Switch KVM Stacks

You can switch from one KVM stack to another KVM stack, if required.

The KVM stacks define the versions of user space packages that you can use to manage virtual machines on Oracle Linux. To take advantage of newer functionality available in more recent user space packages, you must install UEK.

The Default KVM Stack is compatible with both RHCK and UEK. The Default KVM Stack is available from the standard Oracle Linux package repositories. If you require RHCK, you can only use the Default KVM Stack.

The Oracle KVM Stack, which includes more KVM features than the default stack, requires UEK to be running on the host system and that the ol9_kvm_utils yum repository is enabled on the system.

Switching the KVM stack on an Oracle Linux system involves removing one version of the KVM stack and then replacing it with another version of the KVM stack.

Caution:

Guest instances that were created by using one KVM stack might not be compatible and might not start after switching to another KVM stack.

For instructions on how to switch KVM stacks on Oracle Linux 9 systems with UEK, see these topics:

Note:

For details about the KVM stacks and their sources, see Virtualization Package Sources.

Switch Default Stack to Oracle KVM Stack

The following information describes how Oracle Linux 9 users can switch from the Default KVM Stack to the Oracle KVM Stack.

Caution:

Guest instances that were created by using the default KVM stack might not be compatible and might not start after switching to the Oracle KVM stack.

What Do You Need?

  • Oracle Linux 9 system with the Default KVM Stack packages installed.
  • The host system must be running the latest UEK R7 or UEK 8.
  • Administrator privileges.

Follow these steps to switch from the Default KVM stack to the Oracle KVM Stack.

  1. Remove any packages from the existing Default KVM Stack, for example:
    sudo dnf remove libvirt* qemu* virt-install
  2. Enable the ol9_kvm_utils yum repository.
  3. Install the required virtualization packages from the ol9_kvm_utils yum repository:
    sudo dnf install libvirt qemu-kvm virt-install

Switch Oracle KVM Stack to Default Stack

The following information describes how Oracle Linux 9 users can switch from the Oracle KVM stack to the Default KVM Stack.

Caution:

Guest instances that were created by using the Oracle KVM Stack might not be compatible and might not start after switching to the Default KVM Stack.

What Do You Need?

  • Oracle Linux 9 system with the Oracle KVM stack packages installed.
  • Administrator privileges.

Steps

Follow these steps to switch from the Oracle KVM Stack to the default KVM Stack.

  1. Remove any packages from the existing Oracle KVM Stack, for example:
    sudo dnf remove libvirt* qemu* virt-install
  2. Disable the ol9_kvm_utils yum repository:
    sudo dnf config-manager --disable ol9_kvm_utils
  3. Install the required virtualization packages from the ol9_appstream yum repository:
    sudo dnf install libvirt qemu-kvm virt-install