PfSense VM on ProxMox : Qemu-agent installation

Carsonix

Proxmox 7.3-3 and pfSense 2.6.0

/etc/rc.conf.local doesn't exit. I created it and added

qemu_guest_agent_enable="YES"
qemu_guest_agent_flags="-d -v -l /var/log/qemu-ga.log"

but qemu-guest-agent doesn't startup on boot.

Is there another way of doing this.

Patch

@carsonix said in PfSense VM on ProxMox : Qemu-agent installation:

Is there another way of doing this.

2. Manual installation
    (a) Create the following 2 files
        i. Navigate to pfsense → Diagnostic → Edit file. 
            A. Enter text file path & browse → confirm doesn’t exist. 
            B. Enter text file content & full name including path then click Save to create file. 
            C. Leave only path & click Browse to confirm file created as expected. 
        ii. File name: /etc/rc.conf.local 
           qemu_guest_agent_enable="YES"
           qemu_guest_agent_flags="-d -v -l /var/log/qemu-ga.log"
           #virtio_console_load="YES"
        iii. File name: /usr/local/etc/rc.d/qemu-agent.sh
           #!/bin/sh
           sleep 3
           service qemu-guest-agent start
    (b) Login to console as root (VM console in Proxmox)
        i. pkg install -y qemu-guest-agent
        ii. cd /usr/local/etc/rc.d/
        iii. chmod +x qemu-agent.sh
    (c) Change Proxmox settins
        i. Shutdown pfsense
        ii. Proxmox VM → Options → QEMU Guest Agent → Enable
        iii. Restart VM

shadeless

@Patch said in PfSense VM on ProxMox : Qemu-agent installation:

@carsonix said in PfSense VM on ProxMox : Qemu-agent installation:

Is there another way of doing this.

2. Manual installation
    (a) Create the following 2 files
        i. Navigate to pfsense → Diagnostic → Edit file. 
            A. Enter text file path & browse → confirm doesn’t exist. 
            B. Enter text file content & full name including path then click Save to create file. 
            C. Leave only path & click Browse to confirm file created as expected. 
        ii. File name: /etc/rc.conf.local 
           qemu_guest_agent_enable="YES"
           qemu_guest_agent_flags="-d -v -l /var/log/qemu-ga.log"
           #virtio_console_load="YES"
        iii. File name: /usr/local/etc/rc.d/qemu-agent.sh
           #!/bin/sh
           sleep 3
           service qemu-guest-agent start
    (b) Login to console as root (VM console in Proxmox)
        i. pkg install -y qemu-guest-agent
        ii. cd /usr/local/etc/rc.d/
        iii. chmod +x qemu-agent.sh
    (c) Change Proxmox settins
        i. Shutdown pfsense
        ii. Proxmox VM → Options → QEMU Guest Agent → Enable
        iii. Restart VM

does this work on 2.7.0?
Just tried it and when trying to start the service, i get the message that i have to set qemu_guest_agent_enable to YES in rc.conf.
Seems like rc.conf.local isnt read properly?

weehooey

@shadeless We have confirmed that this script works on 2.7.0 and have updated the notes to reflect this.

https://github.com/Weehooey/pfSense-scripts

shadeless

@weehooey thanks for checking - found the error on my side, there was a whitespace at the end of the rc.conf.local filename....

Bob.Dig

@weehooey I have a VPS with runs on KVM. Will I profit from using this even if it is not Proxmox? Any hint what it actually is, it doesn't say, other than being KVM.

weehooey

Hey @Bob-Dig I think it should. Of course, you will want to test to confirm.

Proxmox is KVM/QEMU under the hood. We have used this successfully with OpenStack (in OVHcloud), which is also KVM.

Although, if you have a VPS that is hosted by a third party, there may be things which prevent it from working correctly.

The QEMU guest agent gives insight into the VM and provides some communication. In Proxmox, with the guest agent, you get an accurate reading of the RAM the VM is actually using and the VM responds to the power off/reboot commands.

I would not want to run a VM without a guest agent for the platform it is running on.

Bob.Dig

@weehooey If I connect via VNC to it, it says QEMU, so I think I am good. But can't see any differences in their web-GUI nor in pfSense after installing.

Patch

@shadeless said in PfSense VM on ProxMox : Qemu-agent installation:

does this work on 2.7.0?

It works the same on pfsense v2.6 and v2.7
You have to do all of

Create file /etc/rc.conf.local with above contents
Create file /usr/local/etc/rc.d/qemu-agent.sh with above contents and change it's properties to enable execute permission
Install the package qemu-guest-agent in the VM
Enable Qemu agent in Proxmox, stop the VM then restart it.

weehooey

@Patch you do not need to stop and restart the VM.

Check out the script for the commands: https://github.com/Weehooey/pfSense-scripts

chigz

@weehooey

Neat, this works for 23.05.1 too.
Thanks

Bob.Dig

I am now a proxmox user too and your script is awesome, thanks.

Patch

Or do it manually.
Takes about 2 minutes using (paste from a cheat sheet works)

Diagnostics -> Edit file
Diagnostics -> Command prompt -> Execute Shell Command

NollipfSense

@Patch said in PfSense VM on ProxMox : Qemu-agent installation:

Or do it manually

Never failed and my preferred method, thanks Patch...

thewho

@weehooey

i was not able to use your script because the agent gives me a error.

service qemu-guest-agent start
Cannot 'start' qemu_guest_agent. Set qemu_guest_agent_enable to YES in /etc/rc.conf or use 'onestart' instead of 'start'.

but as soon as i added it in the /etc/rc.conf i was able to start the agent. Has something changed with 2.7.1? (first time using proxmox and QEMU)

mervincm

@thewho I installed on 2.7 and upgraded to 2.7.1 and mine appears to remain functional. service qemu-guest-agent start tells me qemu_guest_agent already running? and provides the pid for it. That said .. something is wrong as my memory consumed in the proxmox host has doubled after the move 2.7>2.7.1 (3.2G>7.1G)