How to Install OpenVZ on Alpine Linux

OpenVZ is a virtualization solution that can run multiple isolated Linux systems (containers) on a single physical server. In this tutorial, we will show you how to install OpenVZ on Alpine Linux latest.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, make sure you have the following:

A server running Alpine Linux latest.
Root access to the server.
Basic knowledge of the Linux command-line interface.

Step 1: Update the System

Before installing OpenVZ, update your Alpine Linux system to ensure that all the required packages are up to date:

apk update
apk upgrade

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

There are several dependencies that OpenVZ requires to function correctly. To install these dependencies, run the following command:

apk add util-linux e2fsprogs iproute2 linux-headers zlib-dev readline-dev popt-dev libcap-dev autoconf automake libtool flex bison gcc make git

Step 3: Download the OpenVZ Patch

Next, download the OpenVZ patch from the OpenVZ GitHub repository:

git clone --depth 1 git://github.com/openvz/linux.git -b openvz-7.0.36

Step 4: Apply the OpenVZ Patch

Now, apply the patch using the following command:

cd linux
patch -p1 < ../patch/alpine-3.14-OpenVZ.patch

Step 5: Configure the Kernel

To configure the kernel, run the following command:

make localmodconfig

Step 6: Build the OpenVZ Kernel

Next, build the OpenVZ kernel:

make -j$(nproc) menuconfig
make -j$(nproc)
make -j$(nproc) modules_install install

Step 7: Reboot the System

Reboot the system to boot into the new kernel:

reboot

Step 8: Verify OpenVZ Installation

After rebooting, verify that OpenVZ is installed correctly using the following command:

ls /proc/vz

If OpenVZ is installed correctly, the command should return a list of files and directories.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed OpenVZ on Alpine Linux! Now you can begin creating and managing virtual environments with OpenVZ.