RHEL 5.4 正式将 KVM 应用到生产，彻底摈弃了以往的 RHEL 5.0 版本中的 Xen。让我们看看 RHEL 5.4 中的 KVM 都支持哪些功能，支持 live migration （在线迁移），load balancing （负载均衡），snapshots （快照），flexible storage （灵活存储），memory page sharing （内存共享）和 ballooning, SSL encryption, multiple virtual CPUs 等等。以上这些功能都是服务器虚拟化方面的功能，RHEL 5.4 还具有针对桌面虚拟化的功能，使用 SPICE 协议，支持 rapid provisioning （快速部署），linked images，desktop pooling 以及 search-based 管理等功能，看来用户在 Citrix 的 XenDesktop 和 VMware View 之外又有了一种新的选择。
呃，这些功能还不够你兴奋的吗，看来 Red Hat 真是厚积薄发啊？看好 KVM 的前景，赶紧搭建 CentOS 玩玩吧。
不过，需要指出的是 Red Hat KVM 产品的系统生态目前还不成熟，其可用性仍然需要经过生产的检验。譬如对其兼容的第三方备份软件目前几乎没有，当然，时间会改变一切不成熟，包括我自己。
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RED HAT ENTERPRISE VIRTUALIZATION FOR SERVERS: COMPETITIVE FEATURES
KVM 相关的一些术语：
* Memory page sharing and ballooning: Maximizes the number of virtual desktops that can be hosted on a single hypervisor, lowering infrastructure and management costs
* Multiple virtual CPUs: Virtual desktops can have up to four virtual CPUs, maximizing performance
* Rapid provisioning: Create new desktop environments in minutes, or grant permission to users to self-provision their own desktops
* Linked images: Provision new virtual desktops based on master images, saving up to 90 percent storage capacity
* Desktop pooling: Create groups of virtual desktops that can be accessed on-demand, simplifying the provisioning process and increasing flexibility
* Search-based management: Easily search for virtual desktops with specific applications and specific versions, enabling rapid identification of virtual desktops in need of upgrades or patches
* Auto suspend: Automatically suspend inactive virtual desktops, conserving resources
* Live migration: Move virtual desktops from one host to another without any end user interruption, facilitating maintenance, scheduled power savings, and load balancing
* Load balancing: Automatically load balance virtual desktops across available hosts to ensure optimal performance
* Snapshots: Capture the state of a virtual desktop at any given point in time, enabling rapid restoration of desktop environments in the case of an end point hardware failure
* Flexible storage: Store virtual desktop images and data using either iSCSI, FCP, or NFS
* USB redirection: Users can connect any USB 1.0 or 2.0 device to their virtual desktops
* WAN optimization: Compression algorithms ensure optimal performance, even across wide-area networks