Ubuntu VM Lab

Purpose

To build a simple VM lab in Ubnuntu. Nothing fancy.

Hardware

My primary personal computer, a Lenovo X220 laptop with

• 3rd gen i5
• 8GB RAM
• 256GB Crucial BX200 low end SSD
• 500GB HGST Travelstar Z7K500

Software

• OS is obviously Ubuntu. At the time of writing I am using Bionic Beaver.
• ZFS Filesystem tweaked to use 2GB of ARC
• Red Hat libvirt

Process

Install Packages

sudo apt install virt-manager
sudo systemctl start libvirtd
sudo systemctl enable libvirtd
sudo apt install libzfs2linux
sudo apt install zfs-dkms

Prepare Storage

Partition disk

(Not really needed, but I got into the habbit)

sudo fdisk /dev/sdb

Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sdb: 465.8 GiB, 500107862016 bytes, 976773168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x970f8931

Command (m for help): n
Partition type
   p   primary (0 primary, 0 extended, 4 free)
   e   extended (container for logical partitions)
Select (default p): 

Using default response p.
Partition number (1-4, default 1): 
First sector (2048-976773167, default 2048): 
Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G,T,P} (2048-976773167, default 976773167): 

Created a new partition 1 of type 'Linux' and of size 465.8 GiB.

Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered.
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
Syncing disks.

Encrypt Disk

This is really just to make disposing of the drive easier. If the drive dies I can throw it away without worrying about physically destroying it.

sudo cryptsetup luksFormat --type luks2 /dev/sdb1

WARNING!
========
This will overwrite data on /dev/sdb1 irrevocably.

Are you sure? (Type uppercase yes): YES
Enter passphrase for /dev/sdb1: 
Verify passphrase: