nbdkit-guestfs-plugin - Man Page

 nbdkit [-r] guestfs
   [disk=DISK] [domain=DOMAIN] [format=FORMAT] [connect=URI]
   [mount=inspect|MOUNT] [trace=on] [debug=on] export=DEVICE|FILE

Using nbdkit-guestfs-plugin in read-write mode on live virtual machines can be dangerous, potentially causing disk corruption.  Use the -r (read-only) option to use this plugin safely if the disk image or virtual machine might be live.

Export the first partition inside a disk image called disk.img, and allow writes:

 nbdkit guestfs disk=disk.img export=/dev/sda1

Export a disk image which is located inside a libvirt guest called Guest, read-only (-r option):

 nbdkit -r guestfs domain=Guest mount=inspect export=/images/disk.img

nbdkit-guestfs-plugin is an nbdkit(1) plugin that lets you access the contents of disk images over NBD.  There are many weird and wonderful uses for this, and this man page only covers the simpler ones.

The parameters control:

• Which disk(s) are added to libguestfs.  Specifically disk=DISK and domain=DOMAIN add a single disk or all the disks from a particular libvirt guest.
• What, if any, filesystems inside the disk image / guest have to be mounted.  Use mount=inspect to do this automatically (like guestfish(1) -i option), else mount individual filesystems.
• What device or file from inside the disk image or guest you want to export over NBD.  Use export=DEVICE|FILE to specify the thing that you want to export.
• Use the -r option to export read-only.  The default is read-write.

connect=URI

This optional parameter specifies the libvirt connection URI.  This is only used with the domain parameter.

debug=on

Enable full debugging of libguestfs.  Note you'll probably also have to use the nbdkit(1) option -v in order to see the messages.

disk=DISK

Add the named disk image.  You may specify this option multiple times.

domain=DOMAIN

Add the disk(s) from the libvirt guest called DOMAIN.

export=DEVICE

export=FILE

Export DEVICE or FILE (from inside the disk image or guest) over NBD.

Device names are the usual libguestfs names like /dev/sda1 (meaning the first partition of the first disk), or /dev/VG/LV (a logical volume), or RAID arrays etc.  The device name should not be confused with host devices.

Filenames are similarly those located inside the guest or disk image, and always start with a / character (even for Windows guests).

Exports are writable by default.  Use the -r option to make them read-only.  Exporting read-write a live disk image or virtual machine will probably cause disk corruption.

format=FORMAT

This can be used to specify the format of the disk.  Use it before the disk=DISK argument.  It works like the --format option of guestfish(1).

mount=inspect

Use guest inspection to mount disks.  This is like guestfish -i.

mount=DEV

mount=DEV:MOUNTPOINT

Mount DEV from inside the guest on MOUNTPOINT (defaults to /).  This is like guestfish -m.

trace=on

Enable tracing of libguestfs calls.  Note you'll probably also have to use the nbdkit(1) option -v in order to see the messages.

To debug this plugin, use the following options:

 nbdkit -f -v guestfs debug=on trace=on [...]

This enables libguestfs debugging and tracing (see guestfs-faq(1)). It also ensures that the messages are displayed by nbdkit (because of -f and -v).

$plugindir/nbdkit-guestfs-plugin.so

The plugin.

Use nbdkit --dump-config to find the location of $plugindir.

nbdkit-guestfs-plugin first appeared in nbdkit 1.2.

nbdkit(1), nbdkit-plugin(3), guestfish(1), guestfs(3), virt-filesystems(1), http://libguestfs.org.

Richard W.M. Jones

Copyright Red Hat

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THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY RED HAT AND CONTRIBUTORS ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL RED HAT OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

nbdkit(1), nbdkit-ext2-filter(1), nbdkit-plugin(3), nbdkit-release-notes-1.30(1).