Kernel-based Virtual Machine
KVM is a full virtualisation solution for Linux on x86 hardware containing virtualization extensions (Intel VT or AMD-V). KVM is now the default virtualisation solution supported in Ubuntu and Redhat Linux distributions. It supports running multiple virtual machines with unmodified copies of Linux or Windows images.
Other common virtualisation solutions we've deployed include Xen and VMware.
Benefits of virtual machines include:
- Consistent deployment to development and production environments
- Partitioning of applications to isolate dependencies and minimise unintended interaction of upgrades
- Multiple operating systems can run concurrently on the same hardware
- VMs can be cloned or live migrated to new host machines in order to scale up hardware resource as required
- Legacy applications can be more easily migrated from aging physical hardware to VMs running on modern hardware
