futility(1) An idiot admires complexity

9front vm on OpenBSD's vmd(8)

Why re-write the wheel?

The setup

shell commands: 

daedalus.localnode# mkdir -p /var/vmd && cd /var/vmd
daedalus.localnode# vmctl create -s 25G 9front.img

vm

Write a configuration file for /etc/vm.conf

#   $OpenBSD: vm.conf,v 1.11 2021/11/11 09:38:14 claudio Exp $

vm "9front"{
    disable 
    memory 2048M
    disk "/var/vmd/9front.img"
    cdrom "/var/vmd/9front-goldenage.iso"
    owner root
    interface{
        switch "local"
    }
}

switch "local" {
    interface bridge0
}

networking

2 interfaces are needed: vether0 and bridge0:

/etc/hostname.vether0

inet 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.0

/etc/hostname.bridge0

add vether0

ip forwarding should also be enabled if the vm should be allowed to talk to the internet:

/etc/sysctl.conf

net.inet.ip.forwarding=1
net.inet6.ip6.forwarding=1

A dhcp server is also needed so that the guests can automatically configure networking. An alternative option is to use static addresses.

/etc/dhcpd.conf

#	$OpenBSD: dhcpd.conf,v 1.1 2014/07/11 21:20:10 deraadt Exp $
# vmd
subnet 10.0.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
	option routers 10.0.0.1;
	range 10.0.0.2 10.0.0.255;
	option domain-name "vmd.my.domain";
	option domain-name-servers 1.1.1.1;
}

And finally, all the pieces must be assembled using pf.conf. This configuration file contains extra things that aren't strictly necessary for virtualizatoin with networking.

/etc/pf.conf

#	$OpenBSD: pf.conf,v 1.55 2017/12/03 20:40:04 sthen Exp $

set skip on lo0

# hypervisor config, allow SSH and DHCP. 
# Note: this configuration can cause your system to become a rogue 
# DHCP service on the external LAN if your dhcpd flags contain more interfaces than 'vether0'
tcp_services="{ssh bootps bootpc}"
udp_services="{bootps bootps}"
block in on {em0 iwn0}
pass in proto tcp to any port $tcp_services keep state
pass in proto udp to any port $tcp_services keep state
pass out all

# By default, do not permit remote connections to X11
block return in on ! lo0 proto tcp to port 6000:6010

# Port build user does not need network
block return out log proto {tcp udp} user _pbuild

# VMD config
pass out on egress from 10.0.0.0/24 to any nat-to (egress)
pass in proto { udp tcp } from 10.0.0.0/24 to any port domain rdr-to 1.1.1.1 port domain

Run some commands to make things work: 

daedalus.localnode# sysctl net.inet.ip.forwarding=1
daedalus.localnode# sysctl net.inet6.ip6.forwarding=1
daedalus.localnode# rcctl enable dhcpd vmd
daedalus.localnode# rcctl set dhcpd flags vether0
daedalus.localnode# rcctl start dhcpd vmd
daedalus.localnode# pfctl -e /etc/pf.conf

installing 9front

Upon starting the system you will need to mash the spacebar and set the following boot options:

>console=0
>display=none
>boot

The rest of the installation is well documented at 9front.org. If you want drawterm you need to configure and run the vm as a CPU server. You will need to know how to use ed(1), the standard editor. tourists need not apply.

And now drawterm should run.

To power off the vm you must run fshalt on the guest then vmctl stop 9front on the host. 'check tags' incoming. 

halting...halted at Mon May 29 05:09:29 2023.
/srv/cwfs.newfs.cmd...
done halting
rebooting...
cpu0: exiting
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking...
can't reset

I hate 9 so much it's unreal.