KVM on IBM Z and LinuxONE
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Illustration showing how KVM hypervisor connects to virtualized environments

KVM for IBM Z® and LinuxONE is an open-source alternative to the IBM z/VM hypervisor for the virtualization of Linux® workloads on IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE systems.

Faced with rising data demands and security concerns, Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) open-source virtualization can help you to effectively meet these demands on your IBM Z and LinuxONE systems. KVM’s flexibility as a hypervisor, coupled with its open-source nature makes it a perfect choice for virtualization.

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Browse KVM documentation to learn how to get started, find news and get hints about running KVM on IBM Z and LinuxONE.

Benefits Standardizes configuration and operation

Promotes operational standardization through its architecture-agnostic characteristics, which make it compatible with platforms such as IBM Z and LinuxONE.

Enables confidential computing

Provides confidential computing for VMs based on IBM® Secure Execution for Linux for maximum security.

Leverages common Linux administration skills

Provides a standard set of Linux tools and interfaces that offer a common user experience across various platforms, making it easy for clients looking for trained staff to administrate their KVM deployments.

Features
Security Using IBM Secure Execution

IBM Secure Execution protects the data of workloads that run in a KVM and safeguards VMs from inspection, modification or compromise by other VMs or the KVM administrator.

Explore IBM Secure Execution for Linux

High availability Live virtual server migration

Live virtual server migration enables the relocation of Linux guests around the KVM cluster without affecting the virtual server. 

Explore Live Virtual Server Migrate

Infrastructure management Simplified infrastructure management

Get simplified infrastructure-as-a-service management for the virtual infrastructure that is based on Red Hat® KVM.

Explore IBM Cloud® Infrastructure Center

Security Extensive use of encryption

KVM supports the on-chip crypto acceleration and the Crypto Express adapter available with the IBM Z and LinuxONE platforms.

Explore IBM® Crypto Express features

Use cases Server consolidation

Consolidate servers with KVM on the highly scalable IBM Z and LinuxONE systems to get high-density savings in terms of power consumption and floor space.

Explore sustainability with IBM z16™ Explore sustainability with IBM LinuxONE 4
Confidential computing

Protect digital assets by hosting them with KVM on IBM Z and LinuxONE, using IBM® Hyper Protect Virtual Servers for easy-to-use on-prem deployments.

Explore Hyper Protect Virtual Servers
Resources KVM on IBM Z

See documentation on how to set up, configure and operate Linux as a guest of the KVM hypervisor.

KVM as included with Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Explore how Red Hat Enterprise Linux can run in the mainframe environment as virtualized by the KVM hypervisor.

KVM as included with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

Learn how SUSE Linux Enterprise Server can run in the mainframe environment as virtualized by the KVM hypervisor.

KVM as included with Canonical Ubuntu

Explore how Canonical Ubuntu Server can run in the mainframe environment as virtualized by the KVM hypervisor.

Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform on IBM LinuxONE

Install a Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform by using minimum requirements and KVM hypervisor provided by Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Related products IBM Cloud Infrastructure Center

Leverage lifecycle management for the virtual infrastructure provided by Cloud Infrastructure Center, based on Red Hat KVM (and IBM z/VM) and enabled by the automation of infrastructure services.

IBM z16

Use IBM z16 as a hardware platform for KVM to take advantage of capabilities such as high performance, high availability, high scalability and security.

IBM LinuxONE 4

Choose IBM LinuxONE 4 as a hardware platform for KVM to maximize the benefits of scalability, sustainability, superior performance and advanced security features.

IBM Hyper Protect Virtual Servers

Attain easy deployment of Secure Execution guests for digital assets use cases and scale the deployment of isolated workloads protected by Confidential Computing.

IBM z/VM

Use an operating system with highly secure and scalable hypervisor and virtualization technology designed to run Linux, z/OS®, z/VSE® and z/TPF virtual machines, as well as Red Hat® OpenShift® on IBM Z and LinuxONE servers.

Take the next step

Learn more about KVM open-source virtualization technology. Schedule a no-cost 30-minute meeting with an IBM Z and LinuxONE representative.

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