Linux Virtualization: How to Set Up Virtual Machines on Linux

Virtualization is a technology that enables the creation of virtual versions of physical hardware or software, such as operating systems, storage devices, and network resources. In Linux, virtualization can be achieved through several technologies, including KVM, Xen, and VirtualBox. In this article, we'll explore how to set up virtual machines on Linux.

Preparing Your System

Before we begin, make sure that your Linux system is up-to-date, and you have administrative privileges. You'll also need to install a virtual machine hypervisor, which is software that enables virtualization. We'll be using VirtualBox in our example.

Step 1: Install VirtualBox

You can download VirtualBox from its official website. Once you download it, open a terminal and navigate to the directory where the package is located.

Then, run the following command to install it:

sudo apt-get install virtualbox

Step 2: Downloading an Operating System Image

Next, you need to download an ISO image file of an operating system that you want to install in your virtual machine. There are several operating systems you can choose from, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and CentOS. You can download these images from the respective websites or use third-party sources like DistroWatch.

Step 3: Create a New Virtual Machine

Once both VirtualBox and the operating system image are installed, we can create a new virtual machine. Open VirtualBox, and click on the "New" button on the top left. This will open the "Create Virtual Machine" wizard.

Enter the name of your VM, select the operating system type and version, and choose the amount of RAM and CPU cores you want to allocate to the VM. You can also set the location of the virtual hard drive that you'll create in the next step.

Step 4: Configure the Virtual Hard Drive

In the next step, you need to configure the virtual hard drive that will store the operating system and any data created on it. Click on the "Create a virtual hard disk now" option and choose the hard disk storage type. You can either store it in a disk image file or allocate a dedicated partition.

Step 5: Install the Operating System

Once you have created the VM, click on the "Start" button to launch it. This will start the operating system installation process, which is similar to installing it on a physical machine. Follow the instructions presented in the installation wizard to complete the process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, virtualization is an essential technology that enables running multiple operating systems on a single physical machine. It is useful for developers who want to test their applications on different platforms without having to purchase multiple physical machines. In Linux, virtualization can be achieved through several technologies, including KVM, Xen, and VirtualBox. Follow the steps we've provided above to set up a virtual machine using VirtualBox on Linux.