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Accessing the Xen Orchestra Console

Xen Orchestra (XO) is the web-based management interface for the virtualization platform. It allows you to create, manage, and access your virtual machines.

Accessing Xen Orchestra​

URL​

https://xo.txcr.tamu.edu

Prerequisites​

  • Active VPN connection
  • Valid TxCR credentials

Logging In​

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Navigate to https://xo.txcr.tamu.edu
  3. Accept the security certificate (if self-signed)
  4. Enter your credentials:
    • Email/Username: Your TxCR username
    • Password: Your TxCR password
  5. Click Sign in

Interface Overview​

Main Dashboard​

After logging in, you'll see:

  • Home: Overview of your resources
  • VMs: List of your virtual machines
  • Hosts: Physical servers (view-only for most users)
  • Pools: Resource pools
  • Storage: Storage repositories
  • Network: Network configuration

VM List​

The VMs page shows:

  • VM name and status (Running, Halted, etc.)
  • CPU and memory usage
  • IP addresses
  • Quick action buttons

Console Access​

Opening a VM Console​

  1. Navigate to the VMs page
  2. Click on your VM name
  3. Select the Console tab
  4. The console will load in your browser

Console Options​

  • Full screen: Click the expand icon
  • Copy/Paste: Use the clipboard icon (requires browser permissions)
  • Ctrl+Alt+Del: Send special key combinations via the menu
  • Resolution: May need to adjust within the guest OS

Console Tips​

✅ Best Practices:

  • Use SSH/RDP for regular work (faster, more reliable)
  • Console is best for:
    • Initial setup
    • Troubleshooting boot issues
    • Network configuration problems
    • When SSH/RDP is unavailable

❌ Limitations:

  • Browser-based (can be slower than native clients)
  • Clipboard integration varies by browser
  • May timeout after inactivity

Creating a New VM​

  1. Click New → VM
  2. Select a template (Ubuntu, RHEL, Windows, etc.)
  3. Configure:
    • Name: Give it a descriptive name
    • CPUs: Number of virtual CPUs
    • RAM: Memory allocation
    • Disk: Storage size
    • Network: Select network interface
  4. Click Create
  5. Start the VM
  6. Access console to complete installation

VM Management​

Starting a VM​

  • Click the ▶️ Start button
  • Or click VM name → General tab → Start

Stopping a VM​

Clean shutdown (recommended):

  • Click Shutdown button
  • VM sends ACPI shutdown signal

Force stop:

  • Click Force Shutdown (use only if VM is unresponsive)

Rebooting​

  • Click Reboot for clean restart
  • Or use sudo reboot within the VM

Snapshots​

Create snapshots before major changes:

  1. Select your VM
  2. Go to Snapshots tab
  3. Click Create snapshot
  4. Name it descriptively (e.g., "Before kernel update")
  5. Click Create

Reverting to snapshot:

  1. Go to Snapshots tab
  2. Find your snapshot
  3. Click Revert

⚠️ Note: Snapshots are not backups! Export VMs for true backups.

Advanced Features​

VM Export/Import​

Export a VM:

  1. Select VM → General tab
  2. Click Export
  3. Choose XVA format
  4. Download to your computer

Import a VM:

  1. Click New → Import
  2. Select XVA file
  3. Choose target storage
  4. Import

Cloning VMs​

  1. Right-click VM or go to General tab
  2. Click Clone
  3. Name the new VM
  4. Choose Fast clone (linked) or Full copy
  5. Create

Resource Limits​

Set CPU and memory limits:

  1. Select VM → Advanced tab
  2. Set:
    • CPU cap: Maximum CPU %
    • Memory limits: Min/max memory

Troubleshooting​

Can't Access Console​

Check:

  • VPN is connected
  • Browser allows popups from XO
  • Try different browser (Chrome/Firefox/Edge)
  • Clear browser cache

Console is Slow​

  • Use SSH or RDP instead for better performance
  • Check VM CPU/memory usage
  • Verify network connectivity

VM Won't Start​

Common causes:

  • Insufficient resources
  • Corrupted VM
  • Storage full

Solutions:

  1. Check resource availability
  2. Review logs in Logs tab
  3. Try safe mode boot
  4. Revert to snapshot if available

Lost Console Connection​

  • Click Refresh in console tab
  • Check VM is still running
  • Reconnect VPN if needed

Keyboard Shortcuts​

  • Ctrl+Alt+Del: Via console menu (browser captures normal Ctrl+Alt+Del)
  • Full screen: F11 (browser full screen)
  • Zoom: Ctrl + Plus/Minus

Next Steps​

Now that you can access the console:

  1. SSH Access - Set up SSH for command-line access
  2. RDP Connection - Connect to Windows VMs
  3. Networking Basics - Configure VM networking

Need help? See the FAQ or Troubleshooting Guide.