Build a VPS Host with Ubuntu Server 8.10 and KVM

By Philip C. Paradis
April 19, 2009

This tutorial will teach you how to turn a spare computer into a VPS host using Ubuntu Server 8.10 and the open source KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) virtualization system. As long as your computer has a fairly modern AMD or Intel processor, you can make use of this system to run multiple virtual private server instances on a single machine.

Please note that these instructions assume the user has access to a Linux/UNIX/MacOS X workstation for use during server configuration. If you're running Windows, you'll need to download an SSH client like PuTTY for network console access. To run the KVM virtual machine manager over the network, you'll need to have a locally installed X11 server for Windows.

A locally-hosted virtual private server makes a great development and/or testing platform for websites and web applications, allowing you to make sure everything works properly before migrating your work to a production VPS. My favorite VPS provider continues to be Linode.com, as they've reliably hosted my sites and apps for several years.

Ubuntu Logo

The Ubuntu logo is a registered trademark of Canonical, Inc.