LXC Linux Containers vs KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

Struggling to choose between LXC Linux Containers and KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

LXC Linux Containers is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like containers, virtualization, linux.

It boasts features such as OS-level virtualization for running multiple isolated Linux systems on a single host, Resource isolation of CPU, memory, block I/O, network, etc, Near-native performance with minimal overhead, Live migration of containers between hosts, Snapshots and cloning of containers, Support for different Linux distributions, Integration with common orchestration tools like Kubernetes and pros including Lightweight and efficient resource utilization, Near-native performance compared to full virtualization, Easy to deploy and manage at scale, Allows consolidating services on fewer servers, Enables portable workloads across environments, Integrates well with automation and orchestration tools.

On the other hand, KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a System & Hardware product tagged with virtualization, vm, linux, open-source.

Its standout features include Kernel-level virtualization, Supports live migration of VMs between hosts, Built into Linux kernel, Leverages hardware-assisted virtualization, Open source and free, and it shines with pros like Good performance, Leverages hardware virtualization, Integrated into Linux, Active development community, Free and open source.

Feature	LXC Linux Containers	KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Os & Utilities	System & Hardware

Product Overview

LXC Linux Containers

Description: LXC Linux Containers (LXC) provides lightweight, operating system-level virtualization on Linux. It allows running multiple isolated Linux systems on a single host with minimal resource overhead.

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

Description: KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is an open-source virtualization technology that allows you to create and run virtual machines (VMs) on Linux. It makes use of hardware virtualization capabilities of modern CPUs for efficient virtualization.

Key Features Comparison

LXC Linux Containers Features

• OS-level virtualization for running multiple isolated Linux systems on a single host
• Resource isolation of CPU, memory, block I/O, network, etc
• Near-native performance with minimal overhead
• Live migration of containers between hosts
• Snapshots and cloning of containers
• Support for different Linux distributions
• Integration with common orchestration tools like Kubernetes

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) Features

• Kernel-level virtualization
• Supports live migration of VMs between hosts
• Built into Linux kernel
• Leverages hardware-assisted virtualization
• Open source and free

Pros & Cons Analysis

LXC Linux Containers

Pros

• Lightweight and efficient resource utilization
• Near-native performance compared to full virtualization
• Easy to deploy and manage at scale
• Allows consolidating services on fewer servers
• Enables portable workloads across environments
• Integrates well with automation and orchestration tools

Cons

• Less isolation than full virtualization
• Shared kernel so host security issues can affect containers
• Limitations around running non-Linux or mix of Linux distros
• Less support for Windows services/tools
• Steeper learning curve than full virtualization

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

Pros

• Good performance
• Leverages hardware virtualization
• Integrated into Linux
• Active development community
• Free and open source

Cons

• Linux-only
• Less features than proprietary solutions
• Steeper learning curve than alternatives
• No centralized management

Pricing Comparison

LXC Linux Containers

• Open Source

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

• Open Source
• Free