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oVirt

Open-source manager for KVM virtual machines across a cluster of Linux hosts.

Open sourceSelf-hostablePrivate cloud and server virtualization platforms

Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, Self-hosted, Web

Visit oVirtSee 5 alternatives

Is oVirt free?

Yes, free and open source

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Verified facts
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About oVirt

oVirt is a self-hosted virtualization management platform built on the KVM hypervisor. A central component, the Engine, runs a web Administration Portal and an API, and controls a fleet of hosts that run either oVirt Node, a minimal CentOS-based hypervisor image, or a regular Enterprise Linux install. It manages shared storage (NFS, GlusterFS, iSCSI, Fibre Channel), networking through OVN, live migration and high availability, and can automate tasks with Ansible. It is the upstream project of the former Red Hat Virtualization product and is now run by its community, so there is no vendor support contract behind it. Installation is done from the command line and expects some Linux administration experience, and the engine and hosts need RHEL 9/10 or CentOS Stream. It's free and open source, aimed at teams replacing VMware vSphere or running private KVM clusters.

Best for: Linux admins running KVM clusters who want a free, vSphere-style management layer.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Free and open source with no licence fees
  • Central web portal for many KVM hosts, with live migration and HA
  • Supports NFS, GlusterFS, iSCSI and Fibre Channel storage
  • Self-hosted engine can itself run as a highly available VM

Why people leave

  • Community-run, with no vendor support subscription
  • Engine and hosts limited to RHEL-family distributions
  • Command-line installation with a steep setup curve

oVirt vs Proxmox VE, XCP-ng and OpenStack

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

AttributeoVirtProxmox VEXCP-ngOpenStack
PricingOpen sourceOpen sourceOpen sourceOpen source
Verified price—€120/year per CPU socket——
Free planFree appFree appFree appFree app
Open sourceYesYesYesYes
Self-hostableYesYesYesYes
PlatformsLinux, Self-hosted, WebSelf-hosted, WebSelf-hostedSelf-hosted, Linux

Top oVirt alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1Proxmox VE logo
    Proxmox VE

    Debian-based and easier to install, with KVM, containers and an optional paid support subscription.

    68.8
  2. 2Xc
    XCP-ng

    Open-source Xen platform with Xen Orchestra and commercial support available.

    64.8
  3. 3OpenStack logo
    OpenStack

    Fits teams that need a full private cloud with self-service tenants rather than a VM manager.

    61.8
  4. 4Apache CloudStack logo
    Apache CloudStack

    Open-source cloud platform that manages KVM, VMware and Xen pools with multi-tenancy.

    59.4
  5. 5Nutanix Cloud Platform logo
    Nutanix Cloud Platform

    Commercial hyperconverged platform with vendor support for teams that want a supported product.

    57.5

Why people left oVirt

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from oVirt, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

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oVirt: common questions

What is oVirt?

oVirt: Open-source manager for KVM virtual machines across a cluster of Linux hosts. Best for linux admins running KVM clusters who want a free, vSphere-style management layer. Available for Linux and Web, and you can host it yourself.

Is oVirt free?

Yes. oVirt is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is oVirt open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at oVirt/ovirt-engine. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does oVirt run on?

oVirt is available for Linux, Self-hosted and Web.

What are the best alternatives to oVirt?

The highest-ranked oVirt alternatives right now are Proxmox VE, XCP-ng and OpenStack. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

oVirt vs Proxmox VE: what's the difference?

Both oVirt and Proxmox VE are free and open source. Only oVirt runs on Linux.

See all 5 oVirt alternatives