When
using VM Manager to add a storage device to a virtual machine, choices
for file and directory backing devices can include devices entered
into the hpvmdevmgmt device database without association
with a particular virtual machine. This is useful, for example, to
populate the database with entries for OS installation DVD images
that might be used when creating and provisioning several virtual
machines. When you use VM Manager to add a virtual DVD to a virtual
machine, the image file shows up in the list of storage backing devices
you can choose from. You do not have to type the name of the image
file or browse for it.
You can make unassociated file
or directory backing devices available to VM Manager if the VM Host
is running HP Integrity VM version 4.0 or later. At the VM Host command
line, add a file or directory to the device management database as
a guest device (gdev) by specifying the hpvmdevmgmt command with the USAGE attribute
either USAGE=DISK or USAGE=DVD. As a result, the VM Manager Create Virtual Machine wizard Add Storage Device and Modify
Add Storage Device to Virtual Machine... screens include the file in the list of backing devices
you can choose from. The file is listed as a backing device for either
a virtual disk or a virtual DVD, depending on the value of the USAGE attribute. If you add a file to the database without
specifying the USAGE attribute, the file is not
included in the list of possible backing devices. If you add a directory
to the database, it is included in the list as a possible backing
device for a virtual DVD. Do not specify the USAGE attribute for a directory; the attribute is not needed for a directory.
To ensure that a device database entry is preserved in the database
for future selection, even when the associated virtual device is removed
from the virtual machine, or even when all virtual machines using
the entry as a backing device are deleted from the VM Host, you can
specify the PRESERVE attribute as PRESERVE=YES.
When you create a file as a backing device for a disk, specifying
the size (-S) attribute with the hpvmdevmgmt command, you can ensure that the file is included in the list of
possible backing devices on the previously-mentioned VM Manager screens
by specifying the -A attribute as well. Specifying
these two attributes automatically sets USAGE=DISK and PRESERVE=YES.
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