KVM host network configuration

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KVM on Z supports a variety of host OS network configuration methods that are available for KVM guests to use.

This paper evaluates three network configuration choices that provide connectivity to the KVM guests:

  1. KVM guests using Linux® bridge mode
  2. KVM guests using OpenvSwitch as substitute for a Linux bridge
  3. KVM guests using the MacVTap driver.
Figure 1. KVM guest configuration using a software bridge
Note: The KVM guests shown above are a smaller version of those shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2. KVM guests using a MacVTap Network Configuration