NAME

       kvmtool - running KVM guests

SYNOPSIS

       lkvm COMMAND [ARGS]

DESCRIPTION

       kvmtool is a userland tool for creating and controlling KVM guests.

KVMTOOL COMMANDS

       run -k <kernel-image> [-c <cores>] [-m <MiB>] [-p <command line>]
       [-i <initrd>] [-d <image file>] [--console serial|virtio|hv]
       [--dev <node>] [--debug] [--debug-single-step] [--debug-ioport]
           Run a guest.

           -k, --kernel <image file>
               The virtual machine kernel.

           -c, --cpus <n>
               The number of virtual CPUs to run.

           -m, --mem <n>
               Virtual machine memory size in MiB.

           -p, --params <parameters>
               Additional kernel command line arguments.

           -i, --initrd <image file>
               Initial RAM disk image.

           -d, --disk <image file|directory>
               A disk image file or a rootfs directory.

           --console serial|virtio|hv
               Console to use.

           --dev <device node>
               KVM device file (instead of the default /dev/kvm).

           --debug
               Enable debug messages.

           --debug-single-step
               Enable single stepping.

           --debug-ioport
               Enable ioport debugging.

       setup <name>
           Setup a new virtual machine. This creates a new rootfs in the .lkvm folder of your home directory.

       pause --all|--name <name>
           Pause a virtual machine.

           -a, --all
               Pause all running instances.

           -n, --name <name>
               Pause that specified instance. For a list of running instances, see  lkvm list.

       resume --all|--name <name>
           Resume a previously paused virtual machine.

           -a, --all
               Resume all running instances.

           -n, --name <name>
               Resume that specified instance. For a list of running instances, see  lkvm list.

       list [-i] [-r]
           Print a list of running instances on the host. This is restricted to instances started by the current
           user, as it looks in the .lkvm folder in your home directory to find the socket files.

           -i, --run
               List all running instances.

           -r, --rootfs
               List rootfs instances.

       debug --all|--name <guest name> [--dump] [--nmi <n>] [--sysrq <rq>]
           Print debug information from a running VM instance.

           -a, --all
               Debug all running instances.

           -n, --name <guest name>
               Debug the specified instance.

           -d, --dump
               Generate a debug dump from guest.

           -m, --nmi <VCPU nr>
               Generate an NMI on the specified virtual CPU.

           -s, --sysrq <sysrq>
               Inject a Linux sysrq into the guest.

       balloon --name <guest name> --inflate|--deflate <amount in MB>
           This  command  inflates  or deflates the virtio balloon located in the specified instance.  --inflate
           increases the size of the balloon, thus decreasing the amount of virtual RAM available for the guest.
           --deflate returns previously inflated memory back to the guest.

           -n, --name <guest name>
               Ballon the specified instance. For a list of all instances, see "lkvm list".

           -i, --inflate <n>
               Inflates the ballon by the specified number of Megabytes. This decreases  the  amount  of  usable
               memory in the guest.

           -d, --deflate <n>
               Deflates  the  ballon  by  the specified number of Megabytes. This increases the amount of usable
               memory in the guest.

       stop --all|--name <name>
           Stop a running instance.

           -a, --all
               Stop all running instances.

           -n, --name <name>
               Stop the specified instance. For a list of running instances, see  lkvm list.

       stat --all|--name <name> [-m]
           Print statistics about a running instance.

           -m, --memory
               Display memory statistics.

       sandbox (lkvm run arguments) -- [sandboxed command]
           Run a command in a sandboxed guest. Kvmtool will inject a  special  init  binary  which  will  do  an
           initial  setup of the guest Linux and then lauch a shell script with the specified command. Upon this
           command ending, the guest will be shutdown.

EXAMPLES

           $ lkvm run -k bzImage

SEE ALSO

       qemu(1), kvm(4)

BUGS

AUTHOR

       Andre Przywara <andre.przywara@arm.com>

0.1                                                11 Nov 2015                                        kvmtool(1)