libvirt: Secret XML format
Description: libvirt, virtualization, virtualization API

# Secret XML format

- Secret XML
  - Usage type "volume"
  - Usage type "ceph"
  - Usage type "iscsi"

## Secret XML

Secrets stored by libvirt may have attributes associated with them, using the `secret` element. The `secret` element has two optional attributes, each with values '`yes`' and '`no`', and defaulting to '`no`':

`ephemeral`
  This secret must only be kept in memory, never stored persistently.
`private`
  The value of the secret must not be revealed to any caller of libvirt, nor to any other node.

The top-level `secret` element may contain the following elements:

`uuid`
  An unique identifier for this secret (not necessarily in the UUID format). If omitted when defining a new secret, a random UUID is generated.
`description`
  A human-readable description of the purpose of the secret.
`usage`
  Specifies what this secret is used for. A mandatory `type` attribute specifies the usage category, currently only `volume`, `ceph` and `iscsi` are defined. Specific usage categories are described below.

### Usage type "volume"

This secret is associated with a volume, and it is safe to delete the secret after the volume is deleted. The `<usage type='volume'>` element must contain a single `volume` element that specifies the key of the volume this secret is associated with. For example, create a volume-secret.xml file as follows:

          <secret ephemeral='no' private='yes'>
             <description>Super secret name of my first puppy</description>
             <uuid>0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f</uuid>
             <usage type='volume'>
                <volume>/var/lib/libvirt/images/puppyname.img</volume>
             </usage>
          </secret>

Define the secret and set the pass phrase as follows:

          # virsh secret-define volume-secret.xml
          Secret 0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f created
          #
          # MYSECRET=`printf %s "open sesame" | base64`
          # virsh secret-set-value 0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f $MYSECRET
          Secret value set
          #

The volume type secret can then be used in the XML for a storage volume encryption as follows:

          <encryption format='qcow'>
            <secret type='passphrase' uuid='0a81f5b2-8403-7b23-c8d6-21ccc2f80d6f'/>
          </encryption>

### Usage type "ceph"

This secret is associated with a Ceph RBD (rados block device). The `<usage type='ceph'>` element must contain a single `name` element that specifies a usage name for the secret. The Ceph secret can then be used by UUID or by this usage name via the `<auth>` element of a disk device or a storage pool (rbd). Since 0.9.7. The following is an example of the steps to be taken. First create a ceph-secret.xml file:

          <secret ephemeral='no' private='yes'>
             <description>CEPH passphrase example</description>
             <auth type='ceph' username='myname'/>
             <usage type='ceph'>
                <name>ceph_example</name>
             </usage>
          </secret>

Next, use `virsh secret-define ceph-secret.xml` to define the secret and `virsh secret-set-value` using the generated UUID value and a base64 generated secret value in order to define the chosen secret pass phrase.

          # virsh secret-define ceph-secret.xml
          Secret 1b40a534-8301-45d5-b1aa-11894ebb1735 created
          #
          # virsh secret-list
          UUID                                 Usage
          -----------------------------------------------------------
          1b40a534-8301-45d5-b1aa-11894ebb1735 cephx ceph_example
          #
          # CEPHPHRASE=`printf %s "pass phrase" | base64`
          # virsh secret-set-value 1b40a534-8301-45d5-b1aa-11894ebb1735 $CEPHPHRASE
          Secret value set

          #

The ceph secret can then be used by UUID or by the usage name via the `<auth>` element in a domain's `<disk>` element as follows:

          <auth username='myname'>
            <secret type='ceph' usage='ceph_example'/>
          </auth>

As well as the `<auth>` element in a storage pool (rbd) `<source>` element as follows:

          <auth type='ceph' username='myname'>
            <secret usage='ceph_example'/>
          </auth>

### Usage type "iscsi"

This secret is associated with an iSCSI target for CHAP authentication. The `<usage type='iscsi'>` element must contain a single `target` element that specifies a usage name for the secret. The iSCSI secret can then be used by UUID or by this usage name via the `<auth>` element of a disk device or a storage pool (iscsi). Since 1.0.4. The following is an example of the XML that may be used to generate a secret for iSCSI CHAP authentication. Assume the following sample entry in an iSCSI authentication file:

          <target iqn.2013-07.com.example:iscsi-pool>
          backing-store /home/tgtd/iscsi-pool/disk1
          backing-store /home/tgtd/iscsi-pool/disk2
          incominguser myname mysecret
          </target>

Define an iscsi-secret.xml file to describe the secret. Use the `incominguser` username used in your iSCSI authentication configuration file as the value for the `username` attribute. The `description` attribute should contain configuration specific data. The `target` name may be any name of your choosing to be used as the `usage` when used in the pool or disk XML description.

          <secret ephemeral='no' private='yes'>
             <description>Passphrase for the iSCSI example.com server</description>
             <auth type='chap' username='myname'/>
             <usage type='iscsi'>
                <target>libvirtiscsi</target>
             </usage>
          </secret>

Next, use `virsh secret-define iscsi-secret.xml` to define the secret and `virsh secret-set-value` using the generated UUID value and a base64 generated secret value in order to define the chosen secret pass phrase. The pass phrase must match the password used in the iSCSI authentication configuration file.

          # virsh secret-define secret.xml
          Secret c4dbe20b-b1a3-4ac1-b6e6-2ac97852ebb6 created

          # virsh secret-list
          UUID                                 Usage
          -----------------------------------------------------------
          c4dbe20b-b1a3-4ac1-b6e6-2ac97852ebb6 iscsi libvirtiscsi

          # MYSECRET=`printf %s "mysecret" | base64`
          # virsh secret-set-value c4dbe20b-b1a3-4ac1-b6e6-2ac97852ebb6 $MYSECRET
          Secret value set
          #

The iSCSI secret can then be used by UUID or by the usage name via the `<auth>` element in a domain's `<disk>` element as follows:

          <auth username='myname'>
            <secret type='iscsi' usage='libvirtiscsi'/>
          </auth>

As well as the `<auth>` element in a storage pool (iscsi) `<source>` element as follows:

          <auth type='chap' username='myname'>
            <secret usage='libvirtiscsi'/>
          </auth>