QEMU-KVM on RHEL: Complete Guide to Check Virtualization, Install QEMU-KVM, and Configure libvirt

Check if Virtualization is Enabled in

Method 1: Using lscpu
1. Run the lscpu command:
lscpu

2. Look for the line Virtualization:. It should display VT-x (for Intel CPUs) or AMD-V (for AMD CPUs) if virtualization is supported and enabled.

Method 2: Checking CPU Flags
1. Run the following command:
egrep -o '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
◦ If this command outputs vmx (for Intel) or svm (for AMD), then your CPU supports virtualization.
◦ If there is no output, virtualization might not be supported or it could be disabled in the BIOS/UEFI.

Install qemu-kvm on Red Hat Linux:

Step 1: Update Your System
Make sure your system is up-to-date:
sudo dnf update -y

Step 2: Install KVM and Related Packages
Install KVM and the required virtualization packages:
sudo dnf install -y qemu-kvm libvirt virt-install virt-manager

Step 3: Enable and Start the libvirtd Service
Enable and start the libvirtd service to ensure it runs at boot:
sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtd
sudo systemctl start libvirtd

Step 4: Verify KVM Installation
Check the status of libvirtd to ensure it is running properly:
sudo systemctl status libvirtd

Step 5: Add Your User to the libvirt and kvm Groups
Add your user to the libvirt and kvm groups to manage VMs without needing root privileges:
sudo usermod -aG libvirt,kvm $USER

Step 6: Reboot or Log Out/In
Log out and log back in, or reboot your system, for the group changes to take effect.

Step 7: Verify Virtualization Support
Ensure hardware virtualization is supported by running:
egrep -c '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo

• A value greater than 0 indicates that your system supports hardware virtualization.

Step 8: Launch virt-manager
Start virt-manager from the command line or locate it in your applications menu:
virt-manager
This setup will allow you to create and manage virtual machines using KVM on Red Hat Linux.