How to install QEMU Guest Agent on Linux and Windows
Introduction
The QEMU guest agent is a daemon on a virtual machine. The agent passes network information on the virtual machine, to the host. In this article, we will explain how to install QEMU Guest Agent on Linux and Windows.
Linux
QEMU Guest Agent package is available in all Linux operating systems, so this will be very easy and simple to install.
In Debian-based systems, you can install by just running this command:
apt install qemu-guest-agent
In RHEL-based systems, you can install by just running this command:
yum install qemu-guest-agent
In OpenSuSE, you can install by just running this command:
zypper install qemu-guest-agent
After, you need to start the service to get it to work:
systemctl start qemu-guest-agent
If you want to start it in boot enable it by running this command:
systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent
Once the agent is installed – Please reboot your server when it’s convenient for you
Windows
To install on Windows servers you need to download this ISO file to your server.
Next, open the ISO file and navigate to the guest-agent named folder.
Execute one of the 2 installers based on your windows version 32 bit or 64 bit.
Finally, QEMU Guest Agent will be installed and running.
You can check if QEMU Agent is running in task manager.
Once done – reboot the VM
Conclusion
You have successfully installed QEMU Guest Agent in your operating system.
FAQ
QEMU Guest Agent is a daemon that facilitates communication between a virtual machine’s guest operating system and the host.
Installing QEMU Guest Agent allows for advanced features, such as live migration, automatic resizing of guest disks, and synchronization of time between the guest and host.
Installation steps may vary depending on your Linux distribution, but typically, you can install QEMU Guest Agent with the following command while in root or with sudo privileges:
$ sudo apt-get install qemu-guest-agent
QEMU Guest Agent should start automatically as a daemon or service after installation. You can check its status by running the following command on Linux:
$ systemctl status qemu-guest-agent
Configuration options for QEMU Guest Agent can be set via a configuration file or command-line arguments. Typically, the configuration file is located in the /etc directory on Linux or in the installation directory on Windows. You can also pass command-line arguments to the qemu-guest-agent command when starting the daemon.
QEMU Guest Agent provides various APIs that enable operations on the guest operating system, such as querying network configuration, shutting down or rebooting the system, and retrieving or setting the time. You can access these APIs via the QEMU Monitor or by using a client program to communicate with the QEMU Guest Agent daemon.
