Hosts

In Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager, you install Oracle Linux on a bare metal (physical) server and leverage the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel, which allows the server to be used as a KVM hypervisor. When you are running a hypervisor on a server it is referred to as a host meaning it is capable of hosting virtual machines.

The engine host is a separate physical host and provides the administration tools for managing the Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager environment. All hosts in your environment must be Oracle Linux KVM hosts, except for the host running the engine which is an Oracle Linux hosts. Using the Administration Portal you can install, configure and manage your KVM hosts.

Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager can manage many Oracle Linux KVM hosts, each of which can run multiple virtual machines concurrently. Each virtual machine runs as individual Linux processes and threads on the KVM host.

The Virtual Desktop and Server Manager (VDSM) service is a host agent that runs as a daemon on the KVM hosts and communicates with the engine to:

• Manage and monitor physical resources, including storage, memory, and networks.
• Manage and monitor the virtual machines running on a host.
• Gather statistics and collects logs.

For more information on engine host and virtual machine requirements, see Requirements and Scalability Limits Requirements and Scalability Limits.

For more information, see Host Architecture and Adding a KVM Host in the Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager: Getting Started Guide.