KVM is an open-source virtualization technology built directly into the Linux kernel, transforming Linux into a full-featured hypervisor. It allows users to run multiple isolated virtual machines with dedicated resources such as CPU, memory, and storage. Since it is integrated into the Linux kernel, KVM offers strong performance, security, and scalability, making it widely used in cloud platforms, hosting environments, and enterprise virtualization.
Key Features
Native Linux Integration: Built into the Linux kernel, providing stability, performance, and low overhead.
Full Virtualization: Supports unmodified guest operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and BSD.
Strong Security: Leverages SELinux and sVirt for VM isolation and enhanced security.
High Performance: Uses hardware virtualization extensions (Intel VT-x, AMD-V) for near-native performance.
Scalability: Supports large numbers of virtual machines with efficient resource management.
Live Migration: Move running virtual machines between hosts without downtime.
Open-Source Ecosystem: Works with tools like QEMU, libvirt, and oVirt for management and automation.
These features make KVM a powerful choice for cloud environments and hosting platforms that need reliable, open-source virtualization.
Pricing
Completely Free & Open Source:
KVM has no licensing fees, making it cost-effective for enterprises and hosting providers.
Optional Paid Support:
Support and enterprise management tools are available through vendors such as Red Hat, SUSE, and Canonical.
Cloud Marketplace Usage:
KVM-based virtual machines are widely available across cloud providers at standard VM pricing.
Because KVM itself is free, organizations often choose it to reduce virtualization costs while maintaining enterprise-level performance.
Use Cases
Cloud Infrastructure: Core virtualization backbone for platforms like OpenStack and major cloud providers.
Datacenter Virtualization: Replace physical servers with scalable, open-source VMs.
Hosting Providers: Widely used for VPS hosting due to flexibility and strong isolation.
Development & Testing: Easily deploy isolated test environments on Linux servers.
High-Performance Workloads: Suitable for performance-intensive tasks due to low overhead and hardware acceleration.
Website: https://linux-kvm.org/