Testing HexOS in QEMU via Docker: Simplified Setup and Networking Guide

[DartSteven]

 

Hello Friends!

I’m excited to share an alternative method for testing HexOS using QEMU via Docker. This approach not only simplifies the setup but also gives you flexibility to create a virtual environment tailored to your needs.

To get you started, I’ve included:

1. My docker-compose.yaml file as a reference.

2. A mini script for creating a virtual network using a macvlan.

Using a macvlan provides an added layer of security by isolating your virtual machines on a dedicated network segment, simulating a real-world environment. If you prefer, you can also assign specific MAC addresses and IPv4 addresses to your containers for finer control.

However, if you’d like to keep things simpler, you can use Docker normally without setting up a macvlan. Just remember to remove the macvlan network configuration from the setup.

I highly recommend using a macvlan for enhanced security and network segmentation, but the choice is yours!

A huge thank you to the amazing HexOS community for making this project what it is. I hope this helps you explore HexOS more effectively. Let me know if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions!

 

services:
  qemu:
    container_name: HexOS
    image: qemux/qemu-docker
    privileged: true
    deploy:
      resources:
        limits:
          cpus: '4'
          memory: 8GB
        reservations:
          cpus: '2'
          memory: 4GB
    mac_address: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
    networks:
      vlan:
        ipv4_address: 192.168.xx.xx
    environment:
      DISK_SIZE: "20G"
      DISK_FMT: "qcow2"
      RAM_SIZE: "8G"
      CPU_CORES: "4"
      DISK2_SIZE: "32G"
      DISK3_SIZE: "32G"
    volumes:
      - /media/ssd/iso/ISO-OS/TrueNAS-SCALE-24.10.0-HexOS.iso:/boot.iso
      - /media/ssd/iso/OS/HexOS:/storage
      - /media/ssd/iso/OS/HexOS/disk1:/storage2
      - /media/ssd/iso/OS/HexOS/disk2:/storage3
    devices:
      - /dev/kvm
#      - /dev/bus/usb
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    ports:
      - 8006:8006
    stop_grace_period: 2m
    restart: unless-stopped

networks:
  vlan:
    external: true

 

For this method, all credit goes to the amazing repository qemus/qemu-docker, where you can find more detailed information and resources.

 

For MacVlan:

docker network create -d macvlan \
    --subnet=192.168.xx.0/24 \
    --gateway=192.168.xx.1 \
    --ip-range=192.168.xx.0/28 \
    -o parent=eno1 \
    --aux-address="myserver=192.168.xx.xx" \
    vlan