How to rename KVM virtual machine (VM) domain with virsh command

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ow do I rename KVM-powered virtual machine from foo to bar using virsh command line option on Linux?

 

There are two ways to rename a domain/VM. Let us see how to change the name of a domain or vm under KVM.

Method 1 – Rename KVM VM with virsh

The syntax is:

# virsh domrename {domain} {new-name}

 

To rename VM from foo to bar, type:

# virsh shutdown foo

Domain foo is being shutdown

 

Now rename a VM, run:

# virsh domrename foo bar

Domain successfully renamed

 

Start a VM/domain, enter:

# virsh start bar

Domain bar started

Method 2 – Rename KVM domain with virsh

First get domain information in XML and save it to a new file:

# virsh dumpxml foo > bar.xml

 

Edit the XML file and change the name between the <name></name>

# vi bar.xml

 

Update it as follows from foo to bar:

<name>bar</name>

Shutdown the foo domain/vm:

# virsh shutdown foo

Domain foo is being shutdown

 

You need to undefine the old VM name:

# virsh undefine foo

Domain foo has been undefined

 

Finally, import the edited XML file to define the VM bar:

# virsh define bar.xml

Domain bar defined from bar.xml

 

Start the domain bar, enter:

# virsh start bar

Domain bar started