KVM: Starting / Stopping Guest Operating Systems With virsh Command

The virsh command can be used to mange local or remote guest operating systems. The program can be used to create, pause, and shutdown domains. It can also be used to list current domains.

List Running VMS

Type the following command:
# virsh list
Sample outputs:

 Id Name                 State
----------------------------------
  1 centos.nixcraft.in   running
  2 freebsd              running

Shut Down A Guest

# virsh list # virsh shutdown dominName # virsh shutdown freebsd # virsh shutdown 3

Rebooting A Guest

# virsh list # virsh reboot domaiName # virsh reboot 3 # virsh reboot win2008biz

Forcefully Stop A Guest

Force a guest to stop with the virsh command if it is not responding or crashed
# virsh list # virsh destroy domainName # virsh destroy openbsd.nixcraft.in

Get Information About Guest

# virsh list # virsh dominfo dominName # virsh dominfo 2 # virsh dominfo freebsd
Sample outputs:

Id:             2
Name:           freebsd
UUID:           6b7f44df-b67a-b1e1-0f9a-40c9ad760b0a
OS Type:        hvm
State:          running
CPU(s):         1
CPU time:       26.3s
Max memory:     524288 kB
Used memory:    524288 kB
Autostart:      disable

Get Information About Node

# virsh nodeinfo
Sample Outputs:

CPU model:           x86_64
CPU(s):              4
CPU frequency:       2394 MHz
CPU socket(s):       1
Core(s) per socket:  4
Thread(s) per core:  1
NUMA cell(s):        1
Memory size:         8181332 kB

Conclusion

The first part in this series covered KVM installation, KVM bridged based networking, KVM guest setup using virt-install, virt-manager, kickstart based guest installation and troubleshooting KVM with log files. Stay tunned for next part of series which will cover other advanced topics such as:

VM storage configuration using NFS and iSCSI
VM live migration
VM security and firewall
VM load balancing
VM instillation using Cobbler

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This FAQ entry is 8 of 14 in the "CentOS / Redhat (RHEL) KVM Virtulization" series. Keep reading the rest of the series:

Table of Contents:

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Michael June 16, 2010 at 10:33 am

I have been looking for this article. I was wanting to set up a virtual lab to practice for my RHCE and this article totally covers the pieces I was missing to make it work.

Thank you.

2 Mike January 30, 2011 at 10:54 pm

Any chance you can add an index to all of the articles in this series, linking them together?

Would make it easy to navigate in order, rather than having to search the site and piece the order together.

Not critical, but would put the series together. Good write-ups!

3 Vivek Gite January 31, 2011 at 8:46 pm: I will get an index and next and previous in series links added so that users can navigate easily.

4 muazfa July 18, 2011 at 3:48 am

Hi, when you want to write about VM load balancing? i’m very interesting about that

5 Thomas Dilts February 20, 2012 at 10:35 am

You forgot the all important:
virsh start
:)

6 alfie January 3, 2013 at 4:13 pm

hi,
great post!
have you finished the next part series, such as
VM with NFS, iSCSI
VM with load balance