KVM virtualization with Qemu and Aqemu
Down in the Kernel
KVM and Qemu provide a fast and powerful alternative to VirtualBox for virtualization in Linux.
Linux users often equate virtualization with VirtualBox, a versatile virtualization app that Oracle has maintained for several years [1]. VirtualBox is a favorite with both beginners and power users because of its convenient installation and simple configuration.
With all the recent attention to VirtualBox, many users don't realize that a fully developed virtualization alternative is already built into the Linux kernel. Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) has been part of the kernel since Linux 2.6.20 and is developed by a team at Red Hat [2]. Combining KVM with the Qemu hypervisor system and the Aqemu graphical interface can lead to greater flexibility and significantly faster virtual machines (VMs) than a solution based around VirtualBox.
Operating Principle
KVM is actually a kernel module that acts as an operating system interface and, therefore, relies on a virtualization environment. Qemu [3], which is available in all major distributions, adds the necessary application-level virtualization features and is the perfect complement to KVM.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
-
Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.
-
Roll Out the Cake: Linux Turns 35
35 years ago, a Finnish student began a humble project that would forever change the course of technology.
-
China Switching from Windows to Linux
China has ordered several government agencies to drop a Chinese-developed version of Windows 10 in favor of either KylinOS or UOS.
-
Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.