Using the VistA Appliance

Project Goal

Create a plug and play VistA virtual appliance to support training and demonstration activities.

Development Milestones

Virtual environment selection: QEMU

• Host Configuration: 10%
• Guest Configuration: 33%
• Installer design and development: 2%
• Security cerrtification: 0%
• User documentation: 5%
• Technical documentation: 1%
• Testing and User Acceptance: 0%

Development Steps

Host architecture

• Directory structure & Initial Set-up (Pre-Installer Work Envinonment)

QEMU

Extracted files from downloaded file, 'qemu-0.8.2-windows.zip'
Directory 'qemu-0.8.2-windows' is produced when extaction is complete
Moved 'qemu-0.8.2-windows' directory to 'C:\Program Files\qemu-0.8.2-windows'

QEMU Accelerator Module

Extracted files from downloaded file, 'kqemu-1.3.0pre9.tar.gz'
Directory 'kqemu-1.3.0pre9' is produced when extaction is complete
Moved 'kqemu-1.3.0pre9' directory to 'C:\Program Files\kqemu-1.3.0pre9'
Right click on 'kqemu.inf' and select 'Install' from pop-up menu

• Guest launch scripting

Modifications: qemu-win.bat

The .bat file that comes with QEMU has been modified to launch Toaster.

The original file:

REM Start qemu on windows.
@ECHO OFF
REM SDL_VIDEODRIVER=directx is faster than windib. But keyboard cannot work well.
SET SDL_VIDEODRIVER=windib
REM SDL_AUDIODRIVER=waveout or dsound can be used. Only if QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=sdl.
SET SDL_AUDIODRIVER=dsound
REM QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=dsound or fmod or sdl or none can be used. See qemu -audio-
help.
SET QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=dsound
REM QEMU_AUDIO_LOG_TO_MONITOR=1 displays log messages in QEMU monitor.
SET QEMU_AUDIO_LOG_TO_MONITOR=0
qemu.exe -L . -m 128 -hda linux.img -soundhw all -localtime

The modified file:

REM Start qemu on windows.
@ECHO OFF
REM SDL_VIDEODRIVER=directx is faster than windib. But keyboard cannot work well.
SET SDL_VIDEODRIVER=windib
REM SDL_AUDIODRIVER=waveout or dsound can be used. Only if QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=sdl.
SET SDL_AUDIODRIVER=dsound
REM QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=dsound or fmod or sdl or none can be used. See qemu -audio-help.
SET QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=dsound
REM QEMU_AUDIO_LOG_TO_MONITOR=1 displays log messages in QEMU monitor.
SET QEMU_AUDIO_LOG_TO_MONITOR=0
qemu.exe -L . -m 128 -hda -soundhw all -localtime -redir tcp:2222::22 -redir tcp:9297::9297 VAVistADemo200512.qcow

Client connection configuration

CPRS Connection CPRS can connect to the appliance from the host with "CPRSChart s=localhost p=9297 CCOW=DISABLE".

• Need to understand where to add the above string.
• Need steps to configure Hosts file (C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc)

Guest architecture

• Guest loading scripting
  1. Start up / Shut down (/etc/init.d/)
     1. Start/stop TaskMan
     2. Start/stop RPCBroker (or use inetd/xinetd)
  2. ...

If you start Taskman, retrieving data in the background will work for the CPRS client. The Access and Verify codes are VistAis#1 and #1isVistA respectively.

• Can Taskman be start automatically on guest OS boot?

Development Resources

• [1] QEMU Main Page

Installation files

• [2] QEMU on Windows provides precompiled QEMU versions for Windows.
• [3] QEMU Accelerator Module
• [4] Detailed release notes and VA VistA Demo Toaster 20060926
• [5] BigFiles: file sharing

Open Issues & Questions

• Gain permission to distribute QEMU Accelerator Module

[6] Time Zone Map