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Re: [Xen-users] How to detect if a machine is a Virtual machine ??

To: "Sachin Goel" <SACHIN.GOEL@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Xen-users] How to detect if a machine is a Virtual machine ??
From: "Nick Couchman" <Nick.Couchman@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:12:08 -0700
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Possibly so, yes; however, Xen (at least the open source version) does not 
strictly enforce this the way VMware does.  In Xen I have had occasions where I 
used MAC addresses outside of the Xen vendor range for various reasons, so this 
isn't a 100% reliable method.

-Nick

>>> On 2009/12/21 at 14:09, Sachin Goel <SACHIN.GOEL@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> Thanks Nick for the inputs!!
> 
> Xen recommends the MAC addresses to start with 00:16:3e..cann't that be used 
> to determine if a machine is virtual or not by checking the MAC 
> addresses..but the point that would be handy to know will be what is the 
> level of recommendation..is it strictly forced by Xen (like VMWare does) or 
> its just a recommendation ??
> 
> - Thanks,
> Sachin.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Nick.Couchman@xxxxxxxxx
> To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, SACHIN.GOEL@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 2:31:55 AM GMT +05:30 Chennai, Kolkata, 
> Mumbai, New Delhi
> Subject: Re: [Xen-users] How to detect if a machine is a Virtual machine ??
> 
> There are a few ways that you can determine that you're in a virtual 
> platform.  First, if the platform is PV platform, you either use uname to 
> find the kernel name (usually contains a reference to Xen) or look for the 
> /proc/xen directory.  You can also look in /sys/hypervisor/type, which exists 
> on Xen platforms.  On PV domUs, /proc/xen/capabilities should be empty - on 
> dom0 it will have the various available types of domUs listed.  Of course, 
> this is mainly for Linux-based PV domUs - other platforms will have 
> indications elsewhere.
> 
> For HVM domUs it's much harder to tell - probably the best way is to look at 
> the hardware specs and see if they match what Xen (Qemu) emulates as 
> hardware.  Since many HVM kernels are not "aware" of the fact that they are 
> running as virtual machines, there isn't necessarily anything you can look 
> for to make that determination.  Some HVM domUs run PV drivers (e.g. the 
> Windows GPL PV drivers) that could tip you off, but it just depends on the 
> configuration of the domU kernel and drivers.
> 
> -Nick
> 
>>>> On 2009/12/21 at 11:22, Sachin Goel <SACHIN.GOEL@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
>> Does anybody has an idea about this ??
>> 
>> - Thanks,
>> Sachin.
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: sachin.goel@xxxxxxxxxx
>> To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 10:51:45 PM GMT +05:30 Chennai, Kolkata, 
>> Mumbai, New Delhi
>> Subject: [Xen-users] How to detect if a machine is a Virtual machine ??
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> Just curious to know, if there is any way that given a terminal to a 
>> box, we can determine is it a physical machine or a virtual machine ?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Sachin.
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Xen-users mailing list
>> Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
> 
> 
> 
> 
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