KVM Guest: Operating Systems
When installing standalone instances of KVM, consider using one of the following guest operating systems:
Linux Guest Operating Systems
The following Oracle Linux versions support the use of guest operating installations on KVM instances.
Note:
Oracle Linux ISO images and disk images are available for download from Oracle Software Delivery Cloud: https://edelivery.oracle.com/linux.Table 1-1 Linux Guest Operating Systems
| Linux Operating System | 32-bit Architecture | 64-bit Architecture |
|---|---|---|
|
Oracle Linux 6 |
Yes* |
Yes |
|
Oracle Linux 7 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Oracle Linux 8 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Oracle Linux 9 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Oracle Container Host for Kubernetes |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 |
Yes* |
Yes |
|
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
CentOS 6 |
Yes* |
Yes |
|
CentOS 7 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
AlmaLinux OS 8 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
AlmaLinux OS 9 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Rocky Linux 8 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Rocky Linux 9 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Ubuntu 16.04 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Ubuntu 18.04 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Ubuntu 20.04 |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Ubuntu 22.04 |
N/A |
Yes |
-
*
cloud-initis unavailable for 32-bit architectures.
Microsoft Windows Guest Operating Systems
The following Microsoft Windows versions support the use of guest operating installations on KVM instances.
Caution:
Microsoft Windows 8 is no longer supported by Microsoft. See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-8 for more information.
Microsoft Windows 8.1 falls out of extended support by Microsoft in January 2023. See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-81 for more information.
Table 1-2 Microsoft Windows Supported Guest Operating Systems
| Guest Operating System | 64-bit | 32-bit |
|---|---|---|
|
Microsoft Windows Server 2022 |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Microsoft Windows Server 2019 |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Microsoft Windows Server 2016 |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Microsoft Windows 11 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Microsoft Windows 10 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Microsoft Windows 8.1 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Microsoft Windows 8 |
Yes |
Yes |
VirtIO Driver Requirements
For improved performance with network and block (disk) devices, and to resolve common issues, we recommend that you install the Oracle VirtIO Drivers for Microsoft Windows. These drivers are para-virtualized drivers for Microsoft Windows guests running on Oracle Linux KVM hypervisors.
Microsoft Windows guests on KVM have been tested by using the Oracle VirtIO Drivers for Microsoft Windows. For instructions on how to obtain and install the drivers, see Oracle Linux: Oracle VirtIO Drivers for Microsoft Windows for use with KVM.
Oracle Solaris Guest Operating System
Table 1-3 Oracle Solaris Guest Operating System
| Oracle Solaris version 11.4 |
Oracle Solaris 11.4 can be used as a guest operating system when installed within a standalone instance of KVM. Note: Oracle Solaris version 11.4.33 (Oracle Solaris 11.4 SRU 33) is the minimum version that includes functionality for VirtIO guest support.Oracle Solaris ISO images and disk images are available for download from the Oracle Software Delivery Cloud at https://edelivery.oracle.com/. |
Special Considerations:
For best results when using Oracle Solaris as a guest operating system, follow these recommendations:
-
Use at least a two-core configuration for the Oracle Solaris VM.
-
Use the most current QEMU system type (Custom Emulated Machine = pc-i440fx-4.2) for the Oracle Solaris VM.