Virtio

Virtio is the main platform for IO virtualization in KVM

Example Virtual Machine using virtio:

• virt-install --autostart --check all=on --name YOUR_VM_MACHINE --memory VM_MEMORY --vcpus VM_CPUs --os-variant ubuntu18.04 --cdrom VM_INSTALLATION_MEDIA --disk /path/libvirt/VM_STORAGE_POOL_NAME/YOUR_VM_MACHINE.qcow2 --noautoconsole --wait TIME_TO_WAIT --network type=direct,source=eno111,source_mode=bridge,model=virtio

Migrate to virtio

Replace:

<target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
<address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>

New options:

<target dev='vda' bus='virtio'/>

Related terms

• virt-install --import
• KVM networking
• virtio-fs

Activities

• Install virtio-win
• Change an existing interface to virtio: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/virtualization_deployment_and_administration_guide/sect-kvm_para_virtualized_virtio_drivers-using_kvm_virtio_drivers_for_nic_devices

See also

• Virtio, Install virtio-win
• KVM networking, virsh net, MacVTap, Macvtap logs, virtio, trustGuestRxFilters
• KVM, Installation, QEMU, virsh, virtinst, libguestfs-tools, libvirt, qemu, Red Hat Virtualization (RHV), MacVTap, Virtio, oVirt, KVM services, KVM networking, KVM graphics, CPU, KVM on ARM

https://www.linux-kvm.org/page/Virtio