Libvirt
Encyclopedia
libvirt is an open source
API
, daemon
and management tool for managing platform virtualization. It can be used to manage Linux KVM
, Xen
, VMware ESX
and other virtualization technologies. Graphical interfaces use it, such as Virtual Machine Manager
, as do command line interfaces (virsh), and higher level tools like oVirt
.
libvirt itself is a C
library, but it has bindings in other languages, notably in Python
, Perl
, OCaml, Ruby
, Java
, and PHP
.
Development of libvirt is backed by Red Hat
,, with significant contributions by other organisations and individuals. Libvirt is available on most Linux distributions; remote servers are also accessible from Apple Mac OS X
, and Microsoft Windows
clients.
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
, daemon
Daemon (computer software)
In Unix and other multitasking computer operating systems, a daemon is a computer program that runs as a background process, rather than being under the direct control of an interactive user...
and management tool for managing platform virtualization. It can be used to manage Linux KVM
Kernel-based Virtual Machine
Kernel-based Virtual Machine is a virtualization infrastructure for the Linux kernel. KVM supports native virtualization on processors with hardware virtualization extensions....
, Xen
Xen
Xen is a virtual-machine monitor providing services that allow multiple computer operating systems to execute on the same computer hardware concurrently....
, VMware ESX
VMware ESX
VMware ESX is an enterprise-level computer virtualization product offered by VMware, Inc. ESX is a component of VMware's larger offering, VMware Infrastructure, and adds management and reliability services to the core server product...
and other virtualization technologies. Graphical interfaces use it, such as Virtual Machine Manager
Virtual Machine Manager
In computing, the Red Hat Virtual Machine Manager is a desktop-driven virtual-machine manager application with which users can manage virtual machines .- Features :Virtual Machine Manager allows users to:* create, edit, start and stop VMs...
, as do command line interfaces (virsh), and higher level tools like oVirt
OVirt
oVirt is free platform virtualization management web application software developed by Red Hat. oVirt is built on libvirt which allows it to manage virtual machines hosted on any supported backend, including KVM, Xen and VirtualBox.- See also :...
.
libvirt itself is a C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
library, but it has bindings in other languages, notably in Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
, Perl
Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 as a general-purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier. Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and become widely popular...
, OCaml, Ruby
Ruby (programming language)
Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, general-purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. Ruby originated in Japan during the mid-1990s and was first developed and designed by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto...
, Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
, and PHP
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
.
Development of libvirt is backed by Red Hat
Red Hat
Red Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide....
,, with significant contributions by other organisations and individuals. Libvirt is available on most Linux distributions; remote servers are also accessible from Apple Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
clients.
See also
- Kernel-based Virtual MachineKernel-based Virtual MachineKernel-based Virtual Machine is a virtualization infrastructure for the Linux kernel. KVM supports native virtualization on processors with hardware virtualization extensions....
(KVM) - OVirtOVirtoVirt is free platform virtualization management web application software developed by Red Hat. oVirt is built on libvirt which allows it to manage virtual machines hosted on any supported backend, including KVM, Xen and VirtualBox.- See also :...
- XenXenXen is a virtual-machine monitor providing services that allow multiple computer operating systems to execute on the same computer hardware concurrently....
- QEMUQEMUQEMU is a processor emulator that relies on dynamic binary translation to achieve a reasonable speed while being easy to port on new host CPU architectures....
- libguestfsLibguestfslibguestfs is an open source API for modifying the virtual disk images used in virtualization of operating systems. libguestfs provides multiple editing tools for Fedora-based hosts modelled after ordinary Unix commands, such as "virt-cat" and "virt-tar", and can edit virtual machines managed by...