppsTo export a vApp VM Boot Behavior Persist XenDesktop Private Desktop ModeReset XenDesktop Shared Desktop Mode Advanced Notes for Virtual MachinesInstalldir/xensetup.exe /S /norestart Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service VSS provider Connecting to a Windows VM Using Remote DesktopTo enable the Windows XenServer VSS provider To Enable Remote Desktop on a Windows VMTime Handling in Windows VMs Time Handling in Linux VMsGuest OS Dependent wallclock Independent wallclock Installing a VM from Reseller Option Kit BIOS-locked MediaTo set individual Linux VMs to maintain independent times Using the CLI Preparing for Cloning a Windows VM Using VSSUsing XenCenter Assigning a GPU to a Windows VM for Use with XenDesktop Cloning Windows VMsTo assign a GPU to a Windows VM using XenCenter To assign a GPU to a Windows VM using xe CLITo detach a Windows VM from a GPU using XenCenter To detach a Windows VM from a GPU using the xe CLIDetach the GPU from the VM by entering the following Useful Tests To Import the Demo Linux Virtual Appliance Using XenCenterImporting the Demo Linux Virtual Appliance Page Format Description Importing and Exporting VMsSupported Formats Open Virtualization Format OVF and OVA Attribute DescriptionDisk Image Formats VHD and Vmdk XVA FormatOperating System Fixup XVA Version 1 FormatTo use the RawVDI transfer protocol Transfer VMImporting VMs To Import VMs from OVF/OVA using XenCenter Importing VMs from OVF/OVAPage To Import VMs from a Disk Image using XenCenter Importing Disk ImagesTo Import VMs from XVA Files VM using XenCenter Importing VMs from XVAExporting VMs as OVF/OVA To Import a VM from XVA using the xe CLIExporting VMs To Export VMs as OVF/OVA using XenCenter To Export VMs as XVA Files using XenCenter Exporting VMs as XVATo Export VMs as XVA Files using the xe CLI Appendix A. Windows VM Release Notes Release NotesAppendix B. Linux VM Release Notes Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.5 toRed Hat Enterprise Linux Preparing a Rhel 4.5 to 4.8 guest for cloningCentOS Oracle Enterprise LinuxSuse Enterprise Linux 10 SP1 Suse Enterprise Linux 10 SP3Ubuntu On a Windows computer Appendix C. Creating ISO ImagesCreating an ISO on a Linux computer Appendix D. Enabling VNC for Linux VMs Enabling a Graphical Console on Debian Squeeze VMsDetermining the Location of your VNC Configuration File Configuring GDM to use VNCFirewall Settings VNC Screen ResolutionEnabling VNC for RHEL, CentOS, or OEL 6.x VMs Create the xinetd.d file, /etc/xinetd.d/vnc-server-streamSetting up SLES-based VMs for VNC Enabling Remote AdministrationModifying the xinetd Configuration Checking for a VNC ServerTo Open the VNC Port on Sles 10.x VMs Firewall Checking Runlevels To Open the VNC Port on Sles 11.x VMs FirewallAppendix E. Setting Up a Red Hat Installation Server Copying Installation MediaEnable Remote Access NFSFTP HttpAppendix F. Troubleshooting VM Problems To enable saving of Linux VM crash dumpsVM Crashes Controlling Linux VM Crashdump BehaviourTroubleshooting Boot Problems on Linux VMs