Top choice for virtual machines is Ubuntu.
Top choice for virtual machines is Ubuntu.
Hello, you're setting up a new Ubuntu server and want to split tasks into separate virtual machines using KVM. For the smallest distro, consider lightweight options like Alpine Linux or Lubuntu. Allocate enough RAM based on your needs—OpenVPN, Pihole, Deluge, Plex, Nextcloud, and media services should each have at least 4GB, with more for heavy usage.
You're looking for guidance on guest operating system choices? I've had experience with ESXi as a host OS, OpenMediaVault for general home server use, and proxmox. For guest systems, it depends on your comfort level and available support—CentOS is my go-to, followed by Debian if needed. Containers offer more flexibility than VMs, though with less isolation. CoreOS also fits that scenario well.
Completely virtualizing your services on Linux can be excessive unless you maintain a tidy setup. For an OS choice, if you're managing numerous instances, Ubuntu Server is a solid option due to its minimal resource demands.
The Ubuntu Server offers a minimal setup, typically requiring around 60MB of RAM for the OS.