Windows 10: Networking on Windows VM from KVM/ QEMU Host via Bridge

Hi folks

For those running Windows VM's on Linux Hosts and want to try the Linux Hypervisor (VMWare and VBOX will run concurrently so you don't even need to power off any running Windows VM's) with decent networking you need to set up a network Bridge (roughly analogous to External Switch in HYPER-V). Otherwise the VM will have access to the Internet only and other parts of your LAN but no host access either way -- either from HOST TO VM or from VM to HOST.

I've assumed you've already installed basic networking and managed to create a Virtual Machine . (You can create the bridge of course before creating the Virtual Machine to test if it's working properly).

1) On the HOST install bridge-utils
2) Create the bridge -- this is done with a simple file in /etc/netctl directory -- my example is kvm-bridge
3) here's the simplest possible file . If you don't like the basic vi editor (ugh !!!!) you can use a wysisyg full screen editor e.g kate that allows root save to root access only folders.

Interface=br0
Connection=bridge
BindsToInterfaces=(enp2s0f1) ===>to a physical device in your system --
IP=dhcp

4) start the bridge : netctl start kvm-bridge

5) automatically start at Host boot

netctl enable kvm-bridge

6) Check via any command if interfaces all working (via ifconfig or any appropriate command). To display the bridge use the command brctl show.

7) In Samba add these two lines to /etc/samba.conf file

bind interfaces only = yes
interfaces = br0 >>>>> Name of your bridge

If you don't do this on the HOST (only) the host will not have any access to any VM's on the LAN whatever host they are attached to -- even those on different physical machines - it will still be able to access physical machines and the Internet though.

8) in the VM config for windows (Easy GUI is to use lib-virt - Virtual machine manager) create virtual network --- specify network source -- etc as shown (for Virtio install the win-virtio drivers otherwise a physical nic card will come up - can be used also but virtio is streets ahead for better for Windows)





9) Now your VM has full network access





10 ) And from the HOST (Hestur) -- the 2nd VM is a VMWare W10 VM on a different host (wulf) not running KVM.





Job Done "Seeemples" !!!


enjoy !!!! ( it's a lot more fun than just starting up VMWare player !!!!!)


Cheers

jimbo

:)

 

qemu-kvm

virt-manager is the gui that can be used to do exactly this.

from the open source project:QEMU is a generic and open source machine emulator and virtualizer.

When used as a machine emulator, QEMU can run OSes and programs made for one machine (e.g. an ARM board) on a different machine (e.g. your own PC). By using dynamic translation, it achieves very good performance.

When used as a virtualizer, QEMU achieves near native performances by executing the guest code directly on the host CPU. QEMU supports virtualization when executing under the Xen hypervisor or using the KVM kernel module in Linux. When using KVM, QEMU can virtualize x86, server and embedded PowerPC, and S390 guests.

 

qemu-kvm

i'm missing some kind of free gui based management thing for qemu-kvm that lets me do common VM tasks

 

is Windows Server 2016 supports UEFI secure Boot on KVM Hypervisor?

Hi

As part of customer ask we are validating Windows Server 2016 [Guest VM] UEFI secure boot mode on KVM(Hypervisor) Host. I am looking for support documents which helps me in assessing the same.

is Windows Server 2016 supports UEFI secure Boot on KVM Hypervisor? if so please provide information here.

Environment Details

KVM Host :RHEL 7.3

Guest VM : Windows Server 2016

Qemu Version : qemu-kvm-ev-2.9.0-16.el7_4.13.1

Thanks in Advance.