Virtualizor is a powerful web-based VPS control panel designed to manage virtualization environments. Virtualizor simplifies creating, managing, and monitoring virtual servers, whether you’re a system administrator or a hosting provider. This guide will take you through the step-by-step process of installing, configuring, and using Virtualizor, including details on necessary commands and tips for efficient usage.
1. What is Virtualizor?
Virtualizor, developed by Softaculous, is a user-friendly VPS management panel that supports multiple virtualization technologies, such as KVM, Xen, OpenVZ, LXC, and Proxmox. With its graphical interface and robust command-line tools, Virtualizor offers flexibility and efficiency for managing virtualized environments.
Important Features
- Multi-virtualization support
- Intuitive web interface
- API integration
- Resource monitoring
- Backup and restore functionalities
- High-availability clustering
2. System Requirements and Supported Virtualization Types
System Requirements
Before installing Virtualizor, make sure your server meets the following requirements:
Operating System:
Virtualizor supports CentOS, RHEL, Ubuntu, and Debian OS. These platforms offer the violence and compatibility necessary for virtualization. Ensure that the OS used is supported for installing Virtualizor so there will be no installation problems, and you can use improved performance with these environments.
Hardware:
Processor: A minimum 2 GHz processor is needed for optimal performance, ensuring sufficient computational power for virtualization tasks.
Memory: Requires a minimum of 2GB RAM, though 4 GB or more is recommended for KVM setups to handle multiple virtual machines easily.
Storage: 20GB+ disk space is required to store the Virtualizor installation and support VM operations.
Network: Virtualizor is dependent on at least one Static IP. This maintains a good network and allows the admin to access the panel and have connectivity to the virtual machine.
Supported Virtualization Types
Virtualizor supports:
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine):Â KVM is a full virtualization solution ideal for running isolated virtual machines. It utilizes hardware-assisted virtualization techniques to provide high performance and is, therefore, suitable for hosting environments that demand effective VM management.
OpenVZ: OpenVZ is an efficient and lightweight container-based virtualization system. It enables several containers to use one kernel, which makes it convenient for applications that do not need much compartmentalization.
Xen: Xen hypervisor provides a robust separation of virtual machines from one another. Both the paravirtualization and the hardware-assisted virtualization have been embraced in the platform to suit many purposes.
LXC (Linux Containers): LXC is a lightweight container-based virtualization technology. It is ideal for environments requiring minimal overhead, providing process-level isolation while sharing the host OS kernel.
3. Installing Virtualizor
Pre-Installation Steps
Update the System:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y # For Ubuntu/Debian
sudo yum update -y # For CentOS/RHELConfigure Hostname: Set a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for your server:
hostnamectl set-hostname your-server-nameInstall Dependencies: Make sure required packages like wget and curl are installed:
sudo apt install wget curl -y
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo yum install wget curl -y # CentOS/RHELInstallation Process
Download and Install Virtualizor:
The first step before installing Virtualizor is to download the installer script. Download the script using the following command, which will download from the Virtualizor server. This script was created to prepare your system by preparing all necessary files and configurations for the next steps.
wget -N http://files.virtualizor.com/install.sh
chmod 755 install.sh
./install.sh [email protected] kernel=[options]To customize your Virtualizor installation, replace [options] in the command with the appropriate virtualization type, such as kvm for Kernel-based Virtual Machine or openvz for OpenVZ containers.
This ensures compatibility with your server’s virtualization requirements and configures Virtualizor accordingly for optimal functionality.
Verify Installation:
Once installation is complete, verify it by navigating to the Virtualizor admin panel through your browser at http://<your-server-ip>:4085.
They should rely on the default credentials set when running the installation process. This step checks whether the Virtualizor environment is up and running and configured adequately for VM management.
Post-Installation Configuration
License Activation:
Activate your Virtualizor license through the admin panel by entering the license key provided during purchase.
This step validates your installation and enables Virtualizor to function fully. Ensuring the product complies with licensing terms and provides access to the complete feature set is crucial.
Configure Firewall: Open required ports (e.g., 4082, 4083, 4084).
4. Configuring Virtualizor
Setting Up Virtualization Types
Navigate to the Virtualizor admin panel and choose the virtualization technology. Configure:
Bridge Networking for KVM: In the Virtualizor admin panel, configure bridge networking for KVM to enable VMs to communicate directly with the external network. This arrangement brings the host and VMs under one network interface, creating a route by which they can interconnect with output devices.
Storage Pools: You can assign storage pools to virtual machines by navigating to the storage configuration settings in the admin panel.
Storage pools make organizing disk space easier for many virtual machines by allowing the administrator to assign storage pools to VMs and expand them quickly.
Network Configuration
Add IP Pools:
Go to the “IP Management” section in the admin panel and select “Add IP Pool.” Then, specify the IP address range for VMs.
This step ensures that each VM gets a unique IP address for proper connectivity and independent network operation.
Configure Network Interfaces: Update netplan (Ubuntu) or network-scripts (CentOS) files to assign a static IP.
This ensures reliable network connectivity for the Virtualizor platform and its virtual machines, minimizing the risk of IP conflicts or connectivity issues.
Storage Configuration
Add Storage Options: Implementing an enhanced storage option, such as LVM or ZFS, is necessary to improve VM performance and scalability. LVM allows you to resize partitions, while ZFS features like data compression and data integrity make it a good base for storing virtual machines.
Navigate to Storage Settings: In the admin panel, go to the “Storage” section and select “Add Storage” to allocate and configure additional storage resources.
This process enables efficient storage management and provides flexibility to scale storage as your virtualization needs grow.
5. Managing Virtual Machines
Creating Virtual Machines
Log in to the Admin Panel:
Access the Virtualizor admin panel using your credentials.
This interface can be used as the core point for managing virtual machines. Using VMs, administrators can easily manage, implement, and even track many VMs.
Go to Virtual Machines > Create VM:
Under the “Virtual Machines” tab, one should click on the “Create VM” button. This action will start a new virtual machine configuration process, during which one can set its attributes.
Configure:
CPU, RAM, Disk Size: Properly configure the VM by assigning an appropriate value of CPU and memory and proper disk space for its responsibility.
Network Interface: Set up the VM’s network connectivity by assigning a network interface, enabling external and internal communication.
OS Template: Choose an operating system template for the VM. Pre-configured templates simplify the deployment process by providing ready-to-use OS environments.
Click Create to Deploy the VM: Finalize the configuration and deploy the virtual machine by clicking “Create.” The VM will be provisioned based on your specifications and become available.
Cloning Virtual Machines
Select an Existing VM: Identify the virtual machine you want to clone from the list of existing VMs in the admin panel. Make sure the source VM has the desired configuration and data.
Use the Clone VM Option: Select the “Clone VM” option to create a replica of the selected virtual machine. This process duplicates the VM’s settings, storage, and configurations.
Adjust Resources as Needed for the New VM: Modify the cloned VM’s resources, such as CPU, RAM, and disk size, to tailor it for its new purpose. This allows flexibility while retaining the original VM’s base setup.
How to Set and Manage Resource Quotas in Virtualizor
Assign Resource Limits to Users: Define quotas for CPU, RAM, disk space, and other resources for each user or client.
This makes sure of fair resource allocation and prevents overutilization of server resources.
Use Resource Monitoring to Track CPU, RAM, and Disk Usage: The admin panel offers solutions for controlling the usage of CPU, memory, and storage resources.
This helps identify resource bottlenecks and optimize VM performance.
6. Monitoring and Maintenance
Monitoring System Health
Use the Dashboard:
Monitor system health in real time through the Virtualizor admin panel. The dashboard displays resource utilization (CPU, RAM, disk), network activity, and VM statuses, providing insights for maintaining a stable virtualized environment.
Install Monitoring Tools:
For example, Nagios or Zabbix can track the systems in more detail. These tools provide administrators with rich alerting, log data, and time-series data to analyze and anticipate performance problems and possible sources of contention.
Updating Virtualizor
Command to Update:
virtualizor --update-allIt is used to update Virtualizor to the latest version.
Accesses new features, performance improvements, and security patches, optimizing your virtualization platform.
Review Release Notes:
Before updating, check the release notes to understand the changes and prepare for any adjustments required in your configuration.
Backups and Recovery
Schedule Automated Backups: Use the Backup Manager in the admin panel to set up scheduled backups. Regular backups ensure data security and provide a reliable recovery point in system failures.
7. Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Common Issues
VM Creation Errors:
Check Disk Space and RAM: ensure the server has enough available disk space and memory to accommodate the new VM.
Verify Network Settings: Ensure proper network configurations are maintained to avoid connectivity issues during VM setup.
License Problems:
If you see license-related errors, re-sync the license using the Admin Panel. This updates your license status and resolves issues like expiration or mismatch.
Firewall Blocks:
Confirm if Required Ports Are Open:
To minimize Firewall problems, ensure that all Virtualizor uses ports; for instance, ports 4082, 4083, and 4084 are open. Closed ports are also known to restrict the communication process and prevent services from working as expected.
Troubleshooting Tips
Check Logs:
If you face errors or unexpected behavior, inspect the Virtualizor logs on one dashboard.
These logs provide detailed insights into system operations and troubleshooting issues.
Restart Services:
Use the command
systemctl restart virtualizor
Use the command to restart the Virtualizor service. It was developed to solve problems associated with service failure or when changes must be made and the service must be reloaded.
8. Best Practices for Using Virtualizor
Regular Updates:Â Ensure that the fresh Version of Virtualizor, together with the hosting operating system, contains the latest enhancements, patches, and security enhancements. These services help to constantly update your platform, making it secure and run efficiently.
Security: Prioritize solid passwords and two-factor authentication. These measures increase system security by reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
Resource Allocation: It is also essential not to over-provision CPU memory and disk storage. Overloading your server adversely affects virtual machines and the host environment through poor performance and instability.
Monitoring: Use external tools like Nagios or Zabbix to monitor system health, track performance metrics, and receive alerts. Proactive monitoring helps maintain a stable and efficient virtualized environment.
9. Conclusion
Virtualizor is a VPS management tool that provides convenience and automates all virtual tasks. From installation to day-to-day administration, the tool has a simple GUI and highly functional CLI, enabling most administrators to achieve optimum performance in complex scenarios. Follow the steps and commands in this guide to get the most out of the Virtualizer application.
About the writer
Vinayak Baranwal wrote this article. Use the provided link to connect with Vinayak on LinkedIn for more insightful content or collaboration opportunities.
