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Chapter 17.
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Working with System Virtual Machines
CloudPlatform uses several types of system virtual machines to perform tasks in the cloud. In general
CloudPlatform manages these system VMs and creates, starts, and stops them as needed based on
scale and immediate needs. However, the administrator should be aware of them and their roles to
assist in debugging issues.
17.1. The System VM Template
The System VMs come from a single template. The System VM has the following characteristics:
• Debian 7.0
• Has a minimal set of packages installed, thereby reducing the attack surface
• 32-bit for enhanced performance on XenServer and VMWare
• pvops kernel with Xen PV drivers, KVM virtio drivers, and VMware tools for optimum performance
on all hypervisors
• Xen tools inclusion allows performance monitoring
• Latest versions of HAProxy, iptables, IPsec, and Apache from debian repository ensures improved
security and speed
• Latest version of JRE from Sun/Oracle ensures improved security and speed
17.2. Multiple System VM Support for VMware
Every CloudPlatform zone has single System VM for template processing tasks such as downloading
templates, uploading templates, and uploading ISOs. In a zone where VMware is being used,
additional System VMs can be launched to process VMware-specific tasks such as taking snapshots
and creating private templates. The CloudPlatform management server launches additional System
VMs for VMware-specific tasks as the load increases. The management server monitors and weights
all commands sent to these System VMs and performs dynamic load balancing and scaling-up of
more System VMs.
17.3. Console Proxy
The Console Proxy is a type of System Virtual Machine that has a role in presenting a console view
via the web UI. It connects the user’s browser to the VNC port made available via the hypervisor for
the console of the guest. Both the administrator and end user web UIs offer a console connection.
Clicking on a console icon brings up a new window. The AJAX code downloaded into that window
refers to the public IP address of a console proxy VM. There is exactly one public IP address allocated
per console proxy VM. The AJAX application connects to this IP. The console proxy then proxies the
connection to the VNC port for the requested VM on the Host hosting the guest. .
Note
The hypervisors will have many ports assigned to VNC usage so that multiple VNC sessions can
occur simultaneously.