How to use Virtualization Station 4?


Last modified date: 2022-12-05

Virtualization Station

About Virtualization Station

Virtualization Station centralizes the creation, configuration, and control of virtual machines on your QNAP device. A virtual machine (VM) allows you to run different virtualized software applications, such as operating systems or software routers, in a secure environment on your device.

Virtualization Station Specifications

Resource

Specifications

Supported operating systems

For the list of supported operating systems, see What operating system can I deploy in Virtualization Station?

Maximum number of snapshots

Up to 32 per VM

Maximum number of simultaneously running VMs

The number of concurrently-running VMs is generally limited to the available CPU and memory resources of the device. Running multiple VMs at the same time may affect the performance of the device.

Maximum number of VMs

No limit

Maximum number of virtual devices

Each VM supports up to 16 devices, including hard disks and CD/DVD ROMs.

Maximum number of virtual network adapters

Up to 8 per VM

Maximum number of SR-IOV network adapters

Up to 8 per VM

Maximum number of physical USB connections

Up to 4 per VM

Maximum number of physical PCIe connections

Up to 3 per VM

Maximum number of Intel® QAT accelerators

Up to 16 per VM

Supported File Types for Import

*.ova, *.ovf, *.vmx, *.qvm

Parts of the User Interface

The Virtualization Station user interface has three main areas.

Label

Area

Description

1

Toolbar

The toolbar displays the following buttons:

  • Create Virtual Machine: Click to create VMs.
    Tip:

    Click the arrow icon next to Create Virtual Machine to perform various Virtualization Station actions such as creating VMs and data protection plans.

  • Dashboard: Click to monitor the system resources and their information.

  • Background Tasks: Click to view the list of background tasks.

  • Notifications: Click to review notifications from Virtualization Station.

  • More: Click and then select one of the following:

    • Language: Click to select from the list of supported languages for the application.

    • Settings: Click to configure the notification rules.

    • Tools: Click to access the image converter settings.

      For details, see Converting a VM Image

    • Download Debug Report: Downloads debug logs in case of issues with Virtualization Station.

    • About: Displays the Virtualization Station version.

2

Menu

The menu consolidates Virtualization Station information and resources into several areas.

3

Main panel

The main panel displays the selected screen.

VM and VA Creation

Virtualization Station allows you to create VMs, import VM files, and deploy virtual appliances (VAs) from the VM Marketplace.

Creating a Virtual Machine Using Basic Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Create Virtual Machine.

    The Create a New Virtual Machine window opens.

  3. Configure the general settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    VM name

    Specify a name used to identify the VM.

    Requirements:

    • Length: 1–32 characters

    • Not allowed: Name cannot start with a Space ( ).

    • The following special characters are not allowed: ` * = + [ ] \ | ; : ' " , < > / ? %

    Description

    Enter a description for the VM.

    File location

    Select a location on the device to save the VM image and files.

    Tip:

    To configure the default location of VMs, go to Preferences > Ports and Storage.

  4. Select the VM location.
    1. Click .

      The Select a folder location window appears.

    2. Select a folder from the drop-down menu.
    3. Click OK.

      Virtualization Station updates the folder path.

  5. Select the guest operating system and OS version.
  6. Click Next.

    The Customize Settings window appears.

  7. Configure the VM settings.

    You can configure basic settings or advanced settings, depending on your requirements.

    Tip:

    Setting

    User Action

    CPUs

    Specify the maximum number of CPU cores available to the VM.

    Memory

    Specify the maximum amount of memory available to the VM.

    Hard disk

    Select one of the following:

    • Create image creates a new virtual disk image.

    • Use existing image allows you to select an existing image from your device.

    Note:

    You can use an existing image to avoid reinstalling and configuring the VM.

    Network adapter

    Select a virtual switch to allow the virtual machine to connect to a physical network adapter.

    CD/DVD ROM

    Specify a location for the ISO file.

    BIOS

    Select the boot mode required to control the booting process of the virtual machine.

    VNC password

    Assign a remote access password for the VM.

  8. Click Next.

    The Summary page appears.

  9. Review the VM settings.
  10. Select Automatically start the VM after creation.
  11. Click Create.

Virtualization Station creates the VM.

Creating a Virtual Machine Using Advanced Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Create Virtual Machine.

    The Create a New Virtual Machine window opens.

  3. Configure the general settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    VM name

    Specify a name used to identify the VM.

    Requirements:

    • Length: 1–32 characters

    • Not allowed: Name cannot start with a Space ( ).

    • The following special characters are not allowed: ` * = + [ ] \ | ; : ' " , < > / ? %

    Description

    Enter a description for the VM.

    File location

    Select a location on the device to save the VM image and files.

    Tip:

    To configure the default location of VMs, go to Preferences > Ports and Storage.

  4. Select the VM location.
    1. Click .

      The Select a folder location window appears.

    2. Select a folder from the drop-down menu.
    3. Click OK.

      Virtualization Station updates the folder path.

  5. Select the guest operating system and OS version.
  6. Click Next.

    The Customize Settings window appears.

  7. Configure the VM settings.

    You can configure basic settings or advanced settings, depending on your requirements.

    Tip:

    Setting

    User Action

    CPU model

    Select the CPU model used by the virtual machine.

    CPUs

    Specify the maximum number of CPU cores available to the VM.

    Tip:

    Enable CPU hot add to add CPU resources to a running virtual machine.

    Memory

    Specify the maximum amount of memory available to the VM.

    Enable Memory Sharing

    Select to improve the memory density on the host system by eliminating redundant copies of memory pages.

    Enable dynamic memory allocation

    Select to allow Virtualization Station to allocate the appropriate amount of memory to a VM based the current system and VM needs.

    BIOS

    Select the boot mode required to control the booting process of the virtual machine.

  8. Click Next.

    The Configure Hard Disk Settings page appears.

  9. Configure the hard disk settings.
    Tip:

    To create a new hard disk or select an existing hard disk, click Add.

    Note:
    • To use VirtIO interface for a Windows VM, you must first install the VirtIO drivers on the VM that are available in the Guest Tools CD.

    • To install the Guest Tool CD, click Add > Insert Guest Tools CD in the CD/DVD ROM page.

    1. Specify the hard disk capacity.
    2. Select the device controller.
    3. Select the cache mode.
    4. Specify an image file.
      Tip:
      • New Image Path creates a new hard disk in the default VM location.

      • Click to select an existing image.

  10. Click Next.
  11. Configure the network adapter settings.
    Tip:

    To create a new network adapter, click Add Network Adapter.

    Note:
    • To use VirtIO interface for a Windows VM, you must first install the VirtIO drivers on the VM that are available in the Guest Tools CD.

    • To install the Guest Tool CD, click Add > Insert Guest Tools CD in the CD/DVD ROM page.

    1. Select the network interface model.
    2. Select a network interface to connect to the virtual machine.
    3. Specify the network MAC address.
      Tip:

      Click to generate a new MAC address.

  12. Click Next.
  13. Configure the CD/DVD ROM settings.
    Tip:
    • To add a new optical image, click Add > Add CD/DVD ROM.

    • To insert a Guest Tool CD, click Add > Insert Guest Tools CD.

    1. Select the device controller.
    2. Click to select the ISO file.
  14. Click Next.
  15. Configure the remaining settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    Video card

    Specify a video type.

    • VGA: Standard VGA card with Bochs VBE extensions. If you want to use high resolution modes (≥1280x1024x16) then you should use this option.

    • VMVGA: A more powerful and advanced virtual display card compared to VGA. If the VM has the related driver installed, this type can provide more resolution options.

    • Cirrus: The Cirrus Logic GD5446 Video card has a higher compatibility rates with legacy OS, and all Windows versions (Windows 95 and later) should recognize and use this graphic card.

    • QXL: QXL is a VGA-compatible paravirtual graphic card that works best with guest drivers installed in the VM. You can use this video card when SPICE is enabled on the VM.

    Note:
    • To fully leverage QXL on a Windows® VM, you must install the drivers available in the Guest Tools CD.

      To install the Guest Tool CD, click Add > Insert Guest Tools CD in the CD/DVD ROM page.

    • If the VM is assigned to a QVM, Virtualization Station automatically selects QXL as the video card.

    Audio device

    Click to add an emulated Intel High Definition Audio device to the VM.

    Important:

    For some older operating systems, such as Windows® XP, you must separately install drivers for the device.

    USB controller

    Select the USB version from the drop-down list.

    Important:
    • USB 3.0 is only available on VMs running Windows 8 or later.

    • If drivers are not installed for connected USB devices, the device may not function correctly.

    Auto-start policy

    Configure an auto-start policy for the VM.

    • None: Select to disallow the VM from starting automatically.

    • Retain previous status: Select to restore the previous state of the VM by delaying the start up by the specified number of seconds.

    • Always: Select to always start the virtual machine by a specific number of seconds.

    Keyboard

    Select the keyboard to insert key signals for the keyboard mapping of VMs.

    VNC password

    Specify a password to encrypt the VNC connection.

  16. Click Next.

    The Summary page appears.

  17. Review the VM settings.
  18. Select Automatically start the VM after creation.
  19. Click Create.

Virtualization Station creates the VM.

Deploying a Virtual Appliance from the VM Marketplace

The VM Marketplace provides access to several ready-to-use applications packaged as virtual appliances. From the VM Marketplace section you can download and deploy an existing virtual appliance to your device.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to VM Marketplace.
  3. Identify a VM.
  4. Click Deploy.
  5. Configure the advanced VM settings.

Virtualization Station deploys the VA.

Importing a VM

Virtualization Station allows you to import VMs from your personal computer, the local QNAP device, or a remote device.

Virtualization Station only imports the following file types: .ova, .ovf, .vmx, .qvm

Importing a VM from a PC

  1. Open Virtualization Station.

    The Overview page appears.

  2. Next to Create Virtual Machine, click > Import Virtual Machine.

    The Import Virtual Machine window appears.

  3. Select PC.
  4. Click .

    A file explorer window opens.

  5. Select the VM file.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Configure the general VM settings.
  8. Click Next.
  9. Optional: Configure the advanced settings.
  10. Click Next.

    The Summary page appears.

  11. Review the VM settings.
  12. Select Automatically start the VM after creation.
  13. Click Create.

Virtualization Station imports and creates the VM.

Importing a VM from the Local Device

  1. Open Virtualization Station.

    The Overview page appears.

  2. Next to Create Virtual Machine, click > Import Virtual Machine.

    The Import Virtual Machine window appears.

  3. Select Local device.
  4. Click .

    A File Explorer window opens.

  5. Locate the the VM file.
  6. Click OK.

    The File Explorer window closes.

  7. Click Next.
  8. Configure the general VM settings.
  9. Click Next.
  10. Optional: Configure the advanced settings.
  11. Click Next.

    The Summary page appears.

  12. Review the VM settings.
  13. Select Automatically start the VM after creation.
  14. Click Create.

Virtualization Station imports and creates the VM.

Importing a VM From a Remote Device

  1. Open Virtualization Station.

    The Overview page appears.

  2. Next to Create Virtual Machine, click > Import Virtual Machine.

    The Import Virtual Machine window appears.

  3. Select Remote device.
  4. Click .

    The credentials menu appears.

  5. Connect to a remote device.

    Option

    User Action

    Save a new remote device account

    1. Click New Credential.

      The New Credential window appears.

    2. Specify a name to identify the account.

    3. Specify the remote device IP address, or click .

    4. Specify the port.

    5. Optional: Select Use SSL connection.

    6. Specify a username.

    7. Specify a password.

    8. Click Test.

      Virtualization Station verifies the remote connection.

    9. Click Create.

      Virtualization Station adds the device credentials.

    Connect to an existing remote device

    1. Specify the remote device IP address, or click .

    2. Select an existing remote device account.

  6. Click .

    The Select a VM File window appears.

  7. Select the VM file.
  8. Click OK.

    Virtualization Station adds the selected file.

  9. Click Next.
  10. Click Open.

    The file explorer window closes.

  11. Click Next.
  12. Configure the general VM settings.
  13. Click Next.
  14. Optional: Configure the advanced settings.
  15. Click Next.

    The Summary page appears.

  16. Review the VM settings.
  17. Select Automatically start the VM after creation.
  18. Click Create.

Virtualization Station imports and creates the VM.

VM Management

Virtualization Station lists any VMs operating on the device. After selecting a VM, you can view detailed information, monitor VM resources, configure settings, access snapshots, and review logs for each VM.

VM Actions

Virtualization Station lets you perform a number of different actions related to the management and configuration of your VM.

Starting a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Click Start.

Virtualization Station starts the VM.

Suspending a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Shutdown, click > Suspend at the top of the panel.

    The Suspend Virtual Machine window opens.

  5. Click OK.

Virtualization Station suspends the VM.

Resuming a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a suspended VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Click Resume.

Virtualization Station resumes the VM.

Cloning a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Identify a VM.
  4. Click > Clone.

    The Clone Virtual Machine window opens.

  5. Configure the VM settings.
  6. Click Create.

Virtualization Station clones the VM.

Migrating a VM From a Remote Device

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Virtual Machines.
  3. Click Migrate.

    The Migrate Virtual Machine window opens.

  4. Select a remote device.

    Option

    User Action

    Add new remote device information

    1. Click Add Remote Device Information.

      The Configure Remote Device Credentials window appears.

    2. Specify a name to identify the account.

    3. Specify the remote device IP address, or click .

    4. Specify the port.

    5. Optional: Select Use SSL connection.

    6. Specify a username.

    7. Specify a password.

    8. Click Test.

      Virtualization Station verifies the remote connection.

    9. Click Create.

      Virtualization Station adds the device credentials.

    Select an existing remote device

    Select an existing remote device account.

  5. Review the local and remote device compatibility.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Select the VM migration direction from the remote device to the local device.
  8. Click Next.
  9. Select existing VMs from the local device.
  10. Click Next.
  11. Select a migration method.
    • Move all disk images to the same location

    • Specify destination location for each disk image

  12. Click Next.
  13. Configure the VM settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    VM name

    Specify a name for the virtual machine.

    File location

    Click to select a location for the VM files.

    Note:

    This field is available only if you select the Move all disk images to the same location migration method.

    Image path

    Specify the image path for virtual hard disks.

    Note:

    This field is available only if you select the Specify destination location for each disk images migration method.

    Network adapter

    Select a virtual switch to connect the virtual machine to a physical network adapter.

    VM console port

    Specify a port number to access the virtual machine.

    Note:
    • Specify a value between 5900 - 5930.

    • This field appears only if there is a source and target port number conflict.

  14. Select Delete the source virtual machine and its backup tasks and files after migration is finished.
  15. Review the migration settings.
  16. Click Migrate.

Virtualization Station migrates the VM from the remote device.

Migrating a VM to a Remote Device

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Virtual Machines.
  3. Identify a VM.
  4. Click > Migrate.

    The Migrate Virtual Machine window opens.

  5. Select a remote device.

    Option

    User Action

    Add new remote device information

    1. Click Add Remote Device Information.

      The Configure Remote Device Credentials window appears.

    2. Specify a name to identify the account.

    3. Specify the remote device IP address, or click .

    4. Specify the port.

    5. Optional: Select Use SSL connection.

    6. Specify a username.

    7. Specify a password.

    8. Click Test.

      Virtualization Station verifies the remote connection.

    9. Click Create.

      Virtualization Station adds the device credentials.

    Select an existing remote device

    Select an existing remote device account.

  6. Review the local and remote device compatibility.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Select a migration method.
    • Move all disk images to the same location

    • Specify destination location for each disk image

  9. Click Next.
  10. Configure the VM settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    VM name

    Specify a name for the virtual machine.

    File location

    Click to select a location for the VM files.

    Note:

    This field is available only if you select the Move all disk images to the same location migration method.

    Image path

    Specify the image path for virtual hard disks.

    Note:

    This field is available only if you select the Specify destination location for each disk images migration method.

    Network adapter

    Select a virtual switch to connect the virtual machine to a physical network adapter.

    VM console port

    Specify a port number to access the virtual machine.

    Note:
    • Specify a value between 5900 - 5930.

    • This field appears only if there is a source and target port number conflict.

  11. Select Delete the source virtual machine and its backup tasks and files after migration is finished.
  12. Review the migration settings.
  13. Click Migrate.

Virtualization Station migrates the VM to the local device.

Accessing the VM Console

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Click Console.

Virtualization Station opens the VM console.

Adding Hardware Devices to a VM

Adding hardware devices to a VM lets you expand its capabilities.

Adding a Storage Device to a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running or powered off VM.
    Note:

    You can only add VirtIO devices if the VM is running.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Go to Edit.

    The Edit [Virtual Machine] window appears.

  5. Click Storage.
  6. Click Add, and then click Add New Hard Disk.
  7. Configure device settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Capacity

    Specify the hard disk capacity.

    Controller

    The connection interface for the storage device.

    Note:

    To use VirtIO interface for a Windows VM, you must first install the VirtIO drivers on the VM that are available in the Guest Tools CD.

    To install the Guest Tool CD, select a VM, and then go to Edit > CD/DVD ROM > Add > Insert Guest Tools CD.

    Cache Mode

    The cache mode of the storage device.

    Image path

    Allows you to create a new HDD image or use an existing image file.

  8. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station adds the storage device.

Adding a Network Device to a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running or powered off VM.
    Note:

    You can only add VirtIO devices if the VM is running.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Go to Edit.

    The Edit [Virtual Machine] window appears.

  5. Click Network.
  6. Click Add Network Adapter.
  7. Configure the network settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Model

    The model of the network adapter.

    Note:

    To use VirtIO interface for a Windows VM, you must first install the VirtIO drivers on the VM that are available in the Guest Tools CD.

    To install the Guest Tool CD, select a VM, and then go to Edit > CD/DVD ROM > Add > Insert Guest Tools CD.

    Connect to

    The virtual adapter that should connect to the virtual machine.

    MAC Address

    The MAC address for the network adapter.

    Tip:

    Click to generate a MAC address.

  8. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station adds the network device.

Adding an SR-IOV Network Device to a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a powered off VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Go to Edit.

    The Edit [Virtual Machine] window appears.

  5. Click Network.
  6. Click Add Network Adapter.
  7. Configure the network settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Model

    The model of the SR-IOV passthrough network adapter.

    Connect to

    The physical function that should connect to the virtual machine.

    MAC Address

    The MAC address for the network adapter.

    Tip:

    Click to generate a MAC address.

  8. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station adds the network device.

Adding a CD/DVD ROM to a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a powered off VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Go to Edit.

    The Edit [Virtual Machine] window appears.

  5. Click CD/DVD ROM.
  6. Click Add, and then click Add CD/DVD ROM.
  7. Configure the device settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Controller

    The connection interface for the CD/DVD device.

    Disc (.iso)

    The path to the ISO image file.

    1. Click .

      The Connect CD-ROM window opens.

    2. Select an image.

    3. Click OK.

  8. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station adds the CD/DVD ROM.

Connecting an ISO file to a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Go to Edit.

    The Edit [Virtual Machine] window appears.

  5. Click CD/DVD ROM.
  6. Configure the disc (.iso) settings.
    1. Click .

      The Connect CD-ROM window opens.

    2. Select an ISO image file.
    3. Click OK.
  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station connects the ISO file.

Inserting a Guest Tool CD to a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Go to Edit.

    The Edit [Virtual Machine] window appears.

  5. Click CD/DVD ROM.
  6. Click Add > Insert Guest Tools CD.
  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station adds the Windows Guest Tools CD.

Exporting a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running or powered off VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Edit, click > Export at the top of the panel.

    The Export Virtual Machine window opens.

  5. Configure file settings.

    Setting

    Description

    File name

    The name used for the export file.

    Format

    The format of the export file.

    Note:

    You can only select .qvm format for virtual machines that are running. The VM will restart after the import process is finished.

  6. Optional: Configure additional settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Include iso images

    Includes an iso image with the export file.

    Compress images

    Compresses the export file.

    Note:

    This setting is only available if you select the .qvm format.

    Stream-optimized format

    Compresses the export file to a single growable format for streaming.

    Note:

    This setting is only available if you select the .ovf format.

  7. Specify the export location.

    Location

    User Action

    Local device

    1. Click .

      The Export Location window opens.

    2. Select a location.

    3. Click OK.

    Remote device

    1. Select the remote device.

      Tip:

      Click New Credential to add a new remote device.

    2. Click .

      The Browse window opens.

    3. Select a location.

    4. Click OK.

  8. Click Start.

    Virtualization Station prepares the exported VM.

Virtualization Station exports the VM.

Sharing a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Edit, click > Share Link at the top of the panel.
  5. Click Create Shareable Link.

    The Create Shareable Link window opens.

  6. Specify the domain name or IP address.
  7. Specify an expiration date.
  8. Optional: Enter a description.
  9. Click Create.

    The Created Share Link window appears.

  10. Click .

Virtualization Station copies the link to your clipboard..

Resetting a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running or suspended VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Shutdown or Resume, click > Reset at the top of the panel.

    A dialog box opens.

  5. Click OK.

Virtualization Station resets the VM.

Deleting a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a powered off VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Edit, click > Delete at the top of the panel.

    The Delete Virtual Machine window opens.

  5. Optional: Select the hard disk images.
    Note:

    Select to delete the VM along with the image files.

  6. Optional: Select Delete the VM folder.
    Note:

    Enable to delete the VM folder and its contents.

  7. Click OK.

Virtualization Station deletes the VM.

Shutting Down a VM

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Click Shutdown.

Virtualization Station sends an ACPI shutdown signal to shut down the VM.

Forcing a VM to Shut Down

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running or suspended VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Shutdown or Resume, click > Force Shutdown at the top of the panel.

Virtualization Station shuts down the VM immediately.

Configuring Time Synchronization

Using time synchronization in Virtualization Station allows you to set the time of a running virtual machine to be the same as the time of the host device.

Note:

You must enable Virtio-serial and install the QNAP Guest Tools in order to synchronize the VM time with the host.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Next to Edit, click > Synchronize Time at the top of the panel.

    The Synchronize Guest Time window opens

  5. Click OK.

Virtualization Station synchronizes the VM time with the host device.

Monitoring VM Resource Usage

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Click Monitor.

Virtualization Station displays the VM resource information.

Tip:

To view the information on a new window, click .

VM Settings

You can configure a variety of settings for each VM. These settings can control the resources available to the VM or how the VM interacts with the host device.

Important:

Some settings are not accessible if the VM is running or suspended.

Configuring General Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Configure the settings.

    Setting

    Description

    VM name

    Specify a name used to identify the VM.

    Requirements:

    • Length: 1–32 characters

    • Not allowed: Name cannot start with a Space ( ).

    • The following special characters are not allowed: ` * = + [ ] \ | ; : ' " , < > / ? %

    Description

    Enter a description for the VM.

    OS

    Select the guest operating system from the drop-down menu.

    OS version

    Select the guest OS version.

  6. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the settings.

Configuring System Settings

Modify CPU and memory requirements of the VM to suit the changing needs of the virtual environment.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click System.
  6. Configure the settings.

    Setting

    Action

    CPU model

    Select an available CPU model from the drop-down menu.

    Note:

    Use Passthrough to allow the virtual machine to select a CPU model closest to the processor of the host system.

    Hide KVM hypervisor signature

    Select to hide the KVM hypervisor signature from the guest OS.

    CPUs

    Specify the maximum number of CPU cores available to the VM.

    Note:

    Select Enable CPU Hot Add to add CPU resources for a running virtual machine.

    Memory

    Specify the maximum amount of memory available to the VM.

    Note:
    • Select Enable memory sharing to improve memory density on the host system by eliminating redundant copies of memory pages.

    • Select Enable dynamic memory allocation to allow the VM to request idle memory from another VM when required.

    Reserved memory

    Specify the minimum amount of memory that is guaranteed to the virtual machine.

    Note:

    This field is only available when using Enable dynamic memory allocation.

    Shares

    Specify the share value required for the virtual machine to use the specified amount of memory shares when competing with another virtual machine for resources.

    Note:

    This field is only available when using Enable dynamic memory allocation.

  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the settings.

Configuring Boot Settings

The boot order defines the devices and order in which the VM searches for boot files. These boot files can control how the VM operates.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click Boot Options.
  6. Specify the BIOS boot option.
  7. Configure the boot order settings.

    Setting

    Action

    Use default boot devices

    Select to use the default boot options provided by the system.

    Use other bootable devices

    Select to boot the virtual machine from the specified boot device.

  8. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the boot settings.

Configuring Storage Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a running or powered off VM.
    Note:

    You can only add VirtIO devices if the VM is running.

    The VM Information screen appears.

  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click Storage.
  6. Configure the storage settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Capacity

    Specify the hard disk capacity.

    Controller

    Select the connection interface for the storage device.

    Note:
    • To use VirtIO interface for a Windows VM, you must first install the VirtIO drivers on the VM that are available in the Guest Tools CD.

    • To install the Guest Tool CD, select a VM, and then go to Edit > CD/DVD ROM > Add > Insert Guest Tools CD.

    Cache mode

    Select the cache mode of the storage device.

    Image path

    Click to select the virtual disk location.

  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the storage settings.

Configuring Network Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click Network.
  6. Configure the settings.

    Setting

    Action

    Model

    Select the model of the network adapter.

    Note:

    To use VirtIO interface for a Windows VM, you must first install the VirtIO drivers on the VM that are available in the Guest Tools CD.

    To install the Guest Tool CD, select a VM, and then go to Edit > CD/DVD ROM > Add > Insert Guest Tools CD.

    Connect to

    Select a virtual adapter to connect to the virtual machine.

    Note:

    Select User Mode Networking for analytical and prototyping tasks.

    MAC Address

    The MAC address for the network adapter.

    Tip:

    Click to generate a new MAC address.

  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the network settings.

Configuring CD/DVD Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click CD/DVD ROM.
  6. Configure the settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Controller

    Select a connection interface for the CD/DVD ROM device.

    Disc (.iso)

    Click to select the ISO file.

    Tip:

    To eject the ISO image from the VM, click .

  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the settings.

Configuring Other Settings

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click Others.
  6. Configure the settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    Video card

    Specify a video type.

    • VGA: Standard VGA card with Bochs VBE extensions. If you want to use high resolution modes (≥1280x1024x16) then you should use this option.

    • VMVGA: A more powerful and advanced virtual display card compared to VGA. If the VM has the related driver installed, this type can provide more resolution options.

    • Cirrus: Cirrus Logic GD5446 Video card. It has a higher compatibility with legacy OS and all Windows versions starting from Windows 95 should recognize and use this graphic card.

    • QXL: A VGA-compatible paravirtual graphic card. QXL works best with guest drivers installed in the VM. You can use this video card when SPICE is enabled on the VM.

    Note:
    • To fully leverage QXL on a Windows® VM, you must install the drivers available in the Guest Tools CD.

      To install the Guest Tool CD, click Add > Insert Guest Tools CD in the CD/DVD ROM page.

    • If the VM is assigned to a QVM, Virtualization Station automatically selects QXL as the video card.

    Audio device

    Click to add an emulated Intel High Definition Audio device to the VM.

    Important:

    For some older operating systems, such as Windows XP, you must separately install drivers for the device.

    USB controller

    Select the USB version from the drop-down list.

    Important:
    • USB 3.0 is only available on VMs running Windows 8 or later.

    • If drivers are not installed for connected USB devices, the device may not function correctly.

    Auto-start policy

    Configure an auto-start policy for the VM.

    • None: Select to disallow the VM from starting automatically.

    • Retain previous status: Select to restore the previous state of the VM by delaying the start up by the specified number of seconds.

    • Always: Select to always start up the virtual machine by a specific number of seconds.

    Virtio-serial

    Enable Virtio-serial to communicate with the VM in which the guest tool is installed so that you can retrieve the IP address of VM and synchronize the system time after the VM resumes or has reverted to a snapshot's content.

    TPM 2.0

    Enable to add a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to the virtual machine.

    Keyboard

    Select the keyboard to insert key signals for the keyboard mapping of VMs.

    VNC console port

    Specify a port number used to access the VM console.

    • Auto: Virtualization Station automatically assigns an available port number to the VM console.

    • Custom: Select to enter a port number for the VNC console.

      Note:

      Specify a port number between 5900 and 5930.

    Restrict VM console access

    Enable to restrict login access to the VM console.

    Tip:

    Assign a VNC password for the VM to remove remote control access.

    VNC password

    Enable to create a password to access the desktop for the VM.

    • Length: 1-8 characters

    • Valid characters: A–Z, a–z, 0–9

    • Valid special characters: Hyphen (-), Underscore (_), Period (.)

    SPICE

    Enable to use the SPICE remote connection tool that supports audio transmissions.

    SPICE password

    Specify a password for the SPICE connection.

    • Length: 1-8 characters

    • Valid characters: A–Z, a–z, 0–9

    • Valid special characters: Hyphen (-), Underscore (_), Period (.)

  7. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the settings.

Configuring Physical Device Settings

Virtualization Station allows you to configure a virtual machine to specify and access directly the physical hardware accelerators, PCI, PCIe and USB devices connected to a specific host device.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Click Edit.

    The General window opens.

  5. Click Physical Devices.
  6. Configure USB device settings.
    1. Click USB on the left panel.
    2. Click Edit.
    3. Select an available USB device.
    4. Click OK.

      The Connect USB Device window closes.

  7. Configure PCIe device settings.
    1. Click PCIe on the left panel.
    2. Click Edit.
    3. Select an available PCIe device.
    4. Click OK.

      The Connect PCIe & PCI Device window closes.

  8. Configure the hardware accelerator settings.
    1. Click Accelerators on the left panel.
    2. Click Edit.
    3. Select an available hardware accelerator.
  9. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the settings.

VM Snapshot Management

Snapshots allow your QNAP device to record the state of the VM at any time. If an unexpected situation arises on your system, you can revert back to a previous state that the snapshot has recorded. You can create and manage separate snapshots for each VM.

Creating a VM Snapshot

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The Information page appears.

  4. Go to Snapshots.
  5. Configure the snapshot settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Snapshot name

    The name used to identify the snapshot.

    Requirements:
    • Length: 1–32 characters

    • Not allowed: Name cannot start with a Space ( ).

    • The following special characters are not allowed: ` * = + [ ] \ | ; : ' " , < > / ? %

    Description

    The description for the snapshot.

    Reserve snapshot

    Select Reserve snapshot to retain the snapshot.

    Note:

    Virtualization Station deletes the oldest non-reserved snapshot after the system reaches the maximum number of snapshots (32).

  6. Click Take Snapshot.

Virtualization Station creates the snapshot.

Performing Snapshot Actions

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.

    The Information page appears.

  4. Go to Snapshots.
  5. Identity a snapshot.
  6. Click .
  7. Perform any of the following tasks.

    Task

    Action

    Revert

    Click to return the virtual machine to its original state.

    Reserve

    Click to reserve the snapshot.

    Note: Once the maximum number of snapshots (32) is reached, the oldest non-reserved snapshot will be deleted.

    Unreserve

    Click to unreserve the snapshot.

    Edit Information

    Click to modify the snapshot name and description.

    Remove

    Click to delete the snapshot and its files.

Virtualization Station performs the specified task.

Reverting to a VM Snapshot

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Go to Snapshots.
  5. Identify a snapshot file.
  6. Click > Revert.

    The Revert window opens.

  7. Optional: Select Synchronize the time of the host
    Important:

    Time synchronization will not take effect if the snapshot was taken before you enabled Virtio-serial and installed the QNAP Guest Agent on the VM.

  8. Click OK.
    Important:

    Reverting a virtual machine to a snapshot removes all USB connections.

Virtualization Station reverts the virtual machine.

VM Log Management

Important events, errors, or warnings are recorded for both Virtualization Station and any installed virtual machines. You can filter logs by type or search for specific log files. These logs can be used to diagnose issues or monitor VM operations.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. Select a VM.
  4. Go to Logs.
  5. Perform and of the following tasks:

    Task

    User Action

    Search logs

    1. Locate the Search field.

    2. Enter search terms.

    Download log file

    Click Save.

    Tip:

    You can filter the logs by searching before you save.

Virtualization Station performs the specified task.

VM Data Protection Plans

Virtualization Station provides two strategies for VM data protection and disaster recovery: snapshots and backups.

Snapshots

VM snapshots allow you to capture the state and data of a virtual machine at the time the snapshot was taken. Snapshots can be used to restore VMs to a particular point in time when a VM failure or system error occurs.

Note:

You cannot take snapshots of VMs connected to physical devices (e.g., PCIe, SR-IOV, and Intel® QAT accelerators) or SATA virtual disks.

Backup

VM backups allow you to create and store identical copies of a virtual machine, including the virtual disk and any configuration files. You can use these backup files to completely restore the VMs in the event of corruption or data loss.

Creating a Backup Data Protection Plan

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Data Protection.
  3. Click Create.

    The Create Data Protection Plan window opens.

  4. Configure the data protection plan settings.

    Setting

    Action

    Plan name

    Specify a name for the data protection plan.

    Description

    Specify an optional description for the protection plan.

    Strategy

    Select Backup.

  5. Click Next.
  6. Select one or more virtual machines.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Specify a destination to store the backup files.

    Destination

    Action

    Local device

    1. Click .

      The Select a Folder window opens.

    2. Select a destination folder.

    3. Click OK.

    Remote device

    1. Select a remote device from the drop-down list.

      Tip:

      To add a new remote device, click New Credential.

    2. Click .

      The Select a Folder window opens.

    3. Select a destination folder.

    4. Click OK.

  9. Click Next.
  10. Optional: Configure the VM backup retention and schedule settings.
    1. Specify the maximum number of backups to retain.
      Note:

      Once the system reaches the maximum number of backups, Virtualization Station removes the oldest backup before creating a new backup.

    2. Next to Schedule, click .

      Virtualization Station enables the backup schedule settings.

    3. Select the backup frequency.
    4. Optional: Select Immediately back up the VM.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Review the data protection plan settings.
  13. Click Create.

Virtualization Station creates the backup data protection plan for the selected VMs.

Creating a Snapshot Data Protection Plan

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Data Protection.
  3. Click Create.

    The Create Data Protection Plan window opens.

  4. Configure the data protection plan settings.

    Setting

    User Action

    Plan name

    Specify a name for the data protection plan.

    Description

    Specify an optional description for the protection plan.

  5. Click Snapshot as the strategy.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Select one or more virtual machines.
  8. Click Next.
  9. Optional: Configure the snapshot schedule settings.
    1. Click .

      Virtualization Station enables the snapshot schedule settings.

    2. Select the snapshot frequency.
  10. Click Next.
  11. Review the data protection plan settings.
  12. Click Create.

Virtualization Station creates the snapshot data protection plan for the selected VMs.

Restoring a VM Using a Backup File

  1. Open Virtualization Station.

    The Restore Virtual Machine window opens.

  2. On the menu, click Data Protection.
  3. Click Restore.

    The Restore Virtual Machine window opens.

  4. Select a backup file.

    Source

    Action

    Local device

    1. Click .

      The Select a Folder window opens.

    2. Select a folder.

    3. Click OK.

    Remote device

    1. Select a remote device.

      Tip:

      Click New Credential to add a new remote device.

    2. Click .

      The Select a Folder window opens.

    3. Select a folder.

    4. Click OK.

  5. Click Next.
  6. Select one or more backup files.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Select a restoration method.
    • Overwrite the existing virtual machine: Deletes the existing VM and replaces it with the backed up virtual machine.

    • Create a new virtual machine: Retains the existing VM and creates a new VM using the selected file.

  9. Click Next.
  10. Optional: Configure VM settings.
    1. Select Configure VM settings and power off the VM.
    2. Specify the VM name.
    3. Specify the number of CPU cores.
    4. Specify the memory resources.
    5. Configure the network adapter settings.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Review the restoration settings.
  13. Click Restore.

Virtualization Station restores the VM.

Managing Data Protection Plans

The Data Protection screen allows you to create, manage, and remove data protection plans from Virtualization Station. On this screen, users can see the status and execution date of each backup and snapshot plan, the destination folder path, and the schedule information of each plan.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Click Data Protection.

    The list of data protection plan displays.

  3. Select one or more data protection plans.
  4. Perform any of the following tasks.

    Task

    Description

    Action

    Run a plan immediately

    Use this action to start a data protection plan immediately.

    Click Actions > Run Immediately at the top of the panel.

    Modify a plan

    Use this action to edit the settings of a data protection plan.

    Identify a data protection plan and then click > Edit in the Action column.

    Pause a plan

    Use this action to pause a running data protection plan.

    Click Actions > Pause at the top of the panel.

    Resume a plan

    Use this action to resume a paused data protection plan.

    Click Actions > Resume at the top of the panel.

    Remove a plan

    Use this action to delete a data protection plan.

    Click Action > Delete at the top of the panel.

    Manage snapshot settings

    Use this action to manage snapshots.

    Identify a snapshot plan and then click > Snapshots in the Action column.

    For details, see Performing Snapshot Actions.

    Restore a VM

    Use this action to restore a VM using a backup file.

    Identify a backup plan and then click > Restore in the Action column.

    For details, see Restoring a VM Using a Backup File.

    Virtualization Station performs the specified action.

Application Preferences

Virtualization Station lets you centrally configure memory usage, remote device credentials, VM storage, and access ports, all of which are applied to every VM running on your QNAP device.

Configuring Memory Preferences

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Preferences > Memory.
  3. Configure system memory provisioning.

    Option

    Description

    Memory Reservation

    Reserves a specified amount of memory dedicated to operating your QNAP device

    Using this option ensures that your device has enough memory to run smoothly and that VMs do not use excessive memory.

    Important:

    By default, this setting is set to None. This allocates all memory to running virtual machines, but might result in insufficient memory for your QNAP device.

    Memory Overcommitment

    Allows you to allocate more virtual memory to VMs than is present on the physical device

    Important:

    To ensure services run correctly, QNAP recommends using an overcommitment ratio of less than 50%.

  4. Optional: Enable the Memory Optimizer.
    Note:

    The memory optimizer controls memory usage for both the physical system and any VMs. This feature allows Virtualization Station to achieve higher memory density on the system by utilizing additional CPU consumption to merge identical memory and dynamic guest memory allocation.

    1. Click Enable memory optimizer.
  5. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the memory settings.

Configuring Remote Device Credentials

Note:

You can only add credentials for QNAP devices.

Adding Remote Device Credentials

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Preferences > Remote Device Credentials.
  3. Click Create.

    The New Credential window opens.

  4. Configure the settings.

    Setting

    Description

    Display name

    The name used to identify the remote device.

    IP address/hostname

    The hostname or IP address of the remote device.

    Tip:

    Click > Refresh to automatically search for all the devices in the same network subnet.

    Port number

    The port number used to access the remote device.

    Tip:

    To secure the remote connection, enable Use SSL connection.

    Username

    The username to access the remote device.

    Password

    The password for to access the remote device.

  5. Optional: Click Test.

    Virtualization Station tests the settings.

  6. Click Create.

Virtualization Station saves the remote QNAP device information.

Editing Remote Device Credentials

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Preferences > Remote Device Credentials.
  3. Identify an existing remote QNAP device.
  4. Click .

    The Edit Remote Device Information window opens.

  5. Modify the account settings.
  6. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station modifies the remote QNAP device information.

Deleting Remote Device Credentials

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Preferences > Remote Device Credentials.
  3. Select one or more existing remote QNAP devices.
  4. Click Delete.

    The Delete Remote Device Information window opens.

  5. Click OK.

Virtualization Station deletes the remote QNAP device information.

Configuring Port and Storage Preferences

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Preferences > Ports and Storage.
  3. Specify the service port numbers.
  4. Select the VM storage locations.
    • Default Location: The selected folder is the default location for registering all the virtual machines, their virtual disks, and configuration files.

    • Virtual Appliance download location: This location is used to store all the virtual appliances downloaded from VM Marketplace.

    • Windows® VM download location: The selected folder is the designated location for all the downloaded VM files from Windows.

  5. Click Apply.

Virtualization Station saves the port and storage location settings.

Resource Management

Virtualization Station allows you to change the language, download debug reports, and convert VM images inside the application.

Virtualization Station User Management

This screen provides access to account management options for Virtualization Station. From here you can create and delete Virtualization Station user accounts, and control how these accounts interact with VMs running on your device.

Creating a Virtualization Station User Account

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Management > Users.
  3. Click Create.

    The Create User window opens.

  4. Configure the account settings.

    Field

    Description

    Username

    The username for the account.

    Password

    The password for the account.

    Confirm password

    Re-enter the password for the account.

    Description

    Information used to identify the account.

  5. Click Create.

    The Virtual Machine Permissions window opens.

  6. Specify the VM permissions.
  7. Click OK.

Virtualization Station creates the user account.

Managing Virtualization Station User Accounts

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Management > Users.
  3. Identify an existing user account.
  4. Click .
  5. Perform any of the following tasks:

    Task

    Action

    Modify the VM user account

    1. Click Edit User Details.

      The Edit User Details window opens.

    2. Specify a new password.

    3. Re-enter the password.

    4. Optional: Enter an account description.

    5. Click Apply.

    Edit user permissions

    1. Click Edit Permissions.

    2. Modify the user permissions for each VM.

    3. Click OK.

    Delete a user

    1. Click Delete.

      The Delete User Accounts window opens.

    2. Click OK.

Virtualization Station performs the specified task.

Managing Shared Links

The Shared Links page allows you to access and manage shared links created for VMs in Virtualization Station.

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Management > Shared Links.
  3. You can perform the following shared link tasks.

    Task

    Action

    Access the VM console

    Click the URL to access the VM console.

    Copy the shared link

    Click to copy the VM console URL.

    Delete the shared link

    1. Select one or more VM console URLs.

    2. Click Delete.

      Virtualization Station deletes the shared links and stops sharing data.

Virtualization Station performs the specified task.

Configuring Language Preferences

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. On the upper-right corner, click .
  3. Click Language.
  4. Select a language option.

Virtualization Station applies the selected language option.

Converting a VM Image

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Virtual Machines.
  3. On the top panel, click .
  4. Click Tools > Image Converter.

    The Image Converter window opens.

  5. Select an existing image.
    Important:

    Virtualization Station can only convert .vmdk and .vdi images

    1. Click .
    2. Select an existing image file.
    3. Click OK.
  6. Select a location for the converted image.
    1. Click .
    2. Select a location.
    3. Click OK.
  7. Click Convert.

Virtualization Station converts the image.

Log Management

Important events, errors, or warnings are recorded for both Virtualization Station and any installed virtual machines. You can filter logs by type or search for specific log files. These logs can be used to diagnose issues or monitor VM operations.

Managing VM Logs

  1. Open Virtualization Station.
  2. Go to Log.
  3. Perform any of the following tasks:

    Task

    User Action

    Search logs

    1. Locate the Search field.

    2. Enter search terms.

    Download log file

    1. Under Actions, click Save.

    Tip:

    You can filter the logs by searching before you save.

    Delete logs

    1. Under Actions, click Clear All.

      The Clear All Logs window opens.

    2. Click OK.

Virtualization Station performs the specified task.

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