network bridges

Virtualization has become a cornerstone of computing, allowing users to efficiently run multiple operating systems on a single hardware platform. In the Linux ecosystem, network virtualization plays a pivotal role, particularly through the use of network bridges. These bridges allow virtual machines (VMs) to communicate among themselves and with the external network, mimicking the functionality of physical network switches. In this blog, we're diving into how you can manage network bridges on Linux, facilitating seamless network communication for virtual environments. A network bridge in Linux is a virtual link that can connect several network interfaces at the Layer 2 level of the OSI model. Think of it as a virtual Ethernet switch.

Network management is an essential skill for any system administrator, and when it comes to Linux, tools like bridge-utils become invaluable. Frequently used to facilitate the virtual networking setups, particularly involving virtual machines and containers, bridge-utils provides command-line utilities to create and manage network bridges on Linux. In this article, we'll dive into what a network bridge is, why it’s useful, how you can install bridge-utils using different package managers like apt, dnf, and zypper, and some basic commands to get you started. Before we jump into the installation and usage of bridge-utils, let's clarify what a network bridge is.