VMcasting is an automatic virtual machine deployment mechanism based on RSS2.0 whereby virtual machine images are transferred from a server to a client securely delivering files containing a Technical Specification
(http://www.vmcasting.org/vmcastingspec/) and virtual disk image.
The concept of VMcasting is based on the similar concept of Podcasting, the popular trend of audio content delivered via an RSS feed presenting a downloadable or streaming file (often an MP3). With VMcasting, a developer publishes an RSS 2.0 feed where each item describes a release of a particular Virtual Machine Image or Virtual Appliance. The items descriptions may contain release notes or other information about what's new in a particular release. Therefore developers can be easily upgrade or install using a virtual server management system such as Enomalism.
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[Edit] How does VMcasting help?
Virtual server management systems that include VMcasting / RSS 2.0 enclosure support, will discover that updating software on various virtual machines is easy. Rather then updating single virtual machines, large groups of virtual machines can be updated at once using a standard definition and process.
[Edit] Who can use it?
Vmcasting is perfectly suited to a variety of virtual machine package formats including Amazon's EC2 AMI, Xen, Vmware, Parallels, Windows VHD, and Qemu allowing for a standard mechanism for delivery of virtual appliances.
[Edit] How do I set up an VMcast Feed?
It’s no more difficult that setting up an RSS 2.0 feed. Simply create your feed and in each item include a line like:
In the example shown above, the URL attribute is the direct download URL for your application; length is the length of the file in bytes; and type is the file's MIME type.
[Edit] Sample VMcast Feed
VMcast Feed XML (http://www.vmcasting.org/vmcast/)
[Edit] File format
Each XVM file is a simple unix standard tarfile, containing the following items:
1. xvm.xml : The xml file describing the archive 2. manifest.txt : The contents of the archive with sha1 sums per file 3. mf-signature.asc : gpg signature for the manifest.txt file 4. signature.asc : gpg signature for the xvm.xml file 5. imagefile : hard disk partition image 6. imagefile2 : next disk partition image 7. ... etc ... : more partition images (no limit)
[Edit] Full Specification
Full VMcasting Specification (http://www.vmcasting.org/vmcastingspec/) * First Draft
[Edit] Sample xvm.xml spec
Download xvm.xml (http://vmcasting.org/fileadmin/spec/xvm.xml)
[Edit] Sample XVM Virtual Appliance Package
Download XVM Virtual Appliance Package (http://www.vmcasting.org/fileadmin/vmimages/debian_3.1.xvm) : debian 3.1, Xen DomU. - (53 MB)
[Edit] Are there any developer tools to help?
- VMcasting Application List
[Edit] How do i get involved?
VMcasting is currently looking for Founding members for this new and exciting approach to virtual application deployment and updating . Are you interested in configuring your application to support VMcasting?
