KVM is a virtualization technology that is open-source and permits several virtual machines to operate on a single Linux host machine like Ubuntu 22.04. It is a popular choice for creating and managing virtualized environments due to its performance, security, and cost-effectiveness. It also offers an abstraction layer between VMs and hardware. More specifically, KVM can virtualize ARM, x86, and other architectures.

In this blog, we will check out the method for the installation and uninstallation of KVM on Ubuntu 22.04.

How to Install KVM on Ubuntu 22.04?

The following steps demonstrate the process for installing KVM on Ubuntu 22.04.

Step 1: Update the packages

For updating the packages, open up the terminal by hitting “CTRL+ALT+T”. After that, write down the following command:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Upgrade the package

Run the mentioned command in the terminal for upgrading the packages:

sudo apt upgrade

Note: Run the following command in the terminal to check if KVM is compatible. If the command returns a non-zero value, it means that the CPU supports virtualization.

egrep -c '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo

Step 3: Install KVM

Install KVM by executing the command below in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon-system libvirt-clients bridge-utils -y

Wait till the KVM installation process gets completed:

KVM has been installed successfully.

Step 4: Enable, Start, and Check libvirtd services

To enable, start, and check the status of libvirtd services, execute the mentioned commands:

sudo systemctl enable libvirtd

sudo systemctl start libvirtd

sudo systemctl status libvirtd

Step 5: Add user to KVM

For adding your user to KVM, type the mentioned command in the terminal:

sudo usermod -aG kvm author

Note: “author” is the username.

Step 6: Add user to libvirt group

Likewise, add the user to the libvirt group:

sudo usermod -aG libvirt author

Step 7: Create a Bridge Network for VMs

Next, type out the following command for establishing a bridge network:

sudo nano /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

After that, append the mentioned configuration in the opened file:

network:

ethernets:

eth0:

dhcp4: false

dhcp6: false

bridges:

br0:

interfaces: [eth0]

dhcp4: false

addresses: [10.254.152.27/24]

macaddress: 01:26:3b:4b:1d:43

routes:

- to: default

via: 10.254.152.1

metric: 100

nameservers:

addresses: [8.8.8.8]

parameters:

stp: false

dhcp6: false

version: 2

Hit “CTRL+O” and “CTRL+X” to save and exit the file.

Step 8: Use Netplan to apply changes

Execute the mentioned command for applying the configuration:

sudo netplan apply

Step 9: Review Changes

To review the changes, utilize the mentioned command, and hit Enter:

ip addr show

That’s how you can install KVM on Ubuntu 22.04.

How to Remove/Uninstall KVM on Ubuntu 22.4?

To remove KVM from your Ubuntu 22.04, implement the following approach:

Step 1: Stop the libvirt service

As the first step, you need to stop the libvirt service:

sudo systemctl stop libvirtd

Step 2: Remove the KVM packages

Next, remove the KVM packages by utilizing the command below, in the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove qemu-kvm libvirt-bin virtinst bridge-utils -y

Step 3: Remove the dependencies

Remove any remaining dependencies that were automatically installed by KVM:

sudo apt-get autoremove -y

Eventually, KVM will get uninstalled from your Ubuntu 22.04.

Conclusion

To install KVM on Ubuntu 22.04, you need to upgrade and update the packages first by utilizing the terminal. After that, execute “sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon-system libvirt-clients bridge-utils -y” in the terminal. Next, enable and start the libvirtd services. You can check its status as well. Then, add the user to the libvirt group and KVM. Create a bridge network for VMs, and lastly, apply the changes through Netplan. This blog covers the method of installing KVM on Ubuntu 22.04.

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