DO156: Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Administration I — Lesson 2: Virtual Machine Lifecycle, Compute, Guest Access, Images, and Cloud-Init

Learning Objectives

• Configure the principal services, objects, workflows, and controls for VM lifecycle, CPU and memory, and guest access.
• Apply boot images and cloud-init while preserving reviewable technical evidence.
• Recognize and correct the condition where a valid change produces the wrong outcome because variables, permissions, mapping, or sequencing are incorrect.

Detailed Topics

• VM lifecycle: apply the concept to the course scenario, identify dependencies and controls, and record objective evidence of the result.
• CPU and memory: apply the concept to the course scenario, identify dependencies and controls, and record objective evidence of the result.
• guest access: apply the concept to the course scenario, identify dependencies and controls, and record objective evidence of the result.
• boot images: apply the concept to the course scenario, identify dependencies and controls, and record objective evidence of the result.
• cloud-init: apply the concept to the course scenario, identify dependencies and controls, and record objective evidence of the result.

Instructor Demonstration

The instructor demonstrates virtual machine lifecycle, compute, guest access, images, and cloud-init by tracing architecture, commands, configuration, system messages, and evidence. The walkthrough tests how a valid change produces the wrong outcome because variables, permissions, mapping, or sequencing are incorrect and explains how to isolate the cause without masking related issues.

Hands-On Exercise

Implement the core workflow for Virtual Machine Lifecycle, Compute, Guest Access, Images, and Cloud-Init and add the verified result to the virtualization operator baseline, VM build records, networking and storage tests, and support checklist.

1. Confirm scope, versions, access, dependencies, assumptions, and acceptance criteria.
2. Perform the workflow while recording commands, configuration, output, events, and decisions.
3. Test the normal path and one course-specific exception or boundary condition.
4. Retest the correction and document rollback, ownership, and follow-up actions.

Scenario Analysis

• Identify which dependency most strongly influences VM lifecycle in the stated scenario.
• Compare two approaches for boot images and explain the security, reliability, performance, and support trade-offs.
• Decide what evidence must be retained in the virtualization operator baseline, VM build records, networking and storage tests, and support checklist before operational acceptance.

Troubleshooting Guidance

Begin with the first observable difference from the expected result. Check configuration, permissions, sequence, connectivity, and functional behavior separately, then correlate logs, events, commands, metrics, and configuration history. Treat the assumption that a valid change produces the wrong outcome because variables, permissions, mapping, or sequencing are incorrect as a hypothesis until a reproducible retest confirms the cause.

Validation Checklist

• The required configuration, permissions, sequence, connectivity, and functional behavior were checked and recorded.
• The normal path and a course-specific exception were tested.
• The virtualization operator baseline, VM build records, networking and storage tests, and support checklist links conclusions to commands, configuration, logs, metrics, or other objective evidence.
• Corrective actions, rollback, ownership, and handover notes are complete.

Lesson Outcome

Learners can apply Virtual Machine Lifecycle, Compute, Guest Access, Images, and Cloud-Init, explain the observed platform behavior, and support the result with a reviewable virtualization operator baseline, VM build records, networking and storage tests, and support checklist.