How to use the command virsh-list (with examples)

The command virsh-list is a command-line tool for managing virtual machines using the libvirt API. It allows you to interact with the hypervisor to perform various operations such as listing VMs, starting and stopping VMs, creating and deleting VMs, etc. The virsh-list command specifically lists the ID, name, and state of virtual machines.

Use case 1: List information about running virtual machines

Code:

virsh list

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to check the currently running virtual machines on a hypervisor.

Explanation: The list subcommand without any additional options lists information about running virtual machines. It provides the ID, name, and state of each virtual machine.

Example output:

 Id   Name        State
-------------------------
 1    VM1         running
 2    VM2         running
 3    VM3         running

Use case 2: List information about virtual machines regardless of state

Code:

virsh list --all

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to see information about all virtual machines, including those that are not currently running.

Explanation: The --all option is used to list information about virtual machines regardless of their state. It will display both running and non-running virtual machines.

Example output:

 Id   Name        State
-------------------------
 1    VM1         running
 2    VM2         running
 3    VM3         paused
 4    VM4         shutoff

Use case 3: List information about virtual machines with autostart either enabled or disabled

Code:

virsh list --all --autostart|no-autostart

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to filter virtual machines based on their autostart configuration.

Explanation: The --autostart option lists virtual machines that have autostart enabled, while the --no-autostart option lists virtual machines that have autostart disabled. By using these options together, you can retrieve information about virtual machines with either autostart enabled or disabled.

Example output:

 Id   Name        State
-------------------------
 1    VM1         running
 2    VM2         running
 4    VM4         shutoff

Use case 4: List information about virtual machines either with or without snapshots

Code:

virsh list --all --with-snapshot|without-snapshot

Motivation: This use case is handy when you want to filter virtual machines based on whether they have snapshots or not.

Explanation: The --with-snapshot option lists virtual machines that have snapshots, while the --without-snapshot option lists virtual machines without any snapshots. Using these options together allows you to fetch information about virtual machines with or without snapshots.

Example output:

 Id   Name        State
-------------------------
 1    VM1         running
 2    VM2         running
 4    VM4         shutoff

Conclusion:

The virsh-list command is a versatile tool for managing virtual machines. It provides various options to filter and retrieve information about virtual machines based on their state, autostart configuration, and whether they have snapshots. By utilizing these options, you can effectively manage and monitor your virtual machine environment.