libvirt/docs/manpages/libvirtd.rst

========
libvirtd
========

-------------------------
libvirt management daemon
-------------------------

:Manual section: 8
:Manual group: Virtualization Support

.. contents::

SYNOPSIS
========

``libvirtd`` [*OPTION*]...


DESCRIPTION
===========

The ``libvirtd`` program is the server side daemon component of the libvirt
virtualization management system.

This daemon runs on host servers and performs required management tasks for
virtualized guests.  This includes activities such as starting, stopping
and migrating guests between host servers, configuring and manipulating
networking, and managing storage for use by guests.

The libvirt client libraries and utilities connect to this daemon to issue
tasks and collect information about the configuration and resources of the host
system and guests.

By default, the libvirtd daemon listens for requests on a local Unix domain
socket.  Using the ``-l`` | ``--listen`` command line option, the libvirtd daemon
can be instructed to additionally listen on a TCP/IP socket.  The TCP/IP socket
to use is defined in the libvirtd configuration file.

Restarting libvirtd does not impact running guests.  Guests continue to operate
and will be picked up automatically if their XML configuration has been
defined.  Any guests whose XML configuration has not been defined will be lost
from the configuration.


SYSTEM SOCKET ACTIVATION
========================

The ``libvirtd`` daemon is capable of starting in two modes.

In the traditional mode, it will create and listen on UNIX sockets itself.
If the ``--listen`` parameter is given, it will also listen on TCP/IP socket(s),
according to the ``listen_tcp`` and ``listen_tls`` options in
``/etc/libvirt/libvirtd.conf``

In socket activation mode, it will rely on systemd to create and listen
on the UNIX, and optionally TCP/IP, sockets and pass them as pre-opened
file descriptors. In this mode, it is not permitted to pass the ``--listen``
parameter, and most of the socket related config options in
``/etc/libvirt/libvirtd.conf`` will no longer have any effect. To enable
TCP or TLS sockets use either

::

   $ systemctl start libvirtd-tls.socket

Or

::

   $ systemctl start libvirtd-tcp.socket

Socket activation mode is generally the default when running on a host
OS that uses systemd. To revert to the traditional mode, all the socket
unit files must be masked:

::

   $ systemctl mask libvirtd.socket libvirtd-ro.socket \
      libvirtd-admin.socket libvirtd-tls.socket libvirtd-tcp.socket


OPTIONS
=======

``-h``, ``--help``

Display command line help usage then exit.

``-d``, ``--daemon``

Run as a daemon & write PID file.

``-f``, ``--config *FILE*``

Use this configuration file, overriding the default value.

``-l``, ``--listen``

Listen for TCP/IP connections. This should not be set if using systemd
socket activation. Instead activate the libvirtd-tls.socket or
libvirtd-tcp.socket unit files.

``-p``, ``--pid-file *FILE*``

Use this name for the PID file, overriding the default value.

``-t``, ``--timeout *SECONDS*``

Exit after timeout period (in seconds), provided there are neither any client
connections nor any running domains.

``-v``, ``--verbose``

Enable output of verbose messages.

``--version``

Display version information then exit.


SIGNALS
=======

On receipt of ``SIGHUP`` libvirtd will reload its configuration.


FILES
=====

When run as *root*
------------------

* ``@SYSCONFDIR@/libvirt/libvirtd.conf``

The default configuration file used by libvirtd, unless overridden on the
command line using the ``-f`` | ``--config`` option.

* ``@RUNSTATEDIR@/libvirt/libvirt-sock``
* ``@RUNSTATEDIR@/libvirt/libvirt-sock-ro``

The sockets libvirtd will use.

* ``@SYSCONFDIR@/pki/CA/cacert.pem``

The TLS **Certificate Authority** certificate libvirtd will use.

* ``@SYSCONFDIR@/pki/libvirt/servercert.pem``

The TLS **Server** certificate libvirtd will use.

* ``@SYSCONFDIR@/pki/libvirt/private/serverkey.pem``

The TLS **Server** private key libvirtd will use.

* ``@RUNSTATEDIR@/libvirtd.pid``

The PID file to use, unless overridden by the ``-p`` | ``--pid-file`` option.


When run as *non-root*
----------------------

* ``$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/libvirt/libvirtd.conf``

The default configuration file used by libvirtd, unless overridden on the
command line using the ``-f``|``--config`` option.

* ``$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/libvirt/libvirt-sock``

The socket libvirtd will use.

* ``$HOME/.pki/libvirt/cacert.pem``

The TLS **Certificate Authority** certificate libvirtd will use.

* ``$HOME/.pki/libvirt/servercert.pem``

The TLS **Server** certificate libvirtd will use.

* ``$HOME/.pki/libvirt/serverkey.pem``

The TLS **Server** private key libvirtd will use.

* ``$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/libvirt/libvirtd.pid``

The PID file to use, unless overridden by the ``-p``|``--pid-file`` option.


If ``$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`` is not set in your environment, libvirtd will use
``$HOME/.config``

If ``$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR`` is not set in your environment, libvirtd will use
``$HOME/.cache``


EXAMPLES
========

To retrieve the version of libvirtd:

.. code-block::

  # libvirtd --version
  libvirtd (libvirt) 0.8.2


To start libvirtd, instructing it to daemonize and create a PID file:

.. code-block::

  # libvirtd -d
  # ls -la @RUNSTATEDIR@/libvirtd.pid
  -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 6 Jul  9 02:40 @RUNSTATEDIR@/libvirtd.pid


BUGS
====

Please report all bugs you discover.  This should be done via either:

#. the mailing list

   `https://libvirt.org/contact.html <https://libvirt.org/contact.html>`_

#. the bug tracker

   `https://libvirt.org/bugs.html <https://libvirt.org/bugs.html>`_

Alternatively, you may report bugs to your software distributor / vendor.


AUTHORS
=======

Please refer to the AUTHORS file distributed with libvirt.


COPYRIGHT
=========

Copyright (C) 2006-2012 Red Hat, Inc., and the authors listed in the
libvirt AUTHORS file.


LICENSE
=======

libvirtd is distributed under the terms of the GNU LGPL v2.1+.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There
is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE


SEE ALSO
========

virsh(1), virt-install(1), virt-xml-validate(1), virt-top(1),
virt-df(1), `https://www.libvirt.org/ <https://www.libvirt.org/>`_