Post Date: May 22, 2019
Last Updated: October 23, 2026
Introduction
OpenVZ installation on CentOS 6 allows administrators to configure a legacy Linux virtualization environment for running multiple isolated containers on a single physical server. OpenVZ uses the host system’s kernel to provide container-based virtualization and efficient resource utilization.
In this guide, we cover the OpenVZ setup process, including repository configuration, kernel installation, system parameters, management tools, and OS template preparation.
Note: CentOS 6 and the legacy OpenVZ platform are obsolete and unsupported. This guide is intended for historical reference or isolated legacy environments. Use a supported virtualization platform for new production deployments.
Prerequisites
- CentOS 6 or a compatible legacy Linux system.
- Root or administrator access.
- Active internet connection.
- Sufficient CPU, RAM, and disk space.
- A dedicated
/vzpartition is recommended for container storage. - Back up important data before installation.
Implementation – OpenVZ Installation on CentOS 6
For instance, to use a separate partition for containers by default /vz directory path.
Step-by-Step OpenVZ Setup Procedure
In addition, download openvz.repo file and put it to your /etc/yum.repos.d/ repository
wget -P /etc/yum.repos.d/ https://download.openvz.org/openvz.repo
Therefore, import OpenVZ GPG key used for signing RPM packages, as shown below
rpm --import http://download.openvz.org/RPM-GPG-Key-OpenVZ
Similarly, the signed packages you should verify the fingerprint of the key you imported into the rpm key database as described on the Package signatures page.
OpenVZ Kernel Installation
On the other hand OpenVZ containers have no kernel, so it uses VZkernel as common and OpenVZ containers cannot be operated using Linux kernel
# yum install vzkernel
Configure Sysctl Parameters for OpenVZ
As a result, number of kernel parameters that should be set for OpenVZ to work correctly. Therefore parameters are stored in /etc/sysctl.conf file.
On Hardware Node we generally need packet forwarding enabled and proxy arp disabled net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1 net.ipv6.conf.default.forwarding = 1 net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 1 net.ipv4.conf.default.proxy_arp = 0 Enables source route verification net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 1 Enables the magic-sysrq key kernel.sysrq = 1 We do not want all our interfaces to send redirects net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 1 net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
Disable SELinux
SELinux should be disabled. That is to say, put SELINUX=disabled to /etc/sysconfig/selinux
Install OpenVZ Management Tools
Above all, it needs some user-level tools installed.
# yum install vzctl vzquota ploop
Further, reboot the machine and therefore choose “OpenVZ” on the boot loader menu.
# reboot
Configure OpenVZ OS Templates
To sum up, download precreated template caches from Downloads » Templates » Precreated or directly from download.openvz.org/template/precreated, or from one of the mirrors.
In short, Place those tar files to the /vz/template/cache/ directory.
Conclusion
In this guide, we covered the basic steps required to install and configure OpenVZ on CentOS 6. These steps include configuring the OpenVZ repository, installing the virtualization kernel and management tools, adjusting kernel parameters, disabling SELinux, rebooting the server, and preparing OS templates for container creation.
Once the setup is complete, administrators can use OpenVZ management tools such as vzctl to create, configure, and manage Linux containers. Proper resource allocation, network configuration, regular backups, and security monitoring are essential for reliable container operations.
Since CentOS 6 and the legacy OpenVZ platform are no longer supported, use this procedure only where compatibility with an existing legacy environment is required. For new deployments, choose a supported virtualization platform. For additional information about OpenVZ virtualization, refer to the official Link.
For more Linux, virtualisation, and system administration tutorials, visit pheonixsolutions.com or contact our team here.
FAQs
1. What is OpenVZ?
OpenVZ is an operating system-level virtualization technology that allows multiple isolated Linux containers to run on a single physical server.
2. What are the prerequisites for installing OpenVZ?
You need a compatible Linux system, root access, an internet connection, and sufficient CPU, RAM, and disk space.
3. What is the purpose of the OpenVZ kernel?
The OpenVZ kernel provides the underlying environment required to run and manage OpenVZ containers.
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