Recently I have come to know that redhat Linux KVM/QEMU supports multiple operating systems as virtual guest including windows OS.So i just want to give a try and tested on one of the desktop. Unfortunately KVM will not work in Vmware workstation hosted Redhat Linux.You need to directly install the Redhat Linux on hardware for KVM/Qemu to work. Here we will see how to install KVM packages on Redhat Linux 6.3.Here is the step by step guide to creating the virtual machine using KVM.
1.You need yum repository to install KVM packages since it has lot of dependencies.
2.After configuring yum ,you can start installing KVM packages.
[root@Global-RH ~]# yum install kvm
Loaded plugins: product-id, refresh-packagekit, security, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
Unable to read consumer identity
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
--> Running transaction check
---> Package gpxe-roms-qemu.noarch 0:0.9.7-6.9.el6 will be installed
---> Package qemu-img.x86_64 2:0.12.1.2-2.295.el6 will be installed
---> Package seabios.x86_64 0:0.6.1.2-19.el6 will be installed
---> Package sgabios-bin.noarch 0:0-0.3.20110621svn.el6 will be installed
---> Package spice-server.x86_64 0:0.10.1-10.el6 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: libcelt051.so.0()(64bit) for package: spice-server-0.
---> Package usbredir.x86_64 0:0.4.3-1.el6 will be installed
---> Package vgabios.noarch 0:0.6b-3.6.el6 will be installed
--> Running transaction check
---> Package celt051.x86_64 0:0.5.1.3-0.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
========================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
========================================================================
Installing:
qemu-kvm x86_64 2:0.12.1.2-2.295.el6 dvd 1.2 M
Installing for dependencies:
celt051 x86_64 0.5.1.3-0.el6 dvd 50 k
gpxe-roms-qemu noarch 0.9.7-6.9.el6 dvd 219 k
qemu-img x86_64 2:0.12.1.2-2.295.el6 dvd 415 k
seabios x86_64 0.6.1.2-19.el6 dvd 90 k
sgabios-bin noarch 0-0.3.20110621svn.el6 dvd 6.6 k
spice-server x86_64 0.10.1-10.el6 dvd 274 k
usbredir x86_64 0.4.3-1.el6 dvd 37 k
vgabios noarch 0.6b-3.6.el6 dvd 42 k
Transaction Summary
==============================================================================
Install 9 Package(s)
Total download size: 2.4 M
Installed size: 6.9 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 2.9 MB/s | 2.4 MB 00:00
Downloading Packages:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 41 MB/s | 2.4 MB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : usbredir-0.4.3-1.el6.x86_64 1/9
Installing : 2:qemu-img-0.12.1.2-2.295.el6.x86_64 2/9
Installing : celt051-0.5.1.3-0.el6.x86_64 3/9
Installing : spice-server-0.10.1-10.el6.x86_64 4/9
Installing : sgabios-bin-0-0.3.20110621svn.el6.noarch 5/9
Installing : vgabios-0.6b-3.6.el6.noarch 6/9
Installing : seabios-0.6.1.2-19.el6.x86_64 7/9
Installing : gpxe-roms-qemu-0.9.7-6.9.el6.noarch 8/9
Installing : 2:qemu-kvm-0.12.1.2-2.295.el6.x86_64 9/9
dvd/productid | 1.7 kB 00:00 ...
Installed products updated.
Verifying : gpxe-roms-qemu-0.9.7-6.9.el6.noarch 1/9
Verifying : seabios-0.6.1.2-19.el6.x86_64 2/9
Verifying : vgabios-0.6b-3.6.el6.noarch 3/9
Verifying : 2:qemu-kvm-0.12.1.2-2.295.el6.x86_64 4/9
Verifying : usbredir-0.4.3-1.el6.x86_64 5/9
Verifying : 2:qemu-img-0.12.1.2-2.295.el6.x86_64 6/9
Verifying : sgabios-bin-0-0.3.20110621svn.el6.noarch 7/9
Verifying : spice-server-0.10.1-10.el6.x86_64 8/9
Verifying : celt051-0.5.1.3-0.el6.x86_64 9/9
Installed:
qemu-kvm.x86_64 2:0.12.1.2-2.295.el6
Dependency Installed:
celt051.x86_64 0:0.5.1.3-0.el6 gpxe-roms-qemu.noarch 0:0.9.7-6.9.el6 qemu-img.x86_64 2:0.12.1.2-2.295.el6
seabios.x86_64 0:0.6.1.2-19.el6 sgabios-bin.noarch 0:0-0.3.20110621svn.el6 spice-server.x86_64 0:0.10.1-10.el6
usbredir.x86_64 0:0.4.3-1.el6 vgabios.noarch 0:0.6b-3.6.el6
Complete!
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]#
[root@Global-RH ~]#
3.Install “python-virtinst” which provides a command “virt-install” to create a virtual machine.
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]# yum install python-virtinst
Loaded plugins: product-id, refresh-packagekit, security, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
Unable to read consumer identity
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package python-virtinst.noarch 0:0.600.0-8.el6 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: libvirt-python >= 0.2.0 for package: python-virtinst-0.600.0-8.el6.noarch
--> Running transaction check
---> Package libvirt-python.x86_64 0:0.9.10-21.el6 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: libvirt-client = 0.9.10-21.el6 for package: libvirt-python-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
---> Package augeas-libs.x86_64 0:0.9.0-4.el6 will be installed
---> Package cyrus-sasl-md5.x86_64 0:2.1.23-13.el6 will be installed
---> Package gnutls-utils.x86_64 0:2.8.5-4.el6_2.2 will be installed
---> Package nc.x86_64 0:1.84-22.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
=============================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
=============================================================================
Installing:
python-virtinst noarch 0.600.0-8.el6 dvd 490 k
Installing for dependencies:
augeas-libs x86_64 0.9.0-4.el6 dvd 317 k
cyrus-sasl-md5 x86_64 2.1.23-13.el6 dvd 47 k
gnutls-utils x86_64 2.8.5-4.el6_2.2 dvd 99 k
libvirt-client x86_64 0.9.10-21.el6 dvd 3.2 M
libvirt-python x86_64 0.9.10-21.el6 dvd 394 k
nc x86_64 1.84-22.el6 dvd 57 k
netcf-libs x86_64 0.1.9-2.el6 dvd 51 k
numactl x86_64 2.0.7-3.el6 dvd 59 k
yajl x86_64 1.0.7-3.el6 dvd 27 k
Transaction Summary
=============================================================================
Install 10 Package(s)
Total download size: 4.7 M
Installed size: 17 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 2.9 MB/s | 4.7 MB 00:01
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : numactl-2.0.7-3.el6.x86_64 1/10
Installing : yajl-1.0.7-3.el6.x86_64 2/10
Installing : nc-1.84-22.el6.x86_64 3/10
Installing : augeas-libs-0.9.0-4.el6.x86_64 4/10
Installing : netcf-libs-0.1.9-2.el6.x86_64 5/10
Installing : cyrus-sasl-md5-2.1.23-13.el6.x86_64 6/10
Installing : gnutls-utils-2.8.5-4.el6_2.2.x86_64 7/10
Installing : libvirt-client-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 8/10
Installing : libvirt-python-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 9/10
Installing : python-virtinst-0.600.0-8.el6.noarch 10/10
Installed products updated.
Verifying : gnutls-utils-2.8.5-4.el6_2.2.x86_64 1/10
Verifying : cyrus-sasl-md5-2.1.23-13.el6.x86_64 2/10
Verifying : python-virtinst-0.600.0-8.el6.noarch 3/10
Verifying : augeas-libs-0.9.0-4.el6.x86_64 4/10
Verifying : yajl-1.0.7-3.el6.x86_64 5/10
Verifying : libvirt-client-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 6/10
Verifying : netcf-libs-0.1.9-2.el6.x86_64 7/10
Verifying : libvirt-python-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 8/10
Verifying : nc-1.84-22.el6.x86_64 9/10
Verifying : numactl-2.0.7-3.el6.x86_64 10/10
Installed:
python-virtinst.noarch 0:0.600.0-8.el6
Dependency Installed:
augeas-libs.x86_64 0:0.9.0-4.el6 cyrus-sasl-md5.x86_64 0:2.1.23-13.el6 gnutls-utils.x86_64 0:2.8.5-4.el6_2.2
libvirt-client.x86_64 0:0.9.10-21.el6 libvirt-python.x86_64 0:0.9.10-21.el6 nc.x86_64 0:1.84-22.el6
netcf-libs.x86_64 0:0.1.9-2.el6 numactl.x86_64 0:2.0.7-3.el6 yajl.x86_64 0:1.0.7-3.el6
Complete!
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]#
4.Install “libvirt” and “libvirt-python” API libraries .
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]# yum install libvirt
Loaded plugins: product-id, refresh-packagekit, security, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
Unable to read consumer identity
Existing lock /var/run/yum.pid: another copy is running as pid 38921.
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package libvirt.x86_64 0:0.9.10-21.el6 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: radvd for package: libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: numad for package: libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: lzop for package: libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libcgroup for package: libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: iscsi-initiator-utils for package: libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: ebtables for package: libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64
--> Running transaction check
---> Package ebtables.x86_64 0:2.0.9-6.el6 will be installed
---> Package iscsi-initiator-utils.x86_64 0:6.2.0.872-41.el6 will be installed
---> Package libcgroup.x86_64 0:0.37-4.el6 will be installed
---> Package lzop.x86_64 0:1.02-0.9.rc1.el6 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: liblzo2.so.2()(64bit) for package: lzop-1.02-0.9.rc1.el6.x86_64
---> Package numad.x86_64 0:0.5-4.20120522git.el6 will be installed
---> Package radvd.x86_64 0:1.6-1.el6 will be installed
--> Running transaction check
---> Package lzo.x86_64 0:2.03-3.1.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
===========================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
===========================================================================
Installing:
libvirt x86_64 0.9.10-21.el6 dvd 1.9 M
Installing for dependencies:
ebtables x86_64 2.0.9-6.el6 dvd 95 k
iscsi-initiator-utils x86_64 6.2.0.872-41.el6 dvd 654 k
libcgroup x86_64 0.37-4.el6 dvd 104 k
lzo x86_64 2.03-3.1.el6 dvd 55 k
lzop x86_64 1.02-0.9.rc1.el6 dvd 50 k
numad x86_64 0.5-4.20120522git.el6 dvd 24 k
radvd x86_64 1.6-1.el6 dvd 75 k
Transaction Summary
==========================================================================
Install 8 Package(s)
Total download size: 2.9 M
Installed size: 7.9 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 3.0 MB/s | 2.9 MB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : libcgroup-0.37-4.el6.x86_64 1/8
Installing : numad-0.5-4.20120522git.el6.x86_64 2/8
Installing : lzo-2.03-3.1.el6.x86_64 3/8
Installing : lzop-1.02-0.9.rc1.el6.x86_64 4/8
Installing : iscsi-initiator-utils-6.2.0.872-41.el6.x86_64 5/8
Installing : ebtables-2.0.9-6.el6.x86_64 6/8
Installing : radvd-1.6-1.el6.x86_64 7/8
Installing : libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 8/8
Installed products updated.
Verifying : radvd-1.6-1.el6.x86_64 1/8
Verifying : ebtables-2.0.9-6.el6.x86_64 2/8
Verifying : numad-0.5-4.20120522git.el6.x86_64 3/8
Verifying : lzop-1.02-0.9.rc1.el6.x86_64 4/8
Verifying : iscsi-initiator-utils-6.2.0.872-41.el6.x86_64 5/8
Verifying : lzo-2.03-3.1.el6.x86_64 6/8
Verifying : libvirt-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 7/8
Verifying : libcgroup-0.37-4.el6.x86_64 8/8
Installed:
libvirt.x86_64 0:0.9.10-21.el6
Dependency Installed:
ebtables.x86_64 0:2.0.9-6.el6 iscsi-initiator-utils.x86_64 0:6.2.0.872-41.el6 libcgroup.x86_64 0:0.37-4.el6 lzo.x86_64 0:2.03-3.1.el6
lzop.x86_64 0:1.02-0.9.rc1.el6 numad.x86_64 0:0.5-4.20120522git.el6 radvd.x86_64 0:1.6-1.el6
Complete!
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]# yum install libvirt-python
Loaded plugins: product-id, refresh-packagekit, security, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
Unable to read consumer identity
Setting up Install Process
Package libvirt-python-0.9.10-21.el6.x86_64 already installed and latest version
Nothing to do
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]#
5.Install “Virtual Machine Manager” aka “virt-manager” to manager virtual Machines.
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]# yum install virt-manager
Loaded plugins: product-id, refresh-packagekit, security, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
Unable to read consumer identity
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package libcacard.x86_64 0:0.15.0-2.el6 will be installed
---> Package spice-glib.x86_64 0:0.11-11.el6 will be installed
---> Package spice-gtk.x86_64 0:0.11-11.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
=======================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
=======================================================================
Installing:
virt-manager x86_64 0.9.0-14.el6 dvd 1.0 M
Installing for dependencies:
gtk-vnc x86_64 0.3.10-3.el6 dvd 95 k
gtk-vnc-python x86_64 0.3.10-3.el6 dvd 17 k
libcacard x86_64 0.15.0-2.el6 dvd 41 k
spice-glib x86_64 0.11-11.el6 dvd 266 k
spice-gtk x86_64 0.11-11.el6 dvd 49 k
spice-gtk-python x86_64 0.11-11.el6 dvd 20 k
Transaction Summary
======================================================================
Install 7 Package(s)
Total download size: 1.5 M
Installed size: 7.0 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
-------------------------------------------------------------=---------
Total 3.1 MB/s | 1.5 MB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : libcacard-0.15.0-2.el6.x86_64 1/7
Installing : spice-glib-0.11-11.el6.x86_64 2/7
Installing : spice-gtk-0.11-11.el6.x86_64 3/7
Installing : spice-gtk-python-0.11-11.el6.x86_64 4/7
Installing : gtk-vnc-0.3.10-3.el6.x86_64 5/7
Installing : gtk-vnc-python-0.3.10-3.el6.x86_64 6/7
Installing : virt-manager-0.9.0-14.el6.x86_64 7/7
Installed products updated.
Verifying : spice-gtk-python-0.11-11.el6.x86_64 1/7
Verifying : libcacard-0.15.0-2.el6.x86_64 2/7
Verifying : gtk-vnc-python-0.3.10-3.el6.x86_64 3/7
Verifying : spice-gtk-0.11-11.el6.x86_64 4/7
Verifying : gtk-vnc-0.3.10-3.el6.x86_64 5/7
Verifying : virt-manager-0.9.0-14.el6.x86_64 6/7
Verifying : spice-glib-0.11-11.el6.x86_64 7/7
Installed:
virt-manager.x86_64 0:0.9.0-14.el6
Dependency Installed:
gtk-vnc.x86_64 0:0.3.10-3.el6 gtk-vnc-python.x86_64 0:0.3.10-3.el6 libcacard.x86_64 0:0.15.0-2.el6 spice-glib.x86_64 0:0.11-11.el6
spice-gtk.x86_64 0:0.11-11.el6 spice-gtk-python.x86_64 0:0.11-11.el6
Complete!
[root@Global-RH yum.repos.d]#
All the above pakages can be installed in single command.
# yum install kvm virt-manager libvirt libvirt-python python-virtinst
6.Open a virtual Machine Manager and create a virtual machine.
Here is the step by step guide to creating the virtual machine using KVM.
Hope this article is informative to you .Thank you for reading.