Install Virtualization Packages

The following information describes how to install the virtualization packages on an Oracle Linux 8 system.

Ensure that the following are true before proceeding:

  • You have administrator privileges.
  • If installing the Oracle KVM stack:
    • The ol8_kvm_appstream yum repository must be enabled. See Enable Yum Repositories for instructions.
    • The host must be running the latest UEK R6 or UEK R7 .

Follow these steps to install the virtualization packages on an Oracle Linux 8 system.

  1. Sign in to the Oracle Linux 8 system.
  2. Ensure that the latest packages are installed on the system: 
    sudo dnf update
  3. Install the KVM virtualization stack and other utilities:
    • To install the Default KVM stack:
      sudo dnf module install virt
sudo dnf install virt-install virt-viewer

    • To install the Oracle KVM stack, first remove any existing virtualization packages and then install the module stream that you want to use. For example, to install the latest stream:

      sudo dnf remove libvirt qemu-kvm edk2-ovmf
sudo dnf module install virt:kvm_utils3
sudo dnf install virt-install virt-viewer
    • To install the Default KVM Stack:
      sudo dnf module install virt
sudo dnf install virt-install virt-viewer

    • To install the Oracle KVM Stack, first remove any existing virtualization packages and then install the module stream that you want to use. For example, to install the latest stream:

      sudo dnf remove libvirt qemu-kvm edk2-aarch64
sudo dnf module install virt:kvm_utils3
sudo dnf install virt-install virt-viewer
  4. Reboot the system to ensure that the virtualization packages and utilities were updated.
  5. Ensure that the libvirtd service is running.

    Before you can create and manage KVM instances, the libvirtd service must be started and enabled. See Manage the libvirtd Service for instructions.

  6. Verify that the system can act as act as a virtual host. See Validate Host System
  7. After verifying that the system can act as a virtual host, you can proceed to KVM Instances: Create and Manage.