Install KVM on Ubuntu 20.04: Best Virtualization Solution

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Install KVM on Ubuntu 20.04: Best Virtualization Solution

In this guide, we will explore How To Install KVM on Ubuntu 20.04. A kernel-based virtual machine ( KVM) is a virtualization infrastructure built for Linux OS and designed to operate on x86-based processor architecture. KVM is developed by Red Hat Corporation to provide a virtualization solution and services on the Linux operating system platform. It is designed over the primary Linux OS kernel.

KVM is a type of hypervisor that enables, emulates, and provides for the creation of virtual machines on operating systems. These machines are built on top of the Linux kernel, using operating systems such as Linux, Ubuntu, and Fedora. It can be installed on all x86 processors and provides separate instruction set extensions for Intel and AMD processors.

Now follow the guide steps below on the Orcacore website to complete the KVM Virtualization setup on Ubuntu 20.04.

To complete the KVM Virtualization setup, you must log in to your server as a non-root user with sudo privileges. To do this, you can follow our guide the Initial Server Setup with Ubuntu 20.04.

1. Check Virtualization Support on Ubuntu 20.04

Before installing KVM, you need to make sure that KVM is compatible with your system. Otherwise, you will keep running into errors, and KVM won’t install properly.

First, update and upgrade your local package index with the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

To check whether the Ubuntu system supports virtualization, run the following command:

egrep -c '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo

If the output you get is greater than 0, that means KVM is compatible with the system and can be installed.

To check if your system supports KVM virtualization execute the command:

sudo kvm-ok

If the “kvm-ok” utility is not present on your server, install it by running the apt command:

sudo apt install cpu-checker

Now execute the “kvm-ok” command to probe your system.

sudo kvm-ok
Check Virtualization Support on Ubuntu 20.04

2. Installing KVM on Ubuntu 20.04

At this point, you need to install the required packages and dependencies by running the command below:

sudo apt install -y qemu qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon libvirt-clients bridge-utils virt-manager

Then, you need to check that the virtualization daemon – libvritd-daemon – is running on Ubuntu 20.04:

sudo systemctl status libvirtd

Also, you can use the command below to enable it to start on boot:

sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtd

To check if the KVM modules are loaded, run the command:

lsmod | grep -i kvm

Now add your user to KVM and libvirt group to get up KVM and avoid running into issues. The user can be added to the KVM group using this command:

sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER

Next, add the user to the libvirt group by using this command:

sudo usermod -aG libvirt $USER

Conclusion

At this point, you learn to test the compatibility between KVM Virtualization and your Ubuntu system. After that, you installed the necessary KVM packages and then installed KVM.

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Alternative Solutions for Virtualization on Ubuntu 20.04

While KVM is a robust and widely used virtualization solution, it’s not the only option available. Here are two alternative approaches to virtualization on Ubuntu 20.04, along with explanations and code examples where applicable.

1. Docker Containers

Docker is a containerization technology, not a full virtualization solution like KVM. However, for many use cases, containers provide a lightweight and efficient alternative. Instead of virtualizing the entire operating system, Docker containers share the host OS kernel and only virtualize the application layer. This leads to significantly reduced overhead, faster startup times, and better resource utilization.

Explanation:

Docker works by packaging an application and all its dependencies into a container image. This image can then be deployed and run on any system that has Docker installed. Because containers share the host OS kernel, they are much smaller and faster to deploy than virtual machines. Docker is particularly well-suited for microservices architectures, web applications, and development environments.

Why consider Docker over KVM?

  • Lightweight: Containers are significantly smaller and use fewer resources than VMs.
  • Fast Startup: Containers start up in seconds, whereas VMs can take minutes.
  • Portability: Container images can be easily moved between different environments.
  • Scalability: Docker makes it easy to scale applications by running multiple containers.

Code Example:

First, install Docker on Ubuntu 20.04:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io -y
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Next, pull a pre-built Ubuntu image from Docker Hub:

sudo docker pull ubuntu:latest

Finally, run a container based on the Ubuntu image:

sudo docker run -it ubuntu:latest /bin/bash

This will start an interactive shell within a new Ubuntu container. You can now install and run applications inside the container without affecting the host system.

2. VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a type 2 hypervisor, meaning it runs on top of an existing operating system (like Ubuntu 20.04). It’s a popular choice for desktop virtualization, allowing you to run different operating systems (Windows, macOS, other Linux distributions) within a virtual machine on your Ubuntu host.

Explanation:

VirtualBox provides a graphical user interface (GUI) and a command-line interface (VBoxManage) for creating and managing virtual machines. It supports a wide range of guest operating systems and provides features like snapshots, shared folders, and USB passthrough.

Why consider VirtualBox over KVM?

  • Ease of Use: VirtualBox is generally considered easier to set up and use, especially for users unfamiliar with virtualization.
  • GUI Interface: VirtualBox offers a user-friendly GUI for managing virtual machines.
  • Broad Guest OS Support: VirtualBox supports a wider range of guest operating systems out-of-the-box compared to KVM.
  • Desktop Virtualization: VirtualBox excels at desktop virtualization, where you need to run a different OS for specific applications or testing.

Code Example (Installation):

VirtualBox is available in the Ubuntu repositories, but often an older version. To get the latest version, it’s best to use the VirtualBox repositories. First add the Oracle repository:

wget -q https://www.virtualbox.org/download/oracle_vbox_2016.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -
wget -q https://www.virtualbox.org/download/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -
sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian $(lsb_release -cs) contrib"

Then, update and install VirtualBox:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install virtualbox-6.1 -y # or virtualbox-7.0 or the latest version

After installation, you can launch VirtualBox from the applications menu and create a new virtual machine using the GUI. While creating via command line is possible, it’s less common for VirtualBox users.

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