To install SBC software on a virtual machine (VM), you must first create a VM and allocate its resources (for example CPU, memory, and NICs), as well as configure a datastore to contain the SBC operating system and application software.

To create a new SBC SWe KVM instance, perform the following steps.

Note

The instance is created on Linux Vanilla flavor version 7.3, and the screens listed here may vary in the latest Linux Vanilla flavor versions. 

  1. Perform the following to export the display on your desktop if you are remotely accessing the KVM host system.

    1. Log on to KVM host system through SSH and telnet client such as PuTTY using the following command:

      export DISPLAY=<system_IP>:0.0

      where <system_IP> is the system IP address where GUI is exported for display.

    2. Enter the following command to launch the virtual machine manager (virt manager) on your system.

      virt-manager

      Ensure Xserver is running on the host system to import the display on your desktop.

  2. Click New to create a new VM.

    Virtual Machine Manager

    The Create new virtual machine window displays.

    Note

    The figures shown in this procedure are intended as examples of the user interface and might not match the presented image exactly.

  3. In Step 1 shown on the Create a new virtual machine window:

    1. Select Local install media (ISO image or CDROM).

    2. Click Forward.

      Create New Virtual Machine

      The locate your install media window displays.

  4. In Step 2 on the Create a new virtual machine window:

    1. Select Use ISO image and click Browse.

      Locate Install Media

      The Choose Storage Volume window displays.

    2. Click Browse Local.

      The ISO location could be /var/lib/libvirt/images or /root/.

      Locate ISO media volume

  5. In Step 2 on the Create a new virtual machine window: 
    1. Click the OS type drop-down list and select Linux.
    2. Click the Version drop-down list and select Debian Stretch.

    3. Click Forward.

      OS Selection

      The memory and CPU settings window displays.

  6. In Step 3 on the Create a new virtual machine window:
    1. In the Memory (RAM) field enter 10240 MiB as the RAM size.
    2. In the CPUs field enter 4 as the number of vCPUs.

    3. Click Forward.

      A minimum of 10 GB of RAM and 4 vCPUs is required for optimal performance.

      Memory and CPU Settings

      The storage details window displays.

      Refer to SBC SWe Performance Metrics for more information on memory required for different call capacities.

  7. In Step 4 on the Create a new virtual machine window:

    1. Select the Enable storage for this virtual machine option.

    2. Select the Create a disk image for the virtual machine option and enter 100 GiB as the hard drive space.

    3. Click Forward.

      A minimum of 65 GiB is required for optimum performance.

      VM Storage Information

      The Ready to begin installation window displays.

  8. In Step 5 on the Create a new virtual machine window:

    1. In Name, enter debian.

    2. Select the Customize configuration before install checkbox.

    3. Click Finish.

      VM Installation Information

      The VM configuration screen displays.

  9. Perform the following steps to configure the VM settings
    1. In the left pane, click CPUs. The corresponding processor options are displayed.
      1. In the CPUs section,
        1. Type the required number of CPUs in the Current allocation field.

        2. Type the required number of CPUs in the Maximum allocation field.

          By default the Current allocation and Maximum allocation fields are set to 1, change them accordingly to the requirement.

          The Model field displays the host CPU configuration running on the host system like SandyBridge or Nehalem.

      2. In the Configuration section, choose host-passthrough as model.
      3. In the Topology section:
        1. Select the Manually set CPU topology checkbox.
        2. In the Sockets field, enter 1 as the number of sockets required for the instance.
        3. In the Cores field, enter 2 as the number of cores required for the instance.

        4. In the Threads field, enter 2 as the number of threads required for the instance.

        5. Click Apply. 

          If your system supports hyperthreading then you enable hyperthreading by mentioning a thread number. This example configures 4 hyperthreaded cores (4 vCPUs).

          VM Configuration Screen

    2. In the left pane, click IDE Disk 1. 

      1. In Advanced options drop-down, choose virtio as Disk bus.

      2. Click Apply. 

        Disk Options Information

      3. In the left pane, click NIC :xx:xx:xx.   
      4. In Network source drop-down, choose MGT bridge. 

      5. For CentOS 7.x or 8.X when configuring PKT0 and PKT1 In the Device model drop-down, choose virtio instead of the Hypervisor default. If virtio is not selected the management interface will appear during the iso installation.

        System Configuration



      6. Click Apply.

        To add HA, PKT0, and PKT1 bridges, click Add Hardware and follow steps i to iii.
        For the MGT and HA bridges, choose virtio.
        For the PKT0 and PKT1 bridges, choose Hypervisor default.

        Virtual Network Interface

    3. Configure the VM for CPU pinning to optimize performance. Complete the following steps:

      1. Force off the instance.
      2. Complete the CPU pinning procedure. 

      3. Return to the VM Configuration screen and select Boot Options in the left pane. 

        Boot Options

      4. Update the Boot device order so that IDE CDROM1 is first, followed by VirtIO Disk 1.

      5. Click Apply.

    4. Click Begin Installation.

      VM Basic Details

      The installation window displays.