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KVM

IBM Not Supported Linux based hypervisor for System z mainframes. Ported to System z from the x86 KVM product First released by IBM 2015. Can only be used for z/Linux guests - not other mainframe operating systems such as z/OS. IBM support ended 2018.
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IBM
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Product Overview

The architecture of KVM on System z involved the KVM hypervisor running as part of the Linux kernel on the System z mainframe. It leveraged the hardware virtualization extensions of the System z architecture to provide isolation and resource management for guest virtual machines. QEMU was used for device emulation, providing virtualized hardware to the guest operating systems.

Libvirt provided a management API for controlling the virtual machines. The main components included the KVM hypervisor, QEMU, and libvirt. These components communicated through standard Linux kernel interfaces and libvirt's API.

Configuration files were typically located in `/etc/libvirt`. Given the end of IBM support, organizations should consider migrating to alternatives. z/VM offers a native hypervisor solution, while containerization platforms like Red Hat OpenShift and Kubernetes on z/Linux provide modern deployment models.

These platforms typically utilize a microservices architecture and REST APIs for management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is KVM on System z?

KVM on System z is a hypervisor that allows running multiple virtual machines (guests) on a single System z mainframe. It leverages the hardware virtualization capabilities of the System z architecture to provide isolation and resource management for the guests.

What guest operating systems are supported by KVM on System z?

KVM on System z supports z/Linux guests. It does not support other mainframe operating systems such as z/OS.

When was KVM on System z released and when did IBM support end?

KVM on System z was initially released by IBM in 2015. IBM support ended in 2018.

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