How to Install KVM on Alpine Linux Latest

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a virtualization infrastructure that turns the Linux kernel into a hypervisor. It allows you to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) running various operating systems such as Windows or Linux on a single physical machine.

This tutorial will guide you through the steps to install KVM on Alpine Linux Latest.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have these prerequisites met:

• A running Alpine Linux Latest, with root access or a user with sudo access.
• Sufficient system resources to run virtual machines.

Step 1: Install KVM

1. Update the package index on your system with the following command:

sudo apk update

2. Install the KVM package and some dependencies required as follows:

sudo apk add qemu-kvm libvirt virt-install virt-manager

Step 2: Setup KVM

1. Start the libvirtd service and enable it to start at boot time:

sudo service libvirtd start
sudo rc-update add libvirtd

2. Add your user account to the libvirt group:

sudo addgroup username libvirt

3. Reboot your system or execute the following command to apply the group changes:

sudo sysctl --system

4. Verify the installation:

virsh list --all

You should see no errors and a default network with the name default.

Step 3: Create and Manage Virtual Machines

1. To create a virtual machine, use the virt-install command. For example, to create a Debian 11 virtual machine with 2GB RAM, and a 20GB disk, execute:

sudo virt-install --name myvm --ram 2048 --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/myvm.qcow2,size=20 --vcpus 2 --cdrom /path/to/debian.iso --os-type linux --os-variant debian11 --network network=default,model=virtio

2. To manage virtual machines, use the virsh command. For example, to start myvm, execute:

sudo virsh start myvm

3. To stop myvm, execute:

sudo virsh shutdown myvm

4. To remove myvm, execute:

sudo virsh destroy myvm
sudo virsh undefine myvm

And that's it! You now have KVM installed on Alpine Linux Latest, and you can create and manage virtual machines to your liking.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!