What is KVM?
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is an open-source virtualization technology built into the Linux kernel that turns the host operating system into a bare-metal hypervisor. It allows a single physical server to run multiple isolated virtual machines, each with its own operating system, dedicated resources, and independent kernel.
How Does Kvm Work?
KVM leverages hardware virtualization extensions in modern CPUs (Intel VT-x and AMD-V) to provide near-native performance for virtual machines. Unlike container-based virtualization, KVM creates fully isolated virtual environments with their own kernels, making it possible to run different operating systems including various Linux distributions, Windows, and BSD on the same physical host. Each virtual machine is managed as a standard Linux process, integrating seamlessly with existing Linux tools and infrastructure.
In the hosting industry, KVM-based VPS hosting is considered superior to container-based alternatives like OpenVZ because it provides true resource isolation and guaranteed allocations. With KVM, your allocated CPU, RAM, and I/O resources cannot be affected by other virtual machines on the same host. This makes KVM VPS ideal for production workloads, database servers, and applications that require consistent performance and the ability to run custom kernels.