Virtuozzo Server

Virtuozzo Server is a bare-metal virtualization platform for hosting providers and IT teams. It runs system containers and KVM virtual machines side by side on the same node. If you searched for a “Virtuozzo download”, note that it is not a desktop application. It ships as an installation ISO with its own Linux-based operating system, and you install it directly on an x86-64 server.

The product has changed names more than once. It descends from Parallels Virtuozzo Containers, was sold as Virtuozzo 7 and later as Virtuozzo Hybrid Server, and the current documentation calls it Virtuozzo Server 7.5. Its container technology is the commercial big brother of OpenVZ, which remains free and open source. Virtuozzo Server is commercial software: every physical node needs its own licence, and evaluation goes through the vendor’s request form.

Virtuozzo at a glance

What it does

• Runs Linux system containers (OpenVZ technology) and KVM/QEMU virtual machines on the same host, managed with one CLI, prlctl.
• Builds containers from OS EZ templates (AlmaLinux, Ubuntu, Debian, SLES and others), installed and cached with vzpkg.
• Backs up containers and VMs with prlctl backup, to the local node or a remote backup server. The first backup is full and later ones are incremental.
• Applies kernel security fixes without a reboot through ReadyKernel, and can update QEMU without restarting VMs.
• Includes software-defined storage (Virtuozzo Storage) for clustered nodes, with high availability for VMs and containers.
• Manages memory dynamically with the vcmmd service, which adds memory policies on top of what OpenVZ offers.
• Integrates with hosting control panels and billing systems through its SDK and the dispatcher service on port 64000.

How sysadmins use it

Create a container from a template

1. List the OS templates that are installed and cached on the node:

   # vzpkg list -O

2. If the distribution you need is missing, list what the official repositories offer and install it:

   # vzpkg list --available
   # vzpkg install template almalinux-8-x86_64

3. Create, size and start the container:

   # prlctl create ct101 --vmtype ct --ostemplate almalinux-8-x86_64
   # prlctl set ct101 --cpus 2 --memsize 2G --hostname ct101.example.net
   # prlctl set ct101 --ipadd 203.0.113.101/24
   # prlctl start ct101
   # prlctl enter ct101

4. Check where the container’s private area lives with prlctl list ct101 -i | grep Home.

Create a KVM virtual machine

1. Create the VM from a distribution profile:

   # prlctl create vm201 --distribution centos7 --vmtype vm

2. For Windows guests, mount the matching driver floppy image from /usr/share/vz-guest-tools/ with prlctl set vm201 --device-set fdd0 --image <image_file> before installing the OS.
3. Connect through VNC (the node uses ports 5700–6900 for VNC) and complete the guest installation.

Back up to a dedicated backup node

1. Run a backup to the local default location: prlctl backup ct101.
2. Send it to a remote Virtuozzo backup server instead:

   # prlctl backup vm201 -s root@192.0.2.10

3. Give a busy VM its own backup directory:

   # prlctl set vm201 --backup-path "/vz/backups/vm201"

4. Schedule these commands with cron, and test a restore regularly.

Install and first run

You get the ISO through the vendor rather than a public download: the official installation guide says to request it with the “Get in touch” form on the product page, and the reply email contains the ISO link and licence details. Write the image to USB or mount it through the server’s BMC, then install in graphical, text, VNC or kickstart mode.

• Hardware: x86-64 CPU with hardware virtualization; Intel CPUs must support “unrestricted guest”. At least 4 cores and 4 GB RAM.
• Disk: at least 12 GiB for root plus 30 GiB for /vz, plus swap. An SSD of 30 GiB or more is optional, for caching.
• Network: an Ethernet adapter and a valid IP address.
• Firewall: the installer enables the Linux firewall. It opens SSH (22) and HTTP (80) for updates and templates, 64000 for the SDK dispatcher, and 5700–6900 for VNC. Outbound 5224 is needed to renew lease licences, and outbound 443 is used for problem reports. Storage clusters need extra ports, such as 2510–2511 for metadata and chunk servers.
• Updates: hotfixes are installed with yum update from the Virtuozzo repositories.

Common gotchas: the licence checks the system clock, so set up NTP before activating. Nested installs inside another hypervisor are only for testing. And never mix hand-installed packages from generic CentOS repositories into the host.

Limitations

• It is commercial and licensed per node. There is no free production edition; OpenVZ fills that role.
• The 7.x platform is built on a RHEL 7-compatible base. A newer generation has so far appeared only as alpha builds, and 7.5 receives maintenance hotfixes rather than big feature releases.
• Getting the ISO and a trial requires contacting the vendor.
• It wants dedicated hardware: you cannot install it as an app on an existing Windows or Linux server.
• Containers share the host kernel, so they run Linux guests only. Windows workloads need KVM VMs.
• Outside the hosting industry, the community is small compared with Proxmox VE or VMware.

Virtuozzo vs alternatives

If you only need Ubuntu VMs on a laptop or workstation, a lightweight tool such as Multipass is a better fit than a bare-metal hosting platform.

FAQ

Is Virtuozzo free?

No. Virtuozzo Server is commercial, and each physical server needs a licence; evaluation licences are issued on request. The free, open-source option is OpenVZ, which Virtuozzo itself describes as the base of its product.

Where do I get the Virtuozzo ISO?

According to the official installation guide, you request it through the “Get in touch” form on the product page. The ISO link arrives by email. Documentation and updates are on virtuozzo.com.

Is Virtuozzo open source?

Not as a whole. OpenVZ and parts of the kernel and tools are open source under the GPL, but Virtuozzo Server adds proprietary components such as backups, storage and ReadyKernel.

OpenVZ vs Virtuozzo: what is the difference?

The official docs list the differences: Virtuozzo adds container and VM backups, software-defined storage, ReadyKernel, extra memory policies, technical support, a different installer and a different default package set.

Virtuozzo vs Proxmox: which should I pick?

Proxmox VE is free and easier to adopt for internal infrastructure. Virtuozzo targets hosting providers that need high container density, integrated storage and vendor support for selling VPS.

Can Virtuozzo run Windows servers?

Yes, as KVM virtual machines, using the guest tools and driver images shipped with the product. Containers are Linux-only.

Is there a Virtuozzo for Windows?

No. Virtuozzo Server installs on bare metal as its own operating system. Older Parallels Virtuozzo Containers for Windows is long retired.

Last checked against official sources: 1 October 2026 (developer website: virtuozzo.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in production.