KVM is an open source virtualization technology that can be used to create virtual machines running Linux or Windows operating systems.
In this guide, we will show you how to create a KVM virtual machine in Ubuntu using the virt-manager application.
We will also show you how to install and configure the virt-manager application on your Ubuntu server.
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What is KVM?
KVM is a full virtualization solution for Linux on AMD64 and Intel 64 systems. KVM is open source software.
The kernel component of KVM is included in mainline Linux (since kernel 2.6.20). The userspace component of KVM is included in virt-manager.
KVM has also been ported to FreeBSD and NetBSD.[2] QEMU is the user-space component that can run without kernel support, using either KVM or TCG[3] (an emulation engine).
KVM was originally developed by Avi Kivity and Dor Laor for IBM when they worked at XCalibre Communications. It was merged into the mainline Linux kernel in February 2007.
Why Use KVM?
There are many reasons to use KVM for creating virtual machines. KVM is open source, so it’s free to use.
It’s also easy to set up and use. Probably the biggest reason to use KVM is that it’s very stable and reliable. It’s been around for a while and is well-tested.

How to Install KVM in Ubuntu?
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is an open source full virtualization solution for Linux. It is a hypervisor that allows multiple operating systems to run on a single host machine.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to install KVM in Ubuntu 18.04 server and deploy a simple KVM virtual machine.
Before we start, we need to make sure that our server meets the following requirements:
- CPU with hardware virtualization extensions (VT-x or AMD-V)
- A minimum of 2GB RAM (4GB recommended)
- BIOS with nested virtualization enabled
- Internet connectivity
The installation process of KVM in Ubuntu is very straightforward. We will start by updating the system’s package index and then install the required packages using apt.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon virtinst bridge-utils virt-manager
Once the installation is complete, we can check if KVM is running by checking the status of the libvirtd service:
sudo systemctl status libvirtd
Creating Your First Virtual Machine
Now that you have all of the necessary pieces in place, you are ready to create your first virtual machine. We will be using the virt-manager tool for this purpose.
virt-manager is a graphical tool for creating and managing virtual machines. It is available in the Ubuntu repositories and can be installed with the following command:
sudo apt install virt-manager
Once virt-manager is installed, you can launch it from the Activities overview by searching for “virtual machine manager”.
Configuring Virtual Machine Settings
Now that you have set up your basic VM, you can begin configuring its settings. Begin by selecting the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and clicking the “Settings” button.
This will open the virtual machine’s configuration window, which is divided into several different tabs. The first tab is “General”, and it contains settings that apply to the VM as a whole.
The next tab is “Storage”, which is where you can specify the virtual disk images that will be used by the VM.
The “Network” tab is where you can configure the VM’s networking settings, and the “Serial Ports” tab is where you can configure serial port settings.
Finally, the “USB” tab is where you can configure USB settings for the VM.
In most cases, the default values for all of these settings will work fine. However, you may want to change some of them depending on your specific needs.
For example, if you want to be able to access your VM from other computers on your network, you will need to change the networking settings.
We’ll talk more about how to do this in a later section.
Allocating Resources to the Virtual Machine
The first thing you’ll need to do is allocate some resources to your new virtual machine.
You’ll need to decide how much RAM and CPU you want to allocate, as well as how much disk space you want to give the VM.
You can use a tool like virt-manager to do this, or you can edit the VM’s configuration file directly.
Once you’ve allocated the resources, you’ll need to install an operating system on the VM.
If you want to use a Linux-based OS, you can use any distribution that supports KVM.
Ubuntu, for instance, has good support for KVM. To install Ubuntu on your new VM, follow these instructions.
Accessing the Virtual Machine
In order to access your newly created virtual machine, you will need to use a SSH client. If you are using Windows, we recommend using PuTTY.
Once you have PuTTY installed, open it and enter the IP address of your virtual machine in the “Host Name” field.
Then, click the “Open” button to launch the connection.
You will be prompted to login. The default username is “root” and the default password is “password”.
Once you have logged in, you will be taken to the command prompt of your virtual machine.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, creating a KVM virtual machine in Ubuntu is an easy process that requires only a few simple steps.
With these instructions and the right tools, you can quickly set up your own virtual machine on Ubuntu without too much hassle.
Once done, you’ll be able to get started with developing software applications or use it as a sandbox environment for testing purposes.
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