VMworld 2013: How to Exchange Status Message Between Guest and Host Using RPC
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This document discusses how to exchange status messages between a guest virtual machine and the host system using GuestRPC. GuestRPC provides a private communication channel between the guest and host through a shared memory interface. It allows writing and reading the virtual machine configuration file and log files. The document outlines several use cases for status reporting and application configuration. It then describes how GuestRPC works and several methods for using it, including the VMware Guest API, VMware Tools commands, and a new open source Fling GuestRPC library.
![2323
How to Use “GuestInfo”
From a vSphere Web Service API point of view Guestinfo.<*> values can
be collected visiting the content of
VirtualMachine.config.extraConfig (Type:OptionValue[ ])
Data Object – OptionValue](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tex5109formatted-discv2-140613190050-phpapp01/85/VMworld-2013-How-to-Exchange-Status-Message-Between-Guest-and-Host-Using-RPC-23-320.jpg)
![2424
PowerShell 1/2
Param (
[parameter(Mandatory=$true)] $VCenter,
[parameter(Mandatory=$true)] $VM
)
$format = @{Expression= {$_.Key} ;
Label="Key";width=25}, `
@{Expression= {$_.Value};
Label="Value";width=15}
Connect-VIServer $VCenter
(get-vm -Name $VM|get-view) | where {
$_.key.contains("guestinfo.vmworld") }
| Format-Table -Property $format | Out-String
Sample PowerShell script](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tex5109formatted-discv2-140613190050-phpapp01/85/VMworld-2013-How-to-Exchange-Status-Message-Between-Guest-and-Host-Using-RPC-24-320.jpg)
VMworld 2013: How to Exchange Status Message Between Guest and Host Using RPC
- 1. How to Exchange Status Message Between Guest and Host Using RPC Max Daneri, VMware William Lam, VMware TEX5109
- 2. 22 Disclaimer This presentation may contain product features that are currently under development. This overview of new technology represents no commitment from VMware to deliver these features in any generally available product. Features are subject to change, and must not be included in contracts, purchase orders, or sales agreements of any kind. Technical feasibility and market demand will affect final delivery. Pricing and packaging for any new technologies or features discussed or presented have not been determined.
- 3. 33 Agenda • Introduction • Dilemma / Motivation • What is GuestRPC • Use Cases • How GuestRPC works • How to use GuestRPC to exchange message Guest-Host • How to get guest message from vSphere SDK • How to use vSphere SDK to exchange message Host-Guest • Summary
- 4. 44 Introduction William Lam Staff Product Integration Architect, VMware R&D Blog: www.virtuallyghetto.com Twitter: @lamw Max Daneri Senior Consultant CIM Emea Web: http://www.vmts.net Twitter @m_daneri
- 5. 55 Dilemma vApp network vApp External Network (set up by system admin) External Organization Network (set up by system admin) Organization Internal Organization network (set up by system admin) vApp network (set up by org admin/vApp author, internal to vApp) External Organization Network vApp network 1 2 3 4 56 7 8 I’ve to monitor this How can I do ?
- 6. 66 Motivation VMware vSphere How do I retrieve info from Hypervisor from within Guest OS? Blog:http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/01/how-to-extract- host-information-from.html
- 7. 77 Guest RPC It is private communication channel between the guest and host It works like a bidirectional communication protocol over a shared memory between host and guest Write and read the Virtual Machine configuration running file (write from VM is limited to some specific parameters) Write message on Virtual Machine log file
- 8. 88 Use Cases Reporting • Virtual Machine status (disk space, network connectivity, connections failures, etc.) • VM applications state (services or daemons running state, number of database transactions, etc.) Application configuration • A well know application using this is VMware Horizon View
- 9. 99 How Does GuestRPC Work? It’s a very low level “communication” method, in practice the communication is done by accessing a special I/O port, specific to VMware virtual machines 5658h, and setting a specific command parameter The following Assembly code invokes “Backdoor” functions:
- 10. 1010 How to Use GuestRPC There are currently three methods to use Guest RPC: VMware Guest API (Supported) Native VMware Tools command line Fling Guest RPC .NET and Java library
- 11. 1111 VMware Supported Guest API
- 12. 1212 VMware Supported Guest API These are the only officially supported API HA Application Monitoring API • The vSphere High Availability (HA) feature for ESXi hosts in a cluster provides protection for a guest OS and applications running in a virtual machine by restarting the virtual machine if a guest OS or application failure occurs. Guest API • The vSphere Guest API provides functions, that allow management agents and other software to collect data about the state and pe rformance of a VMware virtual machine. The Guest API provides fast access to resource management information, with out the need for authentication More info on http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere- 51/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsp51_guest_HAappmon_sdk.pdf
- 13. 1313 Guest RPC Using VMware Tools
- 14. 1414 Guest RPC Using VMware Tools VMware Tools has a native support for Guest RPC vmtoolsd –cmd <Guest RPC Command> You can find it on : UNIX/Linux - /usr/bin/vmtoolsd Windows - C:Program FilesVMwareVMware Toolsvmtoolsd.exe
- 16. 1616 Guest RPC Commands 1/2 To work with VMX file (running configuration copy) INFO-SET guestinfo.<varname> <value> Set a new temporary VM configuration parameter called guestinfo.varname to a specific value Note: • Any temporary parameter has to start with guestinfo. • These values remain on memory until the next VM power cycle INFO-GET <varname> Retrieves any persistent or temporary value inside VM running configuration file To write a log PLOG <message> Write a log message on Virtual machine log file (vmware.log)
- 17. 1717 Guest RPC Commands 2/2 HA Application monitoring command GuestAppMonitor.Cmd.Enable Enable HA application monitoring GuestAppMonitor.Cmd.Disable Requests the virtual machine infrastructure to stop monitoring the calling program. GuestAppMonitor.Cmd.IsEnabled Returns the current recorded state of application monitoring. GuestAppMonitor.Cmd.MarkActive Sends a request to mark the program as active. This function is also known as the heartbeat because your program must call it at least once every 30 seconds while your application monitoring is enabled, or the virtual machine infrastructure will determine that the monitoring has failed. GuestAppMonitor.Cmd.GetAppStatus Returns the current status recorded by the virtual machine infrastructure as ‘Green’, ‘Red’, or ‘Gray’. • Green. Virtual machine infrastructure acknowledges that the application is being monitored. • Red. Virtual machine infrastructure does not think the application is being monitored. The HA monitoring agent will initialize an asynchronous reset on the virtual machine if the status is Red. • Gray. App monitor is disabled
- 18. 1818 Fling Guest RPC Library
- 19. 1919 Fling Guest RPC Library A new library that make any RPC command easy to use OS Support : Windows 32bit/64bit (Java and .NET) Any Linux 32bit/64bit (Java and Mono) Available on VMware labs with source code soon
- 20. 2020 Fling Guest RPC Library 1/2 GuestInfo functions • void SetGuestInfo(string key, string value ) Set a new temporary VM configuration parameter called guestinfo.key to a specific value • string GetGuestInfo(string key ) Retrieves any persistent or temporary value inside VM running configuration file Various functions • VMLog(string log) Write a log message on Virtual machine log file (vmware.log) • Boolean VMCheckVirtual() Check if it is running on a virtual machine • String CmdRpc(String command) Exec a generic command
- 21. 2121 Fling Guest RPC Library 2/2 Application monitor functions GuestAppMonitorEnable() Enable HA application monitoring Boolean GuestAppMonitorDisable() Requests the virtual machine infrastructure to stop monitoring the calling program. Boolean GuestAppMonitorIsEnabled() Returns the current recorded state of application monitoring. void GuestAppMonitorMarkActive() Sends a request to mark the program as active. string GuestAppMonitorGetAppStatus() Returns the current status recorded by the virtual machine infrastructure as ‘Green’, ‘Red’, or ‘Gray’.
- 22. 2222 How to use “GuestInfo” Note: Guestinfo.<*> is a VMX runtime property only, and disappear after any VM power cycle
- 23. 2323 How to Use “GuestInfo” From a vSphere Web Service API point of view Guestinfo.<*> values can be collected visiting the content of VirtualMachine.config.extraConfig (Type:OptionValue[ ]) Data Object – OptionValue
- 24. 2424 PowerShell 1/2 Param ( [parameter(Mandatory=$true)] $VCenter, [parameter(Mandatory=$true)] $VM ) $format = @{Expression= {$_.Key} ; Label="Key";width=25}, ` @{Expression= {$_.Value}; Label="Value";width=15} Connect-VIServer $VCenter (get-vm -Name $VM|get-view) | where { $_.key.contains("guestinfo.vmworld") } | Format-Table -Property $format | Out-String Sample PowerShell script
- 25. 2525 PowerShell 2/2 Results -------------------------------------------------- Key Value --- ----- guestinfo.vmworld.sda1 OK guestinfo.vmworld.Defa... OK guestinfo.vmworld.Micr... FAILS
- 26. 2626 What Else Can We Do With This Data?
- 27. 2727 vSphere Web Client Extension Simple vSphere Web Client project showing how to use Guest RPC
- 28. 2828 Another Project Using GuestRPC • VAM (Virtual Application Monitor) • Modular and expandable open source networks and applications monitor • Available on https://labs.vmware.com Release date: TBD
- 29. 2929 vSphere Client Plugin – VAM demo
- 30. 3030 Summary GuestRPC is a powerful method to exchange information between an ESXi host and its virtual machines Accessible through API or CLI Easy to use GuestRPC Library (Fling) Best for last, everything can be done without use of a network connection
- 31. 3131 TAP Membership Renewal – Great Benefits • TAP Access membership includes: New TAP Access NFR Bundle • Access to NDA Roadmap sessions at VMworld, PEX and Onsite/Online • VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) and Partner Locator listings • VMware Ready logo (ISVs) • Partner University and other resources in Partner Central • TAP Elite includes all of the above plus: • 5X the number of licenses in the NFR Bundle • Unlimited product technical support • 5 instances of SDK Support • Services Software Solutions Bundle • Annual Fees • TAP Access - $750 • TAP Elite - $7,500 • Send email to tapalliance@vmware.com
- 32. 3232 TAP Resources TAP • TAP support: 1-866-524-4966 • Email: tapalliance@vmware.com • Partner Central: http://www.vmware.com/partners/partners.html TAP Team • Kristen Edwards – Sr. Alliance Program Manager • Sheela Toor – Marketing Communication Manager • Michael Thompson – Alliance Web Application Manager • Audra Bowcutt – • Ted Dunn – • Dalene Bishop – Partner Enablement Manager, TAP VMware Solution Exchange • Marketplace support – vsxalliance@vmware.com • Partner Marketplace @ VMware booth pod TAP1
- 33. THANK YOU
- 35. How to Exchange Status Message Between Guest and Host Using RPC Max Daneri, VMware William Lam, VMware TEX5109