In this tutorial, you will learn how to install KVM on Oracle Linux. KVM, an acronym for Kernel-based Virtual Machine, is an opensource, full virtualization too for Linux systems with Intel-VT or AMD-V based-processors hardware virtualization extensions.
Table of Contents
Installing KVM on Oracle Linux
Verify Hardware Virtualization Support on your System
KVM can only be used on systems with Intel or AMD processors. Thus, before you can install KVM, verify the support by executing the command below. The command looks for the CPU flags; Intel vmx (Virtual Machine Extension) or AMD svm (Secure virtual Machine).
grep -iE 'vmx|svm' /proc/cpuinfoflags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx rdtscp lm constant_tsc rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc cpuid tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq monitor vmx ssse3 cx16 pcid sse4_1 sse4_2 x2apic movbe popcnt aes xsave avx rdrand hypervisor lahf_lm abm 3dnowprefetch invpcid_single pti tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority vpid fsgsbase avx2 invpcid rdseed clflushopt md_clear flush_l1d arch_capabilities
vmx flags : vnmi flexpriority tsc_offset vtpr vapicIf the output has vmx/svm, then you good to go.
If not, then find out how to enable virtualization on your respective machine BIOS.
Similarly, you can use the command below to check Virtualization support.
lscpu | grep VirtualizationSample output;
Virtualization: VT-x
Virtualization type: fullInstalling KVM on Oracle Linux
Once you confirm the virtualization support, proceed to install KVM by executing the command below. In this tutorial, we are using Oracle Linux 9 desktop version.
sudo dnf install virt-manager qemu-kvm libvirt
Dependencies resolved.
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Package Arch Version Repository Size
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Installing:
libvirt x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 14 k
qemu-kvm x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 66 k
virt-manager noarch 3.2.0-14.0.1.el9 ol9_appstream 792 k
Installing dependencies:
boost-iostreams x86_64 1.75.0-6.el9 ol9_appstream 39 k
boost-system x86_64 1.75.0-6.el9 ol9_appstream 15 k
boost-thread x86_64 1.75.0-6.el9 ol9_appstream 57 k
cyrus-sasl x86_64 2.1.27-20.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 84 k
daxctl-libs x86_64 73-1.0.1.el9 ol9_UEKR7 47 k
edk2-ovmf noarch 20220126gitbb1bba3d77-3.el9_0.1 ol9_appstream 4.1 M
gnutls-dane x86_64 3.7.3-9.el9 ol9_appstream 23 k
gnutls-utils x86_64 3.7.3-9.el9 ol9_appstream 286 k
gssproxy x86_64 0.8.4-4.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 120 k
gtk-vnc2 x86_64 1.3.0-1.el9 ol9_appstream 46 k
gvnc x86_64 1.3.0-1.el9 ol9_appstream 148 k
ipxe-roms-qemu noarch 20200823-9.git4bd064de.el9_0 ol9_appstream 685 k
keyutils x86_64 1.6.1-4.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 74 k
libburn x86_64 1.5.4-4.el9 ol9_appstream 177 k
libev x86_64 4.33-5.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 53 k
libfdt x86_64 1.6.0-7.el9 ol9_appstream 34 k
libisoburn x86_64 1.5.4-4.el9 ol9_appstream 420 k
libisofs x86_64 1.5.4-4.el9 ol9_appstream 227 k
libnfsidmap x86_64 1:2.5.4-10.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 71 k
libpmem x86_64 1.10.1-2.el9 ol9_appstream 114 k
librados2 x86_64 2:16.2.4-5.0.3.el9 ol9_appstream 3.4 M
librbd1 x86_64 2:16.2.4-5.0.3.el9 ol9_appstream 3.0 M
librdmacm x86_64 37.2-1.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 77 k
libtpms x86_64 0.9.1-0.20211126git1ff6fe1f43.el9 ol9_appstream 189 k
libverto-libev x86_64 0.3.2-3.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 14 k
libvirt-client x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 382 k
libvirt-daemon x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 453 k
libvirt-daemon-config-network x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 17 k
libvirt-daemon-config-nwfilter x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 47 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-interface x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 172 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-network x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 209 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-nodedev x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 192 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-nwfilter x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 207 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-qemu x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 901 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-secret x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 169 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 14 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-core x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 230 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-disk x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 25 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-iscsi x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 22 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-logical x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 27 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-mpath x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 20 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-rbd x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 31 k
libvirt-daemon-driver-storage-scsi x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 22 k
libvirt-glib x86_64 4.0.0-3.el9 ol9_appstream 66 k
libvirt-libs x86_64 8.0.0-8.1.0.1.el9_0 ol9_appstream 4.6 M
lzop x86_64 1.04-8.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 63 k
mdevctl x86_64 1.1.0-4.el9 ol9_appstream 751 k
ndctl-libs x86_64 73-1.0.1.el9 ol9_UEKR7 94 k
nfs-utils x86_64 1:2.5.4-10.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 507 k
numad x86_64 0.5-36.20150602git.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 38 k
python3-argcomplete noarch 1.12.0-5.el9 ol9_appstream 100 k
python3-libvirt x86_64 8.0.0-1.el9 ol9_appstream 352 k
python3-pyyaml x86_64 5.4.1-6.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 258 k
qemu-img x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 2.2 M
qemu-kvm-audio-pa x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 75 k
qemu-kvm-block-rbd x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 80 k
qemu-kvm-common x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 505 k
qemu-kvm-core x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 4.0 M
qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 85 k
qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-gl x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 68 k
qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-pci x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 70 k
qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-gpu-pci-gl x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 68 k
qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-vga x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 71 k
qemu-kvm-device-display-virtio-vga-gl x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 68 k
qemu-kvm-device-usb-host x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 84 k
qemu-kvm-device-usb-redirect x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 89 k
qemu-kvm-docs x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 1.2 M
qemu-kvm-tools x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 304 k
qemu-kvm-ui-egl-headless x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 70 k
qemu-kvm-ui-opengl x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 76 k
qemu-pr-helper x86_64 17:6.2.0-11.el9_0.3 ol9_appstream 462 k
rpcbind x86_64 1.2.6-2.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 69 k
seabios-bin noarch 1.15.0-1.el9 ol9_appstream 99 k
seavgabios-bin noarch 1.15.0-1.el9 ol9_appstream 41 k
sssd-nfs-idmap x86_64 2.6.2-2.0.1.el9 ol9_baseos_latest 42 k
swtpm x86_64 0.7.0-1.20211109gitb79fd91.el9 ol9_appstream 49 k
swtpm-libs x86_64 0.7.0-1.20211109gitb79fd91.el9 ol9_appstream 50 k
swtpm-tools x86_64 0.7.0-1.20211109gitb79fd91.el9 ol9_appstream 139 k
systemd-container x86_64 250-6.0.1.el9_0 ol9_baseos_latest 581 k
unbound-libs x86_64 1.13.1-13.el9_0 ol9_appstream 526 k
usbredir x86_64 0.12.0-2.el9 ol9_appstream 50 k
virt-manager-common noarch 3.2.0-14.0.1.el9 ol9_appstream 1.2 M
virtiofsd x86_64 1.1.0-4.el9_0 ol9_appstream 772 k
xorriso x86_64 1.5.4-4.el9 ol9_appstream 326 k
Transaction Summary
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Install 87 Packages
Total download size: 37 M
Installed size: 144 M
Is this ok [y/N]:y
- virt-manager is GUI for managing virtual machines through libvirt.
- qemu-kvm is an open source virtualizer that provides hardware emulation for the KVM hypervisor. It acts as a virtual machine monitor together with the KVM kernel modules, and emulates the hardware for a full system such as a PC and its associated peripherals.
- libvirt provides API libraries that enables GUI apps such as virt-manager to communicate with libvirtd daemon, a system service
libvirtd, and avirshCLI tool.
If you are running an headless server with no GUI, then it suffices to just run the command below;
sudo dnf install qemu-kvm libvirt virt-installOnce the installation is done, check if KVM modules are loaded;
lsmod | grep -i kvmkvm_intel 385024 0
kvm 1122304 1 kvm_intel
irqbypass 16384 1 kvmStart libvirt management daemon (libvirtd)
According to man pages, the libvirtd program is the server side daemon component of the libvirt virtualization management system. This daemon runs on host servers and performs required management tasks for virtualized guests. This includes activities such as starting, stopping and migrating guests between host servers, configuring and manipulating networking, and managing storage for use by guests. The libvirt client libraries and utilities connect to this daemon to issue tasks and collect information about the configuration and resources of the host system and guests.
Thus, start and enable this service to run on system boot;
sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtdCheck the status;
systemctl status libvirtd
● libvirtd.service - Virtualization daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/libvirtd.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2022-09-12 19:23:14 EAT; 12s ago
TriggeredBy: ● libvirtd-ro.socket
● libvirtd-admin.socket
○ libvirtd-tls.socket
● libvirtd.socket
○ libvirtd-tcp.socket
Docs: man:libvirtd(8)
https://libvirt.org
Main PID: 8537 (libvirtd)
Tasks: 21 (limit: 32768)
Memory: 14.1M
CPU: 293ms
CGroup: /system.slice/libvirtd.service
├─8537 /usr/sbin/libvirtd --timeout 120
├─8645 /usr/sbin/dnsmasq --conf-file=/var/lib/libvirt/dnsmasq/default.conf --leasefile-ro --dhcp-script=/usr/libexec/libvirt_leaseshelper
└─8647 /usr/sbin/dnsmasq --conf-file=/var/lib/libvirt/dnsmasq/default.conf --leasefile-ro --dhcp-script=/usr/libexec/libvirt_leaseshelper
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: compile time options: IPv6 GNU-getopt DBus no-UBus no-i18n IDN2 DHCP DHCPv6 no-Lua TFTP no-conntrack ipset auth crypto>
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq-dhcp[8645]: DHCP, IP range 192.168.122.2 -- 192.168.122.254, lease time 1h
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq-dhcp[8645]: DHCP, sockets bound exclusively to interface virbr0
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: reading /etc/resolv.conf
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: using nameserver 10.0.2.3#53
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: read /etc/hosts - 2 addresses
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: read /var/lib/libvirt/dnsmasq/default.addnhosts - 0 addresses
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq-dhcp[8645]: read /var/lib/libvirt/dnsmasq/default.hostsfile
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: reading /etc/resolv.conf
Sep 12 19:23:14 localhost.localdomain dnsmasq[8645]: using nameserver 10.0.2.3#53
By default, the libvirtd daemon listens for requests on a local Unix domain socket. Using the -l | --listen command line option, the libvirtd daemon can be instructed to additionally listen on a TCP/IP socket. The TCP/IP socket to use is defined in the libvirtd configuration file.
Launching KVM Virtual Machine Manager
If you are running a desktop system, then you can launch the Virtual Machine manager from your applications or command line;
To launch it from command line;
virt-manager
If you are launching Virt-manager as standard user, you may be prompted to enter your administrator password to run it, “system policy prevents management of local virtualized systems”.
To fix this, add the standard user to libvirt group (Replace USERNAME with your user account).
sudo usermod -aG libvirt USERNAMEAnd that concludes our simple guide on installing KVM on Oracle Linux.
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