Virtual Machines
Virtual machines (VMs) represent the actual working environments in OpenVLE for events, tests, or projects.
They are based on VM templates and can be individually started, stopped, paused, or reset.
Each VM is centrally managed and can be accessed directly in the browser via a Guacamole connection.
Where can I find this section?
Via main menu: VMs
Alternatively accessible via: Linked via Events, Environments, or Templates
Features at a Glance
- View, start, stop, and reboot virtual machines
- Create new VMs based on existing templates
- Link with environments or users
- Monitor the current status (running, paused, stopped)
- Access via integrated Guacamole connections (RDP, SSH)
- Reset to the initial state of the template
- View resource information such as CPU, RAM, or storage usage
Key Fields at a Glance
| Field name | Description |
|---|---|
CPU | Number of vCPU cores assigned to the virtual machine. More cores improve performance but increase resource consumption on the host. |
Description | Free text field for documentation or commenting on the VM. Supports Markdown syntax (e.g., for lists or emphasis). |
Disk | Assigned storage space in gigabytes. This value is usually taken from the template and cannot be adjusted. |
IPv4 Address | Automatically assigned IP address of the VM. It is automatically detected and displayed once the Qemu Guest Agent is active. Used for identification and remote connection to the machine. |
Memory | Assigned memory (RAM) in gigabytes. Determines how many applications can run simultaneously in the VM. |
Name | Name of the virtual machine. Displayed in the system, in lists, and in connections. The name should be chosen to be unique and descriptive (e.g., "IT-Training-Win10-01"). |
Operating System | The installed operating system of the VM. This is automatically taken from the associated template and is used for categorization and filtering. |
Proxmox VE Info | System-internal assignments to Proxmox VE, consisting of the **VMID** (unique ID on the host) and the **node name** (host system within the cluster). These fields are automatically maintained and are read-only. |
Status | Current operational state of the VM. Possible values are: `running`, `stopped`, `cloning`, `starting`, `stopping`, `deleting`. The status is controlled by actions (start, stop, clone, delete) or automatic processes. |
Creating a Virtual Machine
- Open the VMs section in the main menu.
- Click Add to create a new VM.
- Select the desired VM template as the basis.
- Enter a name for the VM.
- The remaining fields are automatically pre-filled based on the selected VM template. These can be adjusted if needed.
- Save the VM.
- The VM will now be automatically created in the background. Once the process is complete, the VM status is set to
Running. - Switch to the Connections tab to create a connection to the VM.
- You can then connect to the VM via Apache Guacamole.
When creating a VM, the following assignments are automatically created or inherited:
- Applications ↔ VM Template: All applications assigned to the VM template are automatically assigned to the new VM as well.
- Connection Templates ↔ VM Template: All connection templates of the VM template are copied and assigned to the VM.
This allows the newly created connection templates to be used to create connections to the VM — either manually or as part of an event.
Editing a Virtual Machine
- Open the VMs section in the main menu.
- Search for the desired VM in the list.
- Click Edit or open the VM's context menu and select Edit.
- The form displays all current VM data.
- Adjust the desired fields — e.g., name, description, CPU, memory, or operating system.
- Save the changes.
- The update is applied in the background; depending on the change, a restart of the VM may be required.
- After a successful update, the new status and changed values are displayed in the overview.
- Optional: Open the Connections tab to review existing connections or adjust them if needed.
Changes to CPU or memory require a restart of the VM to take effect.
The restart can either be selected directly when editing or performed at a later time.
Deleting a Virtual Machine
- Open the VMs section in the main menu.
- Search for the desired VM in the list.
- Click Delete or open the VM's context menu and select Delete.
- Confirm the deletion in the displayed dialog.
- The VM will then be permanently removed.
- After the process is complete, the VM disappears from the overview.
When deleting a VM, all associated connections and connection templates are automatically deleted as well.
This action cannot be undone.
Virtual Machine Actions
Various actions are available in the context menu of a VM to control the current status or configuration of the VM.
- Start — Powers on a turned-off VM and sets it to the
runningstatus. - Shut down — Shuts down the VM in a controlled manner via the operating system.
- Reboot — Performs a controlled reboot of the VM.
- Stop — Terminates the VM immediately without a regular shutdown (equivalent to a hard power-off).
- Reset — Performs an immediate reboot, comparable to pressing the reset button on a physical machine.
- Refresh IP — Updates the IP address stored in OpenVLE for the VM, in case it has changed or is no longer current.
Some actions — such as Stop or Reset — directly access the virtualization environment and can lead to data loss if there are unsaved changes in the VM.
These actions should only be performed when a regular shutdown or reboot is not possible.
Example or Use Case
A system administrator wants to provision an individual VM for a training. They open the Virtual Machines section, click Add, select the "Windows 10 - Training" VM template, and start it. The virtual machine is then created and can be used further.
Notes / Special Considerations
- Virtual machines are automatically created based on the selected template.
- A VM can be started, paused, or shut down at any time.
- Actions such as Reset or Shutdown immediately affect the guest system.
- Running VMs consume resources on the host system — stop unused machines to save capacity.
- Users can only access VMs for which they have the appropriate permissions.
- Changes to a VM (e.g., name, assignment) require the appropriate rights.
- The display updates regularly as long as the section is open.
Relationships to Other Objects
Many objects in OpenVLE are related to other elements within the system. The following overview shows which relationships exist and whether they trigger certain automations.
| Object | Description | Automatic behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | Any number of applications can be assigned to a VM. | No automations. |
| Changelogs | All changes to the object are automatically logged. | Automatic removal when the object is deleted. |
| Connection Templates | Any number of connection templates can be assigned to a VM. | Automatic deletion when the VM is removed. |
| Connections | Any number of connections can be assigned to a VM. | Automatic deletion when the VM is removed. |
| Event | When created as part of an event, the VM is assigned to exactly one event. | Automatic deletion upon certain actions within the event. |
| Operating System | Exactly one operating system can be assigned to a VM. | No automations. |
| Permissions | Object-specific permissions can be assigned directly to the object. | Automatic removal when the object is deleted. |
| Tags | Objects can be tagged with any number of tags to categorize or filter them. | Automatic removal when the object is deleted. |
| Tasks | System-internal tasks that are automatically created and monitored for actions (e.g., starting, stopping, or cloning). | Automatic creation for certain processes or actions. |
Required Permissions
The permissions required for actions can be assigned via roles or individually. If you lack certain rights, the corresponding functions in the user interface are hidden or disabled.
| Action | Required permission | Path | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| View virtual machines | vms_read | / or /<objectID> | |
| Create virtual machines | vms_create | / | |
| Edit virtual machines | vms_update | / or /<objectID> | |
| Delete virtual machines | vms_delete | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Hibernate | vms_actions_hibernate | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Pause | vms_actions_pause | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Reboot | vms_actions_reboot | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Reset | vms_actions_reset | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Resume | vms_actions_resume | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Shutdown | vms_actions_shutdown | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Start | vms_actions_start | / or /<objectID> | |
| VM action: Stop | vms_actions_stop | / or /<objectID> | |
| View VM templates | templates_read | / |
Example:
/4a3bc312-d1af-4b3f-b222-f5e9cecbf007 – This gives the user access to this single object only.If the path / is used, the permission applies globally to all objects of this type.
For *_create permissions, only the global path / is allowed.