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How to install multiple virtual machines on EC2 machine

You can install and run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on an Amazon EC2 instance, but there are several considerations and steps involved. Here’s how you can achieve this and what you need to consider:

Considerations

  1. Instance Type and Resources: Ensure your EC2 instance has sufficient resources (CPU, memory, storage) to handle the workload of running multiple VMs. For example, a larger instance type like m5.large or c5.xlarge would be more suitable than a smaller one.

  2. Virtualization Software: You’ll need to install virtualization software on your EC2 instance that can create and manage VMs. Popular choices include:

    • KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine): A Linux-based hypervisor.
    • VirtualBox: An open-source x86 virtualization software.
    • VMware: Commercial virtualization software.
  3. Networking: Configure networking appropriately so that each VM can have its own IP address and network configuration.

  4. Licensing: Ensure that you comply with the licensing terms of any operating systems and software you install on the VMs.

Steps to Install and Run VMs on an EC2 Instance

Using KVM on a Linux EC2 Instance

  1. Launch a Suitable EC2 Instance:

    • Choose an instance type with sufficient resources.
    • Select a Linux AMI (Amazon Machine Image), such as Ubuntu or CentOS.
  2. Connect to Your EC2 Instance:

    • Use SSH to connect to your instance.
  3. Install KVM and Required Packages:

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install -y qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon-system libvirt-clients bridge-utils virt-manager
    
  4. Verify Installation:

    sudo systemctl status libvirtd
    
  5. Create and Configure VMs:

    • You can use virt-manager (a graphical tool) or virsh (a command-line tool) to create and manage VMs.
    • Example command to create a VM:
      sudo virt-install --name vm1 --ram 2048 --vcpus 2 --disk size=10 --os-variant ubuntu20.04 --cdrom /path/to/ubuntu.iso
      
  6. Networking Setup:

    • Ensure that each VM has a network interface. You might need to set up a bridge network to allow VMs to communicate with each other and the outside world.

Using VirtualBox on a Linux EC2 Instance

  1. Launch a Suitable EC2 Instance:

    • Choose an instance type with sufficient resources.
    • Select a Linux AMI (Amazon Machine Image), such as Ubuntu or CentOS.
  2. Connect to Your EC2 Instance:

    • Use SSH to connect to your instance.
  3. Install VirtualBox:

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install -y virtualbox
    
  4. Create and Configure VMs:

    • You can use VBoxManage (a command-line tool) to create and manage VMs.
    • Example command to create a VM:
      VBoxManage createvm --name "vm1" --ostype "Ubuntu_64" --register
      VBoxManage modifyvm "vm1" --memory 2048 --vcpus 2 --nic1 nat
      VBoxManage createhd --filename "vm1.vdi" --size 10240
      VBoxManage storagectl "vm1" --name "SATA Controller" --add sata --controller IntelAHCI
      VBoxManage storageattach "vm1" --storagectl "SATA Controller" --port 0 --device 0 --type hdd --medium "vm1.vdi"
      VBoxManage storageattach "vm1" --storagectl "SATA Controller" --port 1 --device 0 --type dvddrive --medium /path/to/ubuntu.iso
      VBoxManage startvm "vm1"
      
Published on: Jul 08, 2024, 04:03 AM  
 

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