Virtualization using KVM - adding guests on a headless host

[L4celek]

Hi,

I'm venturing into virtualization on my home setup - mainly as a training exercise to take into my professional life, but also to see whats possible.

I'm using 6.5 and have already set up my first guest - but now I'm looking at some more creative uses, but I've not yet found any answers to two simple questions.

1. Do I need to create a network bridge for each virtual I want?

2. Can I run my host headless but have a guest machine run a gui out of the HDMI port on my machine? (specifically I want to have a VM running something like Plex Media Server)

Many thanks

[Super Jamie]

1. Do I need to create a network bridge for each virtual I want?

No, think of the bridge as a network switch that you plug your virtual machines into. If you had multiple guests, this could be a valid setup:

Code: Select all

 +------------------------------------+
 | host                               |
 +------+      +-----+      +-------+ |
 | eth0 |------| br0 |------| guest | |
 +------+      |     |      +-------+ |
 |             |     |      +-------+ |
 |             |     |------| guest | |
 |             |     |      +-------+ |
 |             |     |      +-------+ |
 |             |     |------| guest | |
 |             +-----+      +-------+ |
 +------------------------------------+

2. Can I run my host headless but have a guest machine run a gui out of the HDMI port on my machine? (specifically I want to have a VM running something like Plex Media Server)

No, video card passthrough to a guest is not possible. However, you could run the graphical environment on your host, and open the VM's console in virt-viewer and maximise or fullscreen the window.

[L4celek]

Thanks Jamie,

so in effect i'd end up doubling the amount the resources needed - in which case it might be better to run the host with a gui and install anything I needed the gui for on the host :/

[ericson007]

I have read on various posts that some people do have luck passing a secondary video card, but for now I am still not convinced about it. Primary is a no no.

If like in my case later you end up passing other hardware directly with vt-d and have a intel chip, some consumer mobos have issues with the intel gpu on the processor and can be bypassed with setting iommu fglrx to off.

[ericson007]

I know this thread is ages old, but if op still looking, check out vgfio on newer versions of kvm.