CHAPTER 08

Creating and Managing Virtual Machines

12 sections · 16 min read · SimpleVM 10.1

This chapter explains how to create, view, start, stop, access, change, and remove virtual machines from the SimpleVM management interface. A virtual machine is the primary workload on a SimpleVM host: each VM has its own virtual CPU, memory, disk, network interface, console, and power state, but those resources are drawn from the physical resources of the host. The goal is to let you perform everyday VM tasks confidently from the web console, with a clear sense of what each action does and how to undo it, before moving into the deeper disk, network, and snapshot workflows that follow.

Cross-reference: For management-interface access and sign-in, see Chapter 6, Accessing the SimpleVM Management Interface. For reading the host dashboard, see Chapter 7, Understanding the Dashboard and Host Overview. For storage pools and installation media, see Chapter 12, Managing Storage Pools (and Section 12.4, Uploading Installation Media). For virtual networks, see Chapter 14, Managing Virtual Networks.

This chapter at a glance. The sections below follow the life of a virtual machine, from creation to retirement:

• Create a VM — define the name, installation source, CPU, memory, disk, and network (Sections 8.2 through 8.6).
• Run and control it — start, stop, reboot, and pause from the VM list, and open the console to install or troubleshoot the guest (Sections 8.7 and 8.8).
• Change it — edit CPU, memory, boot order, and devices safely, and clone or rename when needed (Sections 8.9 and 8.10).
• Retire it — delete a VM under controlled conditions, deciding deliberately whether its disk is removed too (Section 8.11).
• Operate it well — apply naming, capacity, and recovery practices across the VM's lifecycle (Section 8.12).

8.1 Virtual Machine Overview

Overview

A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that runs on a SimpleVM host. To its guest operating system, the VM behaves like a physical computer; to the host, it is a managed workload with assigned CPU, memory, disk, and network resources. In the management interface, the Virtual machines page is the host-level view of every VM and the normal starting point for day-to-day management. From it you can check VM state, open a VM detail page, start or shut down a VM, import a VM, create a new VM, and reach every other action from a per-row menu.

The page is laid out so you can find and act on a VM quickly:

The row menu lists the actions available for the VM, and its contents depend on whether the VM is running or stopped:

8.2 Creating a Virtual Machine

Overview

Creating a VM defines its virtual hardware and the installation source for a new guest operating system. At minimum, SimpleVM needs a name, an installation source, a storage location, a disk size, memory, a virtual CPU count, and a network connection. The exact fields in the creation dialog can vary by installation type and SimpleVM version, so the steps below describe the workflow rather than every dialog field.

Before you begin

• You are signed in to the SimpleVM management interface with administrative access. See Section 6.5, Sign In with Administrative Access.
• The host has enough free CPU, memory, and storage for the new VM. Confirm capacity on the Overview page; see Chapter 7, Understanding the Dashboard and Host Overview.
• A storage pool is available for the VM disk. See Chapter 12, Managing Storage Pools.
• A virtual network is available for the VM network interface. See Chapter 14, Managing Virtual Networks.
• Installation media is available as an ISO, URL, local image, or other supported source. The supported installation-source types for SimpleVM 10. See Section 8.3, Selecting Installation Media.

Procedure

1. Open Virtual machines from the left-navigation menu.
2. Select Create VM.
3. Enter a clear VM name that identifies the workload, environment, and purpose — for example, acct-win11-01 or dev-rocky101-01.
4. Select the installation type or source. Options may include a local ISO, a URL, an existing disk image, or a cloud image.
5. Select the operating system or closest matching guest OS profile so the virtualization layer applies appropriate defaults.
6. Select the storage pool and disk size for the VM.
7. Assign memory and virtual CPUs to match the workload.
8. Select the virtual network the VM should use.
9. Choose whether to create and run the VM immediately, or create it for review and editing before installation.

Verification

• The new VM appears in the Virtual machines list.
• Its state matches the option chosen during creation — Running or Shut off.
• The VM detail page shows the expected CPU, memory, disk, and network configuration.
• If the VM was started, the console shows the guest installer, boot screen, or expected output.

Revert this change

If a VM was created incorrectly and holds no production data, shut it down and delete it (see Section 8.11, Deleting VMs). Remove the associated disk only when you are certain it is not needed and is not shared with another VM. If the VM already holds useful data, export or back it up before deleting; see Chapter 20, Backup and Recovery.

8.3 Selecting Installation Media

Overview

Installation media provides the guest operating system installer or source image for the VM. For most new installations, the simplest path is to store an ISO image in an ISO storage location and select it during VM creation. SimpleVM provides an ISO storage pool named isos (at /data/isos) by default; uploading media is covered in Section 12.4, Uploading Installation Media.

Before you begin

• The installation media is compatible with the guest OS and architecture you plan to install.
• The ISO or disk image is stored in a location SimpleVM can access.
• For production, you have verified the media checksum or obtained the ISO from a trusted vendor source.

Procedure

1. Open Virtual machines and select Create VM.
2. In the installation-source field, select the ISO, image, URL, or supported source type.
3. For an ISO, choose the ISO storage pool or file location where the installer media is stored.
4. Confirm the detected or selected operating system profile matches the guest OS as closely as possible.
5. Continue configuring CPU, memory, disk, and network before creating the VM.

Verification

When the VM starts, the console should show the expected guest installer or boot prompt. If it does not boot from the selected media, review the VM boot order, confirm the ISO path, and confirm the ISO is bootable.

8.4 Configuring CPU and Memory

Overview

CPU and memory settings determine how many host resources are made available to the VM. Assign enough for the guest workload without overcommitting the host beyond what its hardware and workload patterns can safely support. The confirmed reference build allocates virtual CPUs with host passthrough and lets you edit CPU, memory, and boot order from the VM detail page (see Section 8.9, Editing VM Settings).

Guidance

• Start with the guest OS vendor minimums, then increase based on the application workload.
• Avoid assigning all host CPUs or most host memory to a single VM unless that VM is the host's primary purpose.
• Leave capacity for the host itself, storage activity, networking, backups, monitoring, and other VMs.
• For production workloads, document why the VM received its CPU and memory allocation.

Procedure

1. During VM creation, enter the number of virtual CPUs.
2. Enter the memory to allocate to the VM.
3. Review host resource usage before starting several resource-heavy VMs at once.
4. After the VM is running, monitor host and VM usage from the dashboard and the VM detail page.

Verification

Open the VM detail page and confirm CPU and memory match the intended values, then confirm the host Overview remains healthy after the VM starts. See Chapter 7, Understanding the Dashboard and Host Overview.

8.5 Configuring Virtual Disks

Overview

A virtual disk is the storage device presented to the guest operating system. Most VMs have at least one disk for the guest OS; additional disks can be added later for application data, databases, logs, or workload-specific storage. The confirmed reference build stores VM disks as qcow2 files in the default storage pool (at /data/images).

Before you begin

• The selected storage pool has enough free capacity for the VM disk.
• You are using the correct pool for the workload — for example, the data storage location when the deployment separates OS storage from VM and data storage. See Section 3.4, Storage Planning.
• You are not placing a production VM disk on temporary or unverified storage.

Procedure

1. During VM creation, select the storage pool where the virtual disk should be created.
2. Enter the disk size required for the operating system and expected workload growth.
3. Create the VM and confirm the disk appears on the VM detail page.
4. For disk operations after creation — adding, removing, or reviewing disks — see Chapter 9, Managing VM Disks.

Verification

The VM detail page should show the expected virtual disk, and the storage pool should reflect the new allocation.

8.6 Configuring Virtual Networks

Overview

A virtual network connects a VM to network resources. Depending on the design, a VM may use the default NAT network, a bridged network, or another supported virtual network type. The network chosen during creation determines how the guest communicates with other VMs, the host, internal services, and external networks.

Before you begin

• You know which network the VM should use before you create it.
• You use the default NAT network for simple outbound connectivity and isolated test workloads when appropriate. See Section 14.2, Default NAT Network.
• You use a bridged or production network only when the VM should appear directly on the production network. See Chapter 15, Managing Host Networking.
• You have confirmed firewall and VLAN requirements before connecting a VM to a sensitive network. See Chapter 16, Firewall and Security Settings.

Procedure

1. During VM creation, select the virtual network for the VM network interface.
2. Create or start the VM.
3. After the guest OS is installed, confirm it received the expected IP configuration.
4. For interface changes after creation, see Chapter 10, Managing VM Network Interfaces.

Verification

Inside the guest OS, confirm IP address, gateway, DNS, and reachability. From the management interface, confirm the VM is attached to the intended virtual network.

8.7 Starting, Stopping, Pausing, and Rebooting VMs

Overview

VM power actions control the running state of a virtual machine. Use graceful actions first whenever possible. Forced actions are reserved for unresponsive VMs because they can interrupt guest writes in the same way that removing power affects a physical machine. The full set of running-VM actions is confirmed from the web console: Pause, Shut down, Force shut down, Send non-maskable interrupt, Reboot, Force reboot, Migrate, and Delete.

Common VM states and actions

Procedure

1. Open Virtual machines.
2. Find the VM you want to manage.
3. Use the inline action button — Run or Shut down — when it matches the action you need.
4. For other actions, open the row menu (⋮) and select the action, such as Reboot, Pause, or Delete.
5. Wait for the VM state to update before starting another action.

Verification

The VM row shows the expected state after the action completes — for example, Shut off after a successful shutdown, or Running after a successful start.

Troubleshooting

• If a shutdown does not complete, allow enough time for the guest to stop services cleanly before forcing power off.
• If the VM is unresponsive, use a force action only after confirming a graceful shutdown or reboot is not working.
• If a VM repeatedly fails to start, check host resource availability, storage pool capacity, and recent configuration changes. See Section 25.4, VM Creation and Boot Issues.

8.8 Opening a VM Console

Overview

The VM console lets you interact with the guest operating system as if you were at a physical monitor and keyboard. Use it during OS installation, boot troubleshooting, network troubleshooting, and tasks where normal remote access is not yet available. The VM detail page is also where the VM's full configuration is shown.

The detail page is organized into a few confirmed areas:

Before you begin

• The VM exists on the SimpleVM host.
• The VM is running or ready to be started.
• Your account can view and interact with VM consoles.
• The guest OS supports the console type being used.

Procedure

1. Open Virtual machines.
2. Select the VM name to open the VM detail page.
3. Locate the Console area.
4. If needed, start the VM.
5. Click inside the console and interact with the guest installer, boot menu, or operating system. Use the Graphical / Serial toggle and the Send key menu as required.

Verification

The console should display guest output — an installer, login screen, boot messages, or desktop. If the console is blank, confirm the VM is running and the guest is producing graphical or serial output.

Troubleshooting

• If keyboard input does not work, click inside the console pane and try again.
• If the console stays blank during installation, confirm the installation media is bootable and selected correctly.
• Once the guest has network access, remote tools such as SSH or RDP are usually better for routine administration than the console.

8.9 Editing VM Settings

Overview

Many VM settings can be changed after creation from the VM detail page, including Memory, CPU, Boot order, Watchdog, Vsock, and Autostart. Some changes can be made while the VM runs; others require a clean shutdown first. The safest workflow is to review the detail page, identify the setting, confirm whether the VM must be stopped, make the change, and verify the VM still boots and communicates correctly.

Before you begin

• You have recorded the current VM settings before making changes.
• You have backed up the VM or confirmed a recovery path before changing a production VM. See Chapter 20, Backup and Recovery.
• You have confirmed whether the setting can be changed while the VM is running. Some CPU, memory, disk, network, and device changes may require a shutdown.

Procedure

1. Open Virtual machines and select the VM name.
2. Review the Overview and configuration areas of the detail page.
3. If the setting requires the VM to be stopped, shut down the guest cleanly first.
4. Change the setting with the available edit control — for example, the edit link beside CPU, Memory, or Boot order, or Add TPM to attach a virtual TPM to a stopped VM.
5. Start or reboot the VM if required.

Verification

Confirm the detail page shows the updated value, then confirm the guest starts correctly and has the expected disk and network access.

Revert this change

Return the setting to its previous value if the change causes boot, performance, or connectivity problems. If the previous value was not recorded, review support notes, backups, or exported VM configuration before making further changes.

8.10 Cloning and Renaming VMs

Overview

Clone creates another VM based on an existing one; Rename changes a VM's display name. Both appear in the stopped-VM row menu. They are useful for lab systems, testing, and controlled duplication, but they need care in production.

Cloning guidance

• Shut down the source VM before cloning unless SimpleVM explicitly supports safe online cloning.
• Confirm the host has enough storage capacity for the clone.
• Before running two related VMs on the same network, change unique guest settings — hostname, static IP address, system and application identifiers, and joined-domain identity where applicable.
• Use templates or prepared golden images for repeatable production deployments where possible.

Procedure: cloning a VM

1. Open Virtual machines.
2. Open the row menu (⋮) for the VM you want to clone.
3. Select Clone.
4. Enter the clone name and any required storage or configuration options.
5. Create the clone and confirm it appears in the VM list.

Procedure: renaming a VM

1. Open Virtual machines.
2. Open the row menu (⋮) for the VM you want to rename.
3. Select Rename.
4. Enter the new VM name and save the change.

Revert this change

To revert a rename, rename the VM back to its previous name. To revert a clone, shut down and delete the clone if it is not needed — taking care not to delete the source VM or its shared storage by mistake.

8.11 Deleting VMs

Overview

Deleting a VM removes it from the SimpleVM host. Depending on the options chosen, deletion can also remove the VM's disk files. This is a destructive action and should be treated as a controlled administrative task.

Before you begin

• You have confirmed the exact VM name.
• You have backed up important guest data. See Chapter 20, Backup and Recovery.
• You have decided whether the VM disk should be deleted or preserved.
• You have confirmed that no other VM depends on the same disk or storage files.
• For production systems, you have followed your organization's change-approval or retirement process.

Procedure

1. Open Virtual machines.
2. Find the VM to delete.
3. Shut down the VM when possible.
4. Open the row menu (⋮) and select Delete.
5. Review the confirmation dialog carefully.
6. Select whether associated storage files should also be deleted.
7. Confirm the deletion only after verifying the VM name and storage choices.

Verification

The VM no longer appears in the Virtual machines list. If storage was preserved, confirm the disk files remain in the expected location; if storage was deleted, confirm the storage pool reflects the recovered capacity.

Revert this change

A deleted VM cannot be cleanly restored from the management interface unless a backup, preserved disk, exported configuration, or snapshot-based recovery path exists. If a VM was deleted accidentally, stop making changes to the affected storage location and begin recovery from the most recent verified backup or preserved disk image. See Chapter 20, Backup and Recovery.

8.12 VM Lifecycle Best Practices

Overview

VM lifecycle management is the discipline of creating, operating, changing, and retiring VMs predictably. The management interface makes individual operations easier, but production environments still need naming standards, capacity planning, backup discipline, and change control.

• Use clear VM names that identify the workload, operating system, environment, and a sequence number — for example, the reference build's rocky101-1, win11-2, and winsvr22-1.
• Place VM disks in the correct storage pool, and avoid mixing test workloads with production storage unless that is the intended design.
• Do not over-allocate host memory or CPU without monitoring the effect on other VMs.
• Use graceful shutdown and reboot actions before resorting to force actions.
• Document each production VM's ownership, purpose, IP address, backup method, and recovery expectations.
• Before deleting, cloning, or changing a production VM, confirm the recovery path.
• Use snapshots only for short-term change protection; they are not a full backup strategy. See Chapter 11, VM Snapshots.
• Review host capacity before adding several VMs or increasing resource allocations. See Chapter 7, Understanding the Dashboard and Host Overview.