virtualization

Virtualization solutions on Linux systems – KVM and VirtualBox

by

Introduction

Virtualization packages are means for users to run various operating systems without “bare-metal” hardware – basically, you can run more than one operating system on a single computer without dual-booting or similar approaches. Virtualization software emulates a real machine and “fools” the guest operating system into thinking it’s running on a real computer. Besides the more obvious advantages, virtual machines help create a greener and easier to administer computing environment. Looking at the trends in the IT industry, virtualization has seen quite a boom in the last few years, because it fits the concepts of utility computing and/or software as a service. Virtualization can be useful to you if you are an enterprise architect, developer, a home user or basically everything in between. We will begin with a short introduction about virtualization in general, then we will specifically treat VirtualBox and KVM as they seem to be most popular open source full virtualization solutions. You are expected to know your way around Linux systems, how to install a Linux distribution and how to install software on it, although we will show you how to install the two aforementioned virtualization packages on some of the popular Linux distributions.

There are two types of virtualization : one that can run the guest system as-is (as in, unmodified) and another that request a modified kernel on the guest’s side in order to run. The first category is named full virtualization, because it emulates a complete hardware environment, the second is named paravirtualization , because it doesn’t emulate hardware and hence needs special modifications at guest level, a good example of this type of virtualization being Xen. These are part of a bigger category named hardware virtualization, but there are also other (software, network or storage, amongst others) virtualization types, which we will not detail here. The two pieces of software we will talk about fit into the full virtualization category. Other popular hardware virtualization technologies include QEMU, Bochs, VMware, Parallels, HyperV or OpenVZ.

Read more

How to install Ubuntu on Windows

How to install Ubuntu on Windows

by

If you currently use Windows as your primary operating system, but feel that you are missing out on some important Linux features, it is possible to install Ubuntu on Windows through the WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) feature. WSL is essentially virtualization, but it allows Ubuntu to closely integrate with Windows, resulting in only a small overhead to run the additional operating system, and the ability to natively access the entire Windows file system within Ubuntu.

Read more

Virtualbox: install guest additions on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy Jellyfish

by

If you’re running Ubuntu 22.04 inside a VirtualBox virtual machine, installing the Guest Additions software will help you get the most out of the system. VirtualBox Guest Additions will give the machine more capabilities, such as a shared clipboard with the host system, drag and drop file transfer, time synchronization, shared folders, automatic window resizing, and more.

Read more

Install VirtualBox Guest Additions on Linux guest

by

If you’re running Linux inside a VirtualBox virtual machine, installing the Guest Additions software will help you get the most out of the system. VirtualBox Guest Additions will give the machine more capabilities, such as a shared clipboard with the host system, drag and drop file transfer, time synchronization, shared folders, automatic window resizing, and more.

Read more

Default Network Interfaces Ubuntu 18.04

Install And Set Up KVM On Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver Linux

by

Objective

Install KVM with bridged networking and virt-manager on Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver

Distributions

Ubuntu 18.04

Requirements

A working install of Ubuntu 18.04 with root privileges

Conventions

  • # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command
  • $ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Other Versions of this Tutorial

Ubuntu 20.04 (focal fossa)

Introduction

KVM is the Linux kernel’s own answer to virtualization. As a result, it’s the lightest, most stable, and most universal virtualization option for Linux systems. While, KVM isn’t as simple to set up as packaged solutions like VirtualBox, it’s ultimately more efficient and flexible.

Read more

Image

Installing VirtualBox Guest Additions on Ubuntu 24.04

by

VirtualBox Guest Additions are a collection of device drivers and system applications designed to achieve closer integration between the host and guest operating systems. They help to enhance the interactive performance of guest systems, including improved video, mouse, and shared folder support. This tutorial focuses on installing Guest Additions on Ubuntu 24.04, providing detailed steps and insights into each part of the process.

Read more

Converting VirtualBox OVA to QCOW2 for QEMU/KVM Deployment

Converting VirtualBox OVA to QCOW2 for QEMU/KVM Deployment

by

In this detailed guide, we will explore the process of converting a VirtualBox OVA file to the QCOW2 format, a necessary step for deploying virtual machines in a QEMU/KVM environment. This conversion is essential for users looking to transition from VirtualBox to a more scalable and open-source virtualization option like QEMU/KVM. We’ll cover each step of the process, from exporting your VirtualBox machine to finally deploying it on QEMU/KVM.

Read more

Install Arch Linux in VMware Workstation

by

Arch Linux is a powerful and customizable operating system with a minimal base install. If you are a newer Linux user then you may be interested in installing Arch Linux, but have been reluctant to do so because of the learning curve that is sometimes associated with the process. If that is the case then it is a great idea to first install Arch Linux as a virtual machine and take it for a test drive. This tutorial will guide you through the steps of installing Arch Linux as a guest machine in VMware Workstation. Following this guide will leave you with a very minimal base Arch install which you can choose to customize however you would like.

Read more