Hello
I am interested in the possibility to get a VM memory dump for further analysis (list of processes, sockets, other artifacts). How to do it if using the KVM hypervisor (Acropolis).
I need to create a dump on a running VM for analysis. A detailed description of the procedure is required. If I understand correctly, all VMs in Nutanix are kept in the form of files, which files are VM dump files? Оr does Nutanix have a special procedure for creating and downloading a complete dummy file(s) of a virtual machine?
OS doesn't matter, it can be anything.
Please tell me the information to understand this issue.
Solved
VM memory dump creation procedure for Acropolis (VM)
Best answer by Sergei Ivanov
In AHV another concept is used for storing data and it doesn’t store it in files like ESXi does.
To create a memory dump you will need to force a VM to crash. There is no such feature to suspend a VM, so you will need to crash it and then reboot it. For Windows VM that can be done by doing an NMI dump (VM will go to blue screen, then write a dump, then will reboot) and on Linux by running the “send-key” command. In both situations VM will be crashed and the memory dump will be generated. The dumps will then be available in the guest VM. Both procedures are described in details in the KBs that i linked above.
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+5- Nutanix Employee
- 108 replies
Perhaps, these articles can be useful:
For Windows VMs: https://portal.nutanix.com/page/documents/kbs/details?targetId=kA03200000099a4CAA
For Linux VMs: https://portal.nutanix.com/page/documents/kbs/details?targetId=kA00e000000CwC9CAK
Yes, I have found similar procedures. Thanks you.
Did I understand correctly that the procedure for creating a memory dump will work for a VM that works in normal mode and does not hang?
In the internet i met information, that to save dump of a VM in the VMware, I can suspend work of the VM and then download direct file *.vmss
| .vmss | <vmname>.vmss | This is the suspended state file, which stores the state of a suspended virtual machine |
Maybe in the AHV there is feature like as in the VMware, pause a VM and and download ram dump file?
and maybe can you give me the information how can i open the folder with all files of a VM and download them?
Thank you.
+5- Nutanix Employee
- 108 replies
- Answer
In AHV another concept is used for storing data and it doesn’t store it in files like ESXi does.
To create a memory dump you will need to force a VM to crash. There is no such feature to suspend a VM, so you will need to crash it and then reboot it. For Windows VM that can be done by doing an NMI dump (VM will go to blue screen, then write a dump, then will reboot) and on Linux by running the “send-key” command. In both situations VM will be crashed and the memory dump will be generated. The dumps will then be available in the guest VM. Both procedures are described in details in the KBs that i linked above.
Staff SRE | Nutanix Worldwide Support | NSS #464, NCAP, VCP6.5-DCV, RHCE, CCNA, EMCSA, 2xAWS and Google Cloud certified
I think I figured it out. Thanks for the help.
I will give this information to the customer, I hope this information and he will close the question.
I tried to make a dump-file for the VM Windows, the file was created. All is work.
But, Maybe there is a not standard procedure to create a dump file of VM memory from ACLI and from ACLI download dump file without going to the VM?
Or is there no such possibility at all? :)
+5- Nutanix Employee
- 108 replies
As far as i know, there is no such possibility in AHV now. The dump files can only be acquired from inside the VMs.
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