3.4. Guest CPU Models

CPU models define which host CPU features are exposed to the guest operating system. KVM and libvirt contain definitions for several current processor models, allowing users to enable CPU features that are available only in newer CPU models. The set of CPU features that can be exposed to guests depends on support in the host CPU, the kernel, and KVM code.

To ensure safe migration of virtual machines between hosts with different sets of CPU features, KVM does not expose all features of the host CPU to guest operating systems by default. Instead, CPU features are based on the selected CPU model. If a virtual machine has a given CPU feature enabled, it cannot be migrated to a host that does not support exposing that feature to guests.