Installation guide

Chapter 6. Installing the virtualization packages

Before you can use virtualization, the virtualization packages must be installed on Red Hat

Enterprise Linux. These can be installed either during installation, or after installation using the yum

command.

You can install both the KVM and Xen hypervisors on a single system. The Xen hypervisor uses the

kernel-xen package and the KVM hypervisor uses the default Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel with the

kvm kernel module. Xen and KVM each use a different kernel and only one hypervisor can be active

at any given time.

To change hypervisor from Xen to KVM or KVM to Xen, see Section 33.2, “ Changing between the KVM

and Xen hypervisors” .

6.1. Inst alling Xen wit h a new Red Hat Ent erprise Linux inst allat ion

This section covers installing Xen packages and virtualization tools on a new Red Hat Enterprise

Linux installation.

Note

The Installation Guide (available from access.redhat.com) details the installation of Red Hat

Enterprise Linux.

1. Start an interactive Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Installation CD-ROM, DVD or PXE.

2. You must enter a valid installation number when prompted to receive access to the

virtualization packages. Installation numbers can be obtained from Red Hat Customer

Service.

3. Complete all steps until you see the package selection step.

Red Hat En t erp rise Lin ux 5 Virt ualizat ion Guid e