Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3
The path to freedom is right in front of you.
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization is a complete virtualization solution with leading performance, security, manageability, and much more. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization is fully open source software, based on the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor technology, the Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel, and the oVirt.org virtualization management project.
The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization platform consists of one or more hosts and at least one manager. The virtual machines reside on the hosts, and the infrastructure and all its components are managed through a centralized management system.
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager
A centralized management system allowing system administrators to view and manage virtual machines and images, providing a graphical user interface to administer the physical and logical resources within the virtual environment infrastructure.
Features include:
- Search capabilities
- Resource management
- Live migrations
- Provisioning
- Plus much more
The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager runs on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor(s)
A fully featured virtualization platform for quick, easy deployment and management of virtualized guests.
The hypervisor is designed for management via the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager, providing a thin virtualization layer deployed across the server infrastructure. KVM, which is a core component of the Linux kernel, is used to provide virtualization.
Signed up for the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 60-day evaluation?
Learn how to get started and get access to helpful labs and documentation.
More Information
For more information about basic Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization concepts, view the Complete Overview of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3. The guide addresses questions such as "How does Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Relate to Other Red Hat Technology?", "What is the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager?", and "How Does Authentication Work with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization?"
Get Started with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization
Set up your Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization from the Get Started Checklist. Then navigate through plan, deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot content to find answers at different stages of your Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization life cycle.
For more information, please read our Complete Overview of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization
Plan
Are you considering a Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization deployment? Here are some things to consider.
Deploy
If you are ready to get started, check out these resources.
Maintain
These resources will help you get the most out of your desktop deployment.
Troubleshoot
Having issues? Let the experts at Red Hat help!
Everything you need to get started with your evaluation is right here, from step-by-step documentation to instructional videos and a community full of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization experts.
Follow the steps below to get started:
1. Download Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server
The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager runs on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 server. If you already have Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Server 64-bit installed, you can skip this download. Otherwise, at the link below, find and download the Binary DVD image (3.4GB). You will need a Red Hat Network login to download.
2. Download Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor
The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor is installed on each hypervisor host.
At the link below, find and download the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor image (125MB). Please check the system requirements for Standard Setup or Minimal Setup.
3. Select Your Track
The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3 Evaluation is available in two tracks: Standard Setup and Minimal Setup.
Track A: Standard Setup
The standard evaluation requires:
- A Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager server
- Two or more hypervisor servers
- Shared storage
Track B: Minimal Setup
The minimal evaluation requires:
- A Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager server
- One hypervisor server with local disk storage
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Skills You'll Learn in Track A
- Install Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3.
- Create your first virtual machine (VM).
- Live-migrate your VM from one host to another.
- Use the power user portal.
- Create a virtual desktop.
- Administer user permissions.
- Set up highly available VMs.
- Create a datacenter.
System Requirements
- One Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager server
- Two or more hypervisor hosts
- Shared storage
Evaluation Labs and Videos
The following labs walk you through your Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization evaluation with easy-to-follow videos and documentation.
Download the Evaluation Guide PDF.
[+] Install and Configure Standard Setup (Lab 1)
Lab 1 on Track A sets up the basic infrastructure to support virtualization and shows you how to install and configure the hosts, storage, and networks in readiness for the VMs.
Goal
The goal of this lab is to set up an environment that is ready for you to create and provision VMs. To achieve the goal of this lab, you will install and set up Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization with multiple hosts and shared storage, and you will learn to configure networks and add ISOs.
Prerequisites
- Intended for Track A
- Three servers and shared storage
Videos
Installing Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager
Connecting to Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager
Installing Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor
Configuring Logical Networks
Configuring ISO Domain
Configuring Power Management
Configuring Storage Domains
Approving Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisors
Adding an Active Directory Domain
[+] Create Virtual Machines (Lab 2)
Learn how to create Red Hat Enterprise Linux VMs and how to use templates.
Goal
Have at least two running VMs and be able to connect to them.
Prerequisites
- Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization successfully installed and configured
- Necessary Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation images
[+] Live Migration Scenarios (Lab 3)
Live migration enables you to move a VM to another host while the machine and its applications are still running. You can activate automatic live migration for occasions when you perform hardware maintenance or if your hosts become non-operational, and your VMs will be migrated with no interruptions or delay. At the end of this lab, you will have configured cluster policies and be able to balance your hosts' workloads.
Goal
Configure cluster policies and be able to balance your hosts' workloads.
Prerequisites
- Intended for
- Successful completion of Lab 2: Create Virtual Machines
- At least two VMs running on your hosts
Videos
[+] Access the Power User Portal (Lab 4)
The power user portal is a trimmed-down version of the administration portal, tailored for end-user self-provisioning of VMs. It's simultaneously a gateway for logging in to VMs and a platform to create VMs and manage resources specific to those VMs. This lab illustrates the functions of the power user portal, which is available to users with PowerUserRole permissions.
Goal
Create and manage VMs from the power user portal.
Prerequisites
- Correct installation and configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization so you can log into the power user portal
- At least two running VMs
- Successful completion of Lab 3: Live Migration Scenarios if you're on Track A or Lab 2: Create Virtual Machines if you're on Track B
- To log into the power user portal, you need a Red Hat Enterprise Linux client running Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or later (you can use your Manager server)
Videos
[+] Manage Multi Level Administrators (Lab 5)
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization's multi-level administration system presents a hierarchy of permissions that can be configured to provide fine-grained levels of permissions as required by your enterprise. You were partially introduced to this system when you granted permissions to users on VMs and datacenters in Lab 4: Access the Power User Portal.
About Permissions
Permissions enable users to perform actions on objects, where objects are either individual objects or container objects. Any permissions that apply to a container object also apply to all members of that container. For example, when a host administrator role is applied to a user on a specific host, the user will have permissions to perform any of the available host operations, but on the assigned host only.
However, if a host administrator role is applied on a datacenter to a user, the user will gain permissions to perform host operations on all hosts within the cluster of the datacenter. If there are additional host clusters in the datacenter, the user will not be able to make changes to the hosts.
Goal
Learn about Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization's multi-level administration system.
Prerequisites
- Successful completion of the basic labs of Tracks A or B
- Correctly installed and configured Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization
[+] See High Availability Scenarios (Lab 6)
The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager offers various high availability features which can be applied in a granular manner, from the level of a single VM up to protection against multiple host failure scenarios. In addition, you can protect your VMs against various failures by combining VM high availability with out-of-band power management, Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager's failure detection and failure recovery solutions.
Goal
Configure power-management policies for your hosts and high availability for your VMs.
Prerequisites
- Successful completion of Lab 1: Install and Configure Standard Setup
- Correctly installed and configured Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization
- At least two VMs running on your hosts
- A power-management card for your hosts, such as the Intelligent Power Management Interface (IPMI) device
Videos
[+] Add a Datacenter (Lab 7)
Learn how to customize your standard Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization environment with an additional datacenter. This lab uses Red Hat Enterprise Linux hosts, but you can substitute them with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor hosts.
Goal
Create VMs in your new datacenter.
Prerequisites
- Successful completion of Lab 1: Install and Configure Standard Setup
- Correctly installed and configured Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization
- Configured shared storage and logical networks
[+] Use Virtual Desktops (Lab 8)
In Lab 4, you learned how to provision VMs in the user portal when you have power user privileges. In this lab, you log into the user portal with the same web address, but with a different domain. In particular, this lab pertains to the use of Windows virtual desktops and pools, which require users to be configured in Active Directory.
For desktop users, the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization user portal is a one-stop platform to access one or more VMs. This portal is suitable for desktop end users who have little need to make configuration changes to their VMs.
Goal
Created Windows VMs and pools and connect to VMs from the basic user portal.
Prerequisites
- Successful completion of Lab 4: Access the Power User Portal
- Being logged into the power user portal
- At least one running VM that can be assigned to a user with basic permissions
- A preconfigured VM template
Skills You'll Learn in Track B
With only one hypervisor, you won't be able to test some functionality, like live migration or high availability. But you'll learn how to do the following:
- Install Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3.
- Create your first virtual machine (VM).
- Use the power user portal.
- Create a virtual desktop.
System Requirements
- One Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager server
- One hypervisor host
Evaluation Labs and Videos
The following labs walk you through your Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization evaluation with easy-to-follow videos and documentation.
Download the Evaluation Guide PDF.
[+] Install and Configure Minimal Setup (Lab 9)
This lab demonstrates basic installation and configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization using minimal hardware.
Goal
Create virtual machines (VMs) up to the limit of one host system, provision the VMs, and experience the management interface.
Prerequisites
This lab is designed for users with minimum resources for evaluation. If you have multiple servers or want to use shared storage, please see Track A.
Videos
- Installing Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager
- Installing Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor
- Connecting to Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager
- Configuring ISO Domain
- Configuring Power Management
- Configuring Storage Domains
- Approving Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisors
- Adding an Active Directory Domain
[+] Create Virtual Machines (Lab 2)
Learn how to create Red Hat Enterprise Linux VMs and how to use templates.
Goal
Have at least two running VMs and be able to connect to them.
Prerequisites
- Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization successfully installed and configured
- Necessary Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation images
[+] Access the Power User Portal (Lab 4)
The power user portal is a trimmed-down version of the administration portal, tailored for end-user self-provisioning of VMs. It's simultaneously a gateway for logging in to VMs and a platform to create VMs and manage resources specific to those VMs. This lab illustrates the functions of the power user portal, which is available to users with PowerUserRole permissions.
Goal
Create and manage VMs from the power user portal.
Prerequisites
- Correct installation and configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization so you can log into the power user portal
- At least two running VMs
- Successful completion of Lab 3: Live Migration Scenarios if you're on Track A or Lab 2: Create Virtual Machines if you're on Track B
- To log into the power user portal, you need a Red Hat Enterprise Linux client running Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or later (you can use your Manager server)
[+] Use Virtual Desktops (Lab 8)
In Lab 4, you learned how to provision VMs in the user portal when you have power user privileges. In this lab, you log into the user portal with the same web address, but with a different domain. In particular, this lab pertains to the use of Windows virtual desktops and pools, which require users to be configured in Active Directory.
For desktop users, the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization user portal is a one-stop platform to access one or more VMs. This portal is suitable for desktop end users who have little need to make configuration changes to their VMs.
Goal
Created Windows VMs and pools and connect to VMs from the basic user portal.
Prerequisites
- Successful completion of Lab 4: Access the Power User Portal
- Being logged into the power user portal
- At least one running VM that can be assigned to a user with basic permissions
- A preconfigured VM template