---
layout: docs
page_title: Configure a Virt job task
description: Learn how to use the Virt task driver in your Nomad job specification. Configure a base virtual machine (VM) image, network interface, and parameters for bootstrapping the VM instance.
---

# Configure a Virt job task

This page provides reference information on how to use the Virt task driver in your Nomad job specification. Configure a base virtual machine (VM) image, network interface, and parameters for bootstrapping the VM instance.

@include 'virt-beta-callout.mdx'

## Parameters

Task configuration for a virt task includes setting an `image` to provide the base VM image as
well as other parameters required for bootstrapping a VM instance.

- `image` - (string: required) - Path to an `.img` cloud image to base the VM disk on. The image should
  be located in an allowed path. The cloud image needs to include cloud-init, otherwise certain
  task features are not available. You may also downloaded via the [artifact block][].

- `use_thin_copy` - (bool: `false`) - Make a thin copy of the image using QEMU, and use it as the
  backing cloud image for the VM.

- `hostname` - (string: `"nomad-<task-name>"`) - The hostname to assign to the VM. As this value is
  used as a network host name, it must be a valid DNS label according to RFC 1123. Nomad generates the default
  value using the Nomad task name.

- `cmds` - (list(string): optional) - List of commands to execute on the VM once it is running.
  These commands can provide you with a quick way to start a process on the newly created
  VM. When used in conjunction with the template, this command list can be a powerful start up tool.

- `default_user_password` - (string: `""`) - Initial password for the default user
  on the newly created VM. When set, the user must update the password on first connect.

- `default_user_authorized_ssh_key` - (string: `""`) - SSH public key  added to the SSH
  configuration for the default user of the cloud image distribution.

- `user_data ` - (string: `""`) - Path to a cloud-init compliant user data file used as the user-data for the cloud-init configuration.

- `primary_disk_size` - (int: required) - Disk space to assign to the VM. Must fit the VM's OS.

Example:
```hcl
config {
  image                           = "local/focal-server-cloudimg-amd64.img"
  use_thing_copy                  = false
  hostname                        = ""
  cmds                            = ["python -m http.server 8000"]
  #default_user_password          = "CHANGE-ME"
  default_user_authorized_ssh_key = ""
  user_data                       = ""
  primary_disk_size               = 10000
}
```

### os

The VM architecture and machine can be different from the client host. When this is the case, you must set the
`os` block. By default, this information matches the client host where the driver
plugin is running.

- `arch` - (string: `""`) - The VM architecture.

- `machine` - (string: `""`) - The machine type.

Example:
```hcl
config {
  os {
    arch    = "x86_64"
    machine = "pc-i440fx-2.9"
  }
}
```

### network_interface

You need to attach tasks to a libvirt network in order to access the internet and route
from the local network. The `network_interface` block enables this as a list of network interfaces
that the driver should attach to the VM. This feature only supports a single entry.

- `bridge` - (block) - Attach the VM to a bridge network. `virbr0`, the default libvirt
  network, is a bridge network.

  - `name` - The name of the bridge interface to use. This relates to the output from commands
  such as `virsh net-info`.

  - `ports` - A list of port labels to expose on the host via mapping to the network
  interface. These labels must exist within the job specification [network block][].

Example:
```hcl
config {
  network_interface {
    bridge {
      name  = "virbr0"
      ports = ["ssh", "http"]
    }
  }
}
```

## Example configuration

The following job specification displays use of all the configuration options, as well as other
blocks that are useful when deploying tasks via the virt driver. You need to modify parameters, such as the
`default_user_authorized_ssh_key`, before use depending on your
requirements and Nomad setup.

```hcl
job "virt-example" {

  group "virt-group" {

    network {
      mode     = "host"
      port "ssh" {
        to = 22
      }
    }

    task "virt-task" {

      driver = "nomad-driver-virt"

      artifact {
        source      = "http://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/focal-server-cloudimg-amd64.img"
        destination = "local/focal-server-cloudimg-amd64.img"
        mode        = "file"
      }

      config {
        image                           = "local/focal-server-cloudimg-amd64.img"
        primary_disk_size               = 26000
        #default_user_password          = "CHANGE-ME"
        default_user_authorized_ssh_key = "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI..."

        network_interface {
          bridge {
            name  = "virbr0"
            ports = ["ssh"]
          }
        }
      }

      resources {
        cores  = 2
        memory = 4096
      }
    }
  }
}

```

[artifact block]: https://developer.hashicorp.com/nomad/docs/job-specification/artifact
[network block]: https://developer.hashicorp.com/nomad/docs/job-specification/network
