The service levels of SUSE, Red Hat, and Ubuntu releases that are supported at the time of  this writing are listed in Table 7-2. For more information about supported Linux distributions on IBM Z servers, see the Tested  platforms for Linux page of the IBM IT infrastructure website. IBM is working with Linux distribution Business Partners to provide further use of selected  z14 functions in future Linux on Z distribution releases. Consider the following guidelines: KVM is now offered through our Linux distribution partners for IBM Z and LinuxONE to help  simplify delivery and installation. Linux and KVM is provided from a single source. With KVM  being included in the Linux distribution, it should make ordering and installing KVM easier. The KVM hypervisor is supported with the following minimum Linux distributions: For more information about minimal and recommended distribution levels, see the IBM Z  website. 7.2.6 KVM hypervisor a. Only z/Architecture (64-bit mode) is supported. IBM testing identifies the minimum required  level and the recommended levels of the tested distributions. b. Fix installation is required for toleration. GLYPH<SM590000> Use SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, Red Hat RHEL 7, or Ubuntu 16.04 LTS or newer in  any new projects for z14 servers. GLYPH<SM590000> Update any Linux distribution to the latest service level before migrating to z14 servers. GLYPH<SM590000> Adjust the capacity of any z/VM and Linux on Z LPAR guests, and z/VM guests, in terms of  the number of IFLs and CPs, real or virtual, according to the PU capacity of the z14  servers. GLYPH<SM590000> SLES 12 SP2 with service. GLYPH<SM590000> RHEL 7.5 with kernel-alt package (kernel 4.14). GLYPH<SM590000> Ubuntu 16.04 LTS with service and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with service.  Chapter 7. Operating system support  247 Table 7-2 Linux on Z distributions Linux on Z distribution a Supported Version and Release on z14 b SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2 SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 Red Hat RHEL 7.3 Red Hat RHEL 6.8 Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (or higher)