VirtualBox KVM
Quite important news was recently released, which is that Cyberus Technology announced through a blog post that their KVM backend for VirtualBox is now open source Instead of VirtualBox using its own Linux kernel module, VirtualBox can now be used with a KVM backend.
For those who are unaware of KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), they should know that it is a virtualization technology integrated into the core of the Linux operating system. It works as a hypervisor, allowing the efficient execution of multiple virtual machines on a Linux host system.
Viewed another way, when implemented as a module of the Linux kernel, KVM can function as a hypervisor, taking advantage of the virtualization extensions provided by modern CPUs (Intel VT and AMD-V), hardware extensions that enable the processor to execute specific virtualization instructions highly efficiently.
Over the past few months, the team Cyberus Technology has dedicated significant efforts to achieve compatibility between VirtualBox and KVM. The intention was to merge the cross-platform management capabilities and intuitive user interface of VirtualBox with the potential of KVM as a Linux kernel-level hypervisor.
Cyberus Technology's KVM backend allows VirtualBox to run virtual machines using the Linux KVM hypervisor instead of the custom kernel module used by standard VirtualBox. Using KVM comes with a number of benefits.
Our customers use virtualization to isolate different security domains from each other. They rely on further hardening of the host system for added security. This type of hardening is necessary to obtain certification from government agencies and, as a result, strict requirements for our customers.
And now The effort has paid off, since the combination of VirtualBox and KVM represents a significant advance in the field of virtualization in Linux environments. This integration not only delivers superior performance but also improves the security and flexibility of virtual machines.
With KVM integration, VirtualBox can now provide improved support for virtual machines Windows running on Linux systems. Furthermore, the combination of VirtualBox and KVM allows users to take advantage of the unique features of both fronts. This flexibility gives rise to new usage scenarios, such as running VirtualBox and QEMU simultaneously on Linux hosts.
Among the latests Moravia's compositions most important features The following stand out from the implementation:
- Improved Performance: Integration with KVM allows virtual machines to take full advantage of hardware acceleration capabilities, ensuring optimal performance.
- Reinforced security: KVM, being kernel-based, provides an additional layer of security. VirtualBox takes advantage of this solid structure, creating a more secure environment for virtualized applications.
- Advanced Support for Windows: KVM integration enables better support for Windows virtual machines on Linux systems, especially important in environments where security is paramount.
- QEMU/KVM Parallel Execution: VirtualBox KVM can work in parallel with QEMU/KVM, providing greater flexibility in the virtualization environment.
- Removing the VirtualBox Kernel Driver- KVM integration eliminates the need for the VirtualBox kernel driver, simplifying platform installation and management.
- Leveraging Modern Virtualization Capabilities- VirtualBox KVM can automatically take advantage of modern KVM-supported virtualization features, such as APICv, for more efficient management.
For interested in the implementation, You should know that currently, VirtualBox KVM must be compiled from the source code provided by Cyberus Technology and at the moment the Intel x86-64 platform is officially supported, since AMD support is considered experimental.
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that the code is written in C and C++ and is distributed under the GPLv3 license. You can consult the implementation code at the following link. If you are interested in knowing more about it, you can check the details in the following link.