Automated Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for KVM Virtual Machines Zero-to-VM in minutes with automated provisioning and configuration
KVM_Spin_Ups is a DevOps-ready automation tool that transforms your Linux workstation into a powerful virtualization platform. It enables rapid, repeatable VM provisioning using Infrastructure as Code principles with minimal setup overhead.
- ✅ Lightning-fast VM provisioning - From zero to running VM in under 10 minutes
- ✅ Infrastructure as Code - Declarative VM specifications with reproducible results
- ✅ No cloud costs - Run VMs locally with full control over resources
- ✅ Automated OS installation - Kickstart-based provisioning with no manual intervention
- ✅ Multi-VM orchestration - Create complete test environments with a single command
- ✅ Production-like environments - Use enterprise-grade distributions (Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux)
| Use Case | Description | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| CI/CD Pipeline Testing | Spin up disposable test environments | Isolated, consistent testing environments |
| Infrastructure Automation | Test Ansible, Terraform, Puppet scripts | Local validation before production deployment |
| Multi-Node Cluster Simulation | Create Kubernetes, database, or HA clusters | Test clustering and orchestration locally |
| Learning & Training | Hands-on experience with enterprise Linux | No cloud costs, full control |
| Disaster Recovery Testing | Practice backup/restore procedures | Safe, isolated environment |
graph TD
A[User Input] --> B[KVM_Spin_Ups Launcher]
B --> C[VM Configuration]
C --> D[ISO Management]
D --> E[Kickstart Generation]
E --> F[HTTP Server]
F --> G[VM Provisioning]
G --> H[Installation Monitoring]
H --> I[Ready VMs]
J[Common Functions] --> B
K[Validation] --> C
L[Distros] --> G
M[Templates] --> E
- Virtualization: KVM/QEMU with Libvirt API
- Automation: Kickstart for unattended OS installation
- Scripting: Pure Bash with modular architecture
- Networking: NAT with DHCP and HTTP server for kickstart delivery
- Security: Encrypted password hashes, firewall configuration
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install qemu-kvm libvirt-daemon-system libvirt-clients virtinst bridge-utils curl python3
# RHEL/CentOS/Rocky/AlmaLinux
sudo dnf install @virtualization virt-install libvirt curl python3
# Add user to required groups
sudo usermod -a -G libvirt,kvm $USER
newgrp libvirt # Or log out and back in# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/your-username/KVM_Spin_Ups.git
cd KVM_Spin_Ups
# Make executable and run
chmod +x src/KVM_Spin_Ups.sh
bash src/KVM_Spin_Ups.shVM Count: 3
VM #1:
Distribution: Rocky Linux 9.7
Hostname: web-server-01
RAM: 2048 MB
vCPUs: 2
Disk: 30 GB
Timezone: UTC
User: ops
Access: SSH + virsh console
VM #2:
Distribution: AlmaLinux 10.1
Hostname: db-server-01
RAM: 4096 MB
vCPUs: 2
Disk: 50 GB
VM #3:
Distribution: Rocky Linux 9.7
Hostname: app-server-01
RAM: 3072 MB
vCPUs: 2
Disk: 40 GB| Distribution | Version | Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux | 9.7 | Production-like EL | RHEL-compatible, enterprise-grade |
| AlmaLinux | 10.1 | Latest EL features | Community-driven, cloud-ready |
- Hostname - Unique identifier for the VM
- RAM - 1024MB to 16384MB (1GB to 16GB)
- vCPUs - 1 to 16 virtual CPUs
- Disk Size - 10GB to 500GB storage
- Timezone - Any valid timezone (default: Africa/Cairo)
- User Management - Custom user passwords with sudo access
- Network - NAT with DHCP (192.168.122.0/24)
- User:
opswith passwordless sudo - Access: SSH and virsh console
- Security: Root login disabled via SSH, firewall enabled
- Timezone: Africa/Cairo (configurable)
- KVM_SPIN_UPS_ROOT: Override project root directory detection
export KVM_SPIN_UPS_ROOT="/path/to/project"
# List all VMs
virsh list --all
# Start/Stop VMs
virsh start vm-name
virsh shutdown vm-name
virsh destroy vm-name # Force stop
# Access VM console
virsh console vm-name
# Get VM IP address
virsh net-dhcp-leases default
# SSH access
ssh ops@vm-ip-address# Wait for VM to be accessible
while ! ssh -o ConnectTimeout=5 ops@vm-ip 'true' 2>/dev/null; do
sleep 5
echo "Waiting for VM to be ready..."
done
# Deploy configuration after VM creation
ssh ops@vm-ip 'sudo yum install -y ansible'
scp playbook.yml ops@vm-ip:~/
ssh ops@vm-ip 'ansible-playbook playbook.yml'KVM_Spin_Ups/
├── README.md # This file
├── LICENSE # MIT License
├── INSTALLATION_Guide.md # Detailed setup instructions
├── Debugging.md # Troubleshooting guide
├── src/ # Source code
│ ├── KVM_Spin_Ups.sh # Main launcher script
│ ├── common-functions.sh # Shared utilities
│ ├── validation-functions.sh # Input validation
│ ├── distros-installers/ # Distribution-specific installers
│ │ ├── rocky-linux-installers.sh
│ │ └── alma-linux-installers.sh
│ └── templates/ # Kickstart templates
│ ├── rocky-ks.cfg.template
│ └── alma-ks.cfg.template
├── docs/ # Documentation
│ └── architecture.md
├── examples/ # Usage examples
│ └── basic-usage.md
├── iso/ # Downloaded ISOs
├── mounts/ # Mount points for ISO extraction
├── vms/ # VM disk images
└── tests/ # Test scripts
- Encrypted Passwords: SHA-512 hashed passwords using Python crypt
- Restricted Root Access: Root login disabled via SSH
- Firewall Configuration: Automatic firewall setup with SSH allowed
- Isolated Network: NAT network prevents direct external access
- Idempotency: Safe to run multiple times without side effects
- Configuration Management: Template-based kickstart files
- Infrastructure as Code: Declarative VM specifications
- Automated Provisioning: No manual intervention required
- Resource Management: Configurable resource allocation
# Check group membership
groups | grep libvirt
# Add user to groups if missing
sudo usermod -a -G libvirt,kvm $USER
newgrp libvirt# Check CPU support
egrep -c '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo # Should return > 0
# Load KVM modules
sudo modprobe kvm
sudo modprobe kvm_intel # or kvm_amd for AMD# Get VM IP
virsh net-dhcp-leases default
# Access via console
virsh console vm-name
# Check VM state
virsh domstate vm-name- Check
INSTALLATION_Guide.mdfor detailed troubleshooting - Review
Debugging.mdfor common error patterns - File issues on GitHub with system details and error messages
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature) - Implement your changes with proper error handling
- Test thoroughly across supported distributions
- Document new features or changes
- Submit a pull request with clear description
- Additional distribution support (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora)
- Advanced networking options (bridged, custom networks)
- VM snapshot and backup functionality
- Integration with configuration management tools
- Enhanced monitoring and metrics
- Cloud-init support for advanced configuration
- Integration with Ansible for post-install configuration
- VM cloning and template creation
- Enhanced security options (custom SSH keys)
- Support for additional distributions (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora)
- Web-based management interface
- VM backup and restore functionality
- Integration with monitoring tools
- Multi-host orchestration
- Container integration (Podman/LXC)
- High availability cluster simulation
- Performance monitoring and reporting
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
- The KVM and libvirt projects for providing robust virtualization technology
- The Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux communities for enterprise-grade distributions
- The DevOps community for inspiration and best practices
- All contributors who help improve this tool
KVM_Spin_Ups bridges the gap between development and operations by providing production-like environments on your local hardware. Whether you're testing infrastructure automation, simulating multi-node clusters, or learning enterprise Linux distributions, KVM_Spin_Ups provides the foundation for effective DevOps practices.
Start your first VM in minutes, not hours.
Made with ❤️ by the open-source community for DevOps engineers worldwide