Changes have been added to the VirtualBox virtualization system repository, allowing the use of the built-in Linux kernel hypervisor KVM instead of the specific VirtualBox kernel module (vboxdrv). The implementation has been prepared by Oracle employees and is being developed separately from the VirtualBox-KVM patch set maintained by Cyberus Technology. It is noted that Oracle started working on the KVM backend several years ago, but its development has been delayed due to a lack of engineering resources.
Starting with commit 5cb05ca, the backend KVM is in more or less working condition, at least for more 'modern' guest systems. Older and exotic operating systems, such as MS-DOS, are still not supported or tested. If VirtualBox cannot access its own kernel drivers, it will switch to using KVM if it is available. Saved states between the native hypervisor and KVM should be compatible. There are currently no test builds, and the code is only available in the current GIT slice.
The implemented backend will resolve issues with running VirtualBox on distributions with UEFI Secure Boot support, such as Fedora and RHEL, which refuse to sign third-party drivers. KVM support will also allow running VirtualBox on Linux systems not yet supported in the vboxdrv driver, using VirtualBox simultaneously with other KVM-based virtualization systems, and engaging advanced hardware virtualization acceleration mechanisms supported in KVM but not utilized in VirtualBox (such as the APICv extension for interrupt controller virtualization).
Source: opennet.ru
