kvm
linux kernel virtualization module
TLDR
Check KVM support
$ lscpu | grep Virtualization
Load KVM module$
**Run VM with QEMU/KVM**
Check if KVM is enabled**Run VM with QEMU/KVM**
$ ls /dev/kvm
List running VMs (libvirt)$ virsh list --all
DESCRIPTION
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a Linux kernel virtualization module. It turns Linux into a hypervisor, allowing it to run multiple virtual machines with near-native performance.
KVM requires hardware virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD-V). It's typically used with QEMU for device emulation and optionally with libvirt for management.
ARCHITECTURE
$ Applications → Guest OS → KVM → Host Kernel → Hardware
Components:
- kvm.ko: Core virtualization
- kvm-intel.ko or kvm-amd.ko: CPU-specific
- QEMU: Device emulation
- libvirt: Management API
Components:
- kvm.ko: Core virtualization
- kvm-intel.ko or kvm-amd.ko: CPU-specific
- QEMU: Device emulation
- libvirt: Management API
VERIFY SUPPORT
$ # Check CPU support
grep -E 'vmx|svm' /proc/cpuinfo
# Check KVM module
lsmod | grep kvm
# Check device
ls -la /dev/kvm
grep -E 'vmx|svm' /proc/cpuinfo
# Check KVM module
lsmod | grep kvm
# Check device
ls -la /dev/kvm
CAVEATS
Requires VT-x/AMD-V enabled in BIOS. Nested virtualization needs additional configuration. Performance varies by workload.
HISTORY
KVM was created by Qumranet and merged into Linux kernel 2.6.20 in 2007. Red Hat acquired Qumranet in 2008. KVM became the standard Linux hypervisor, replacing Xen in many deployments.
SEE ALSO
qemu(1), virsh(1), virt-manager(1)