Quick answer: To install Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager (OLVM 4.5), start from a Minimal Install of Oracle Linux 8.8 or later, install the oracle-ovirt-release-45-el8 package, run olvm-pre-check.py, then dnf install ovirt-engine and engine-setup. Prepare each KVM host the same way (without the engine), add it under Compute > Hosts, attach a Fibre Channel, iSCSI or NFS data domain, and create your first virtual machine. Commands below follow Oracle's current OLVM 4.5 documentation (checked November 2026).
What Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager is
Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager is Oracle's server virtualization management platform, built on the open-source oVirt project. A central engine (the Manager) runs the web-based Administration Portal, and one or more Oracle Linux KVM hosts run the virtual machines. Shared storage, organised into storage domains, lets VMs live-migrate between hosts.
| Component | What it does | Runs on |
|---|---|---|
| Engine (Manager) | Administration Portal, REST API, scheduling, database | Oracle Linux 8.8+ (Oracle also lists 9.7+), as a standalone host or a self-hosted engine VM |
| KVM host | Runs VMs through VDSM, libvirt and QEMU | Oracle Linux 8.8+ or 9.6+ |
| Data storage domain | Holds VM disks, templates and ISO images | NFS, iSCSI or Fibre Channel storage |
Before you start
- Fresh Minimal Install. Install Oracle Linux with the Minimal Install base environment on the engine and on every KVM host. Oracle warns that any other base environment leaves hosts with the wrong qemu and libvirt versions and broken VM consoles.
- No extra packages yet. Don't add software until the Manager packages are installed and the hosts are added, to avoid dependency conflicts.
- DNS first. Give the engine and each host a fully qualified domain name that resolves forwards and backwards.
engine-setupreads the FQDN fromhostname -f. - Same major version for OVN. If you use the OVN network provider, run the engine and the KVM hosts on the same Oracle Linux major version.
- Sizing. CPU, memory and disk requirements are in Oracle's Architecture and Planning Guide; check them for your release before ordering hardware.
Plan your management, storage and VM networks before you begin. The IPv4 subnet calculator and VLSM calculator help you size each subnet.
Step 1: Enable the OLVM repositories on the engine
On a host that uses the Oracle Linux yum server (no ULN registration), enable the base repository and install the release package. The release package enables and disables the repositories OLVM needs:
sudo dnf config-manager --enable ol8_baseos_latest
sudo dnf install oracle-ovirt-release-45-el8
sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf repolistCheck that these repositories are enabled: ol8_baseos_latest, ol8_appstream, ol8_kvm_appstream, ol8_addons, ovirt-4.5, ovirt-4.5-extra and ol8_gluster_appstream (plus ol8_UEKR7 if you use VDSM on that host). Enable any that are missing with sudo dnf config-manager --enable <repository>.
On ULN-registered systems, subscribe the host to the matching ol8_x86_64_* channels (baseos_latest, appstream, kvm_appstream, addons, ovirt45, ovirt45_extras, gluster_appstream) at linux.oracle.com, then install oracle-ovirt-release-45-el8.
Step 2: Update the kernel modules and reboot
If the engine runs the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK), install the extra modules and update, then reboot:
sudo dnf install kernel-uek-modules-extra
sudo dnf update -y
sudo rebootStep 3: Run the OLVM pre-check
Oracle ships a pre-check script that tests repositories, SELinux, firewalld, FIPS, the Minimal Install group and package versions. Run it before installing anything else:
sudo olvm-pre-check.pyFix every [WARN] or [FAIL] line and run it again until all checks pass. A common warning is an extra repository that must be disabled, for example dnf config-manager --set-disabled update-pcp.
Step 4: Install the engine and run engine-setup
sudo dnf install ovirt-engine
sudo engine-setupengine-setup asks a series of questions. The defaults suit a standalone engine with local databases:
| Prompt | Recommended answer |
|---|---|
| Configure Engine on this host | Yes |
| Configure ovirt-provider-ovn, WebSocket Proxy, Data Warehouse, VM Console Proxy | Yes (defaults) |
| Host fully qualified DNS name | Confirm it matches hostname -f |
| Keycloak SSO | Yes (recommended) |
| Configure the firewall (firewalld) | Yes, unless you manage ports yourself |
| Engine and DWH database location / setup | Local / Automatic |
| Engine admin password | A strong password for admin@ovirt |
| Application mode | Both |
| Apache SSL certificate | Automatic (self-signed; replace it for production) |
If you answer No to the firewall question, setup prints the ports you must open yourself. Setup saves your answers to a file and shows the log location when it finishes; note the database names (engine and ovirt_engine_history by default).
Step 5: Sign in to the Administration Portal
Open https://<engine-fqdn>/ovirt-engine, select Administration Portal and sign in as admin@ovirt with the password you set. If the browser complains about the certificate, download the engine CA from http://<engine-fqdn>/ovirt-engine/services/pki-resource?resource=ca-certificate&format=X509-PEM-CA and import it. The installer creates a data center and a cluster, both named Default, which you can rename or extend.
Step 6: Prepare each KVM host
Install Oracle Linux 8.8+ or 9.6+ with Minimal Install, then enable the repositories. The commands are the same on both versions; only the number changes (el8/ol8 or el9/ol9):
# Oracle Linux 8 KVM host
sudo dnf config-manager --enable ol8_baseos_latest
sudo dnf install oracle-ovirt-release-45-el8
# Oracle Linux 9 KVM host
sudo dnf config-manager --enable ol9_baseos_latest
sudo dnf install oracle-ovirt-release-45-el9
sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf repolistOn UEK hosts, add the extra kernel modules and reboot, then run the same pre-check:
sudo dnf install kernel-uek-modules-extra
sudo reboot
sudo olvm-pre-check.pyOracle Linux 9 KVM hosts need UEK Release 8, a cluster compatibility version of 4.7 and an engine running ovirt-engine-4.5.5-1.65 or later. They can't join a cluster that uses GlusterFS or hyperconvergence.
Step 7: Add the KVM host to the Manager
- In the Administration Portal, go to Compute > Hosts and select New.
- Pick the Host Cluster (Default is preselected), enter a Name and the host's FQDN or IP in Hostname.
- Under Authentication, choose SSH PublicKey (recommended) and copy the key shown into
/root/.ssh/authorized_keyson the host, or enter the root password. - Select OK. Skip or configure power management when prompted.
- Wait while the status shows Installing; it changes to Up when VDSM and its packages are installed.
Two rules prevent most early problems: once a host is in a cluster, change its networking only through the Administration Portal or REST API (not nmcli or ifcfg files), and set memory and vCPU quotas so the host keeps resources for itself, because OLVM allows overallocation.
Step 8: Attach a data storage domain
VM disks live in a data domain. Go to Storage > Domains > New Domain, leave Domain Function as Data, choose the host to use, then pick the storage type:
| Storage type | What to prepare | In the New Domain dialog |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre Channel | Zone and present an unused LUN to every KVM host | Select Fibre Channel, then Add next to the LUN ID |
| iSCSI | An iSCSI target with unused LUNs (port 3260 by default) | Select iSCSI, discover the target, log in, then Add the LUN |
| NFS | An export owned by 36:36 (vdsm:kvm) | Select NFS and enter server:/path |
For NFS, prepare the share on the file server like this, then run exportfs -rv:
mkdir -p /nfs/olv_ovirt/data
chown -R 36:36 /nfs/olv_ovirt
chmod -R 0755 /nfs/olv_ovirt
# /etc/exports
/nfs/olv_ovirt/data *(rw,sync,no_subtree_check,all_squash,anonuid=36,anongid=36)A LUN or volume group can belong to only one storage domain at a time. If your array is ZFS-based, clear Discard after Delete in the advanced iSCSI options.
Step 9: Upload an ISO and create the first VM
- Make sure
ovirt-imageiois running on the engine andovirt-imageio-daemonon the host (systemctl status), and that the engine CA is trusted in your browser. - Go to Storage > Disks > Upload > Start, choose the ISO, select Test Connection, then OK.
- Go to Compute > Virtual Machines > New, give the VM a name, operating system, memory and a new disk on your data domain, and attach the uploaded ISO as the CD to boot from.
Troubleshooting common OLVM install problems
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Pre-check reports extra repositories | Disable them with dnf config-manager --set-disabled <repo> and rerun the script |
| Host stuck in Installing or Non Responsive | DNS resolution both ways, SSH key in root's authorized_keys, host built with Minimal Install |
| VM console doesn't open | Hosts installed with a non-minimal base environment, or the engine CA not trusted in the browser |
| No LUNs shown for FC or iSCSI | LUN already used by another domain, or not presented/zoned to the selected host |
| ISO upload fails at Test Connection | ovirt-imageio services stopped, or the engine CA not imported |
FAQ
Is Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager free?
The OLVM packages install from the public Oracle Linux yum server without a ULN subscription, as the steps above show. Oracle support is a separate paid subscription; Oracle says support for Oracle Linux 9 KVM hosts requires Oracle Linux Premier Plus Support.
Which Oracle Linux versions does OLVM 4.5 support?
KVM hosts run Oracle Linux 8.8 or later, or 9.6 or later. The engine steps in this guide use Oracle Linux 8.8 or later; Oracle's current Getting Started Guide also lists Oracle Linux 9.7 or later for the engine host, so check it before building on 9.
Is OLVM the same as oVirt?
OLVM is built on oVirt and uses the same components (engine, VDSM, Administration Portal), packaged and supported by Oracle for Oracle Linux KVM hosts.
Can I run the engine as a VM on the hosts it manages?
Yes. That is the self-hosted engine deployment. This guide covers a standalone engine, which is simpler to install and troubleshoot for a first deployment.
Where do I log in after installation?
Browse to https://<engine-fqdn>/ovirt-engine, open the Administration Portal and sign in as admin@ovirt.
Next steps
Once the first VM boots, add a second KVM host so you can live-migrate VMs and patch hosts without downtime, then plan backups for the VM disks and the engine database. For related reading, see the Data Center guides, converting VMware disks between thick and thin, and server room and data center design best practices.
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