Featured resource
2025 Tech Upskilling Playbook
Tech Upskilling Playbook

Build future-ready tech teams and hit key business milestones with seven proven plays from industry leaders.

Check it out
  • Lab
    • Libraries: If you want this lab, consider one of these libraries.
    • Cloud
Google Cloud Platform icon
Labs

Prepare a Host for KVM Virtualization

In order to start creating virtual machines with KVM, it is important to properly set up the host machine. In this lab, you will need to install KVM and the related packages, configure a network bridge, and then create a virtual disk image for use with a KVM virtual machine.

Google Cloud Platform icon
Lab platform
Lab Info
Level
Intermediate
Last updated
Sep 14, 2025
Duration
1h 0m

Contact sales

By filling out this form and clicking submit, you acknowledge our privacy policy.
Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Install KVM, libvirt (including virt-install and virt-viewer), and bridge utility packages

    yum -y install qemu-kvm libvirt virt-install virt-viewer bridge-utils

  2. Challenge

    Create a network bridge name `kvmbr0`

    cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/

    vi ifcfg-ens5

    Take note of the current HWADDR value (your EC2 Instance's mac address) and update the file to:

    DEVICE=ens5
    HWADDR=<<Your HWADDR>>
    TYPE=Ethernet
    ONBOOT=yes
    BRIDGE=kvmbr0
    NM_CONTROLLED=no
    

    -Use MAC address provided

    vi ifcfg-kvmbr0

    Update to:

    DEVICE=kvmbr0
    TYPE=Bridge
    BOOTPROTO=dhcp
    ONBOOT=yes
    DELAY=0
    NM_CONTROLLED=no
    

    systemctl restart network

  3. Challenge

    Using the QEMU disk image utility, create an 8 GB virtual disk named disk1.img in `/var/lib/libvirt/images` using qcow2 format

    qemu-img create -f qcow2 /var/lib/libvirt/images/disk1.img 8G

About the author

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

Real skill practice before real-world application

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Learn by doing

Engage hands-on with the tools and technologies you’re learning. You pick the skill, we provide the credentials and environment.

Follow your guide

All labs have detailed instructions and objectives, guiding you through the learning process and ensuring you understand every step.

Turn time into mastery

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you take time to practice. Hands-on labs set you up for success to make those skills stick.

Get started with Pluralsight