virt-manager

Manage virtual machines

TLDR

Launch the GUI

$ virt-manager

Connect to a hypervisor

$ virt-manager --connect [hypervisor_uri]

Don't fork virt-manager process into background on startup

$ virt-manager --no-fork

Print debug output

$ virt-manager --debug

Open the "New VM" wizard

$ virt-manager --show-domain-creator

Show domain details window for a specific virtual machine/container

$ virt-manager --show-domain-editor [name|id|uuid]

Show domain performance window for a specific virtual machine/container

$ virt-manager --show-domain-performance [name|id|uuid]

Show connection details window

$ virt-manager --show-host-summary

--version
    Display the version number and exit.

-c URI, --connect=URI
    Connect to the hypervisor specified by URI. If not specified, uses the default libvirt URI.

-h, --help
    Show help message and exit.

--no-fork
    Run virt-manager in the foreground.

--debug
    Enable debugging output.

--console
    Open a console to the specified domain, which is specified using the 'URI' argument.

DESCRIPTION

virt-manager is a graphical user interface for managing virtual machines. It leverages the libvirt virtualization API to manage KVM, Xen, and other virtualization technologies. It provides a user-friendly way to create, configure, start, stop, and monitor virtual machines. virt-manager supports connecting to local and remote hypervisors.

It allows users to define virtual machine resources such as CPU, memory, disk, and network interfaces. The GUI also provides tools for viewing the console of running virtual machines, managing storage pools, and configuring network settings. Furthermore, it offers features for live migration of VMs between hosts and for managing snapshots.

Designed for both desktop users and system administrators, virt-manager simplifies virtualization management, making it more accessible and efficient.

CAVEATS

Requires a graphical environment to run. Some features might depend on the specific hypervisor being used.

URI FORMAT

The URI parameter specifies the hypervisor to connect to. Examples include qemu:///system for a local QEMU system connection or qemu+ssh://user@host/system for a remote QEMU connection over SSH.

REMOTE MANAGEMENT

For remote management, ensure that libvirt is properly configured on the remote host and that SSH access is enabled with the necessary permissions.

HISTORY

virt-manager has been under active development for many years as a key tool for managing libvirt-based virtualization. It was initially created to provide a user-friendly interface for managing virtual machines. Over time, it has been enhanced with features like live migration and snapshot management, becoming a robust solution for virtualization management on Linux.