KVM, or Kernel-based Virtual Machine, is an open-source virtualization technology that allows you to run multiple virtual machines on a Linux host. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing KVM on nixOS Latest using the official website of linux-kvm.org.
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
First, we need to install the required packages for KVM. Run the following command in your terminal to install the required packages:
$ sudo nix-env -iA nixos.kvm
This command will install the kvm package, which provides the KVM kernel module and user-space tools.
Once the install command completes, you can verify that the installation is successful by checking the version number of KVM:
$ kvm --version
This command should return the version number of KVM installed.
Virtualization requires hardware support from your system’s processor, which may need to be enabled in your system BIOS. To confirm virtualization support, run the following command:
$ dmesg | grep kvm
If your processor supports virtualization, you should see suitable kernel messages displaying information about KVM.
Now that KVM is installed, you can create a virtual machine. You can create a virtual machine using virt-manager or virt-install. virt-manager is a graphical application that allows you to manage virtual machines easily, while virt-install is a command-line tool that lets you create virtual machines.
If you want to use the virt-manager tool, run the following command to install it:
$ sudo nix-env -iA nixos.virt-manager
Then, launch the virt-manager application and follow the on-screen instructions to create a virtual machine.
Alternatively, you can use the virt-install command to create a virtual machine from the terminal. Refer to the virt-install documentation for more information.
You have successfully installed KVM in nixOS Latest and created a new virtual machine on it. You can now launch the virtual machine and start using it like any other physical machine.
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!
