Why SUSE Loves K3s (and Why Enterprises Do Too!)

You’ve probably noticed Kubernetes everywhere by now. From small startups to the largest enterprises, Kubernetes is the go-to platform for running modern applications. But full-scale Kubernetes can sometimes feel like driving a jumbo jet when all you need is a reliable, lightweight car. This is exactly why K3s and RKE2 are becoming such popular choices—and why at SUSE, we’re big fans and give enterprises the option to receive support for up to 5 years.

Kubernetes Simplified, Without the Baggage

K3s is streamlined Kubernetes. It’s lightweight, easy to install, and designed to work smoothly in environments where resources are limited, connectivity might be intermittent, or where complexity simply isn’t an option—like IoT devices and edge deployments.

But don’t mistake its lightweight size for lack of power: K3s is fully certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), meaning it delivers enterprise-grade reliability without the traditional operational overhead. This means that K3s is great for specialized cases that might not be able to update their K3s clusters within 5 years.

On the other side, there’s RKE2. If your enterprise needs fully compliant Kubernetes with robust security, enterprise readiness, and easy manageability, RKE2 combines the best of traditional Kubernetes with the simplicity pioneered by K3s and also with up to 5 years of enterprise support.

Why Enterprises Choose SUSE’s Long-Term Support

Companies often need predictability and stability—especially with critical infrastructure. Continuous upgrades can be disruptive and expensive. Recognizing this, SUSE provides up to five years of long-term support (LTS) for both K3s and RKE2. This means organizations get security patches, stability improvements, and proactive support without forced migrations or rushed upgrades. It’s peace of mind that your Kubernetes clusters will run reliably long-term, no matter what the future holds.

The Latest Buzz Around K3s

K3s continues to make waves in the open-source community. Recent developments include stronger security features, improved integrations (notably with tools like Ingress-NGINX), and performance optimizations. These improvements help explain why enterprises and developers continue to trust and adopt K3s. Community sites like K3s Daily and forums such as Hacker News and Reddit actively discuss these developments, validating its growing popularity and trustworthiness in production environments.

Bringing Open Source Values to the Enterprise

At SUSE, we believe strongly in open source as a force for innovation. Projects like K3s, RKE2, Harvester, NeuVector, Kubewarden, Harbor, and Longhorn form the heart of our cloud-native ecosystem. Each contributes uniquely—whether it’s infrastructure simplicity, robust security, comprehensive policy management, or reliable storage.

These innovations and open-source projects were prominently showcased at KubeCon Europe, highlighting SUSE’s commitment to driving the Kubernetes community forward.

Join SUSE at KubeCon Europe

Discover more about SUSE’s latest Kubernetes advancements at KubeCon Europe. Our experts will lead insightful sessions covering a range of critical topics—from cloud-native security with Kubewarden and advanced storage capabilities with Longhorn to simplifying enterprise-grade developer platforms. Check out our full session lineup here and join us to enhance your Kubernetes expertise.

Ready to Simplify Your Kubernetes Journey?

If your organization values stability, reliability, and simplicity, SUSE’s long-term supported Kubernetes distributions might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Explore SUSE Rancher Prime and discover how K3s and RKE2 can streamline your infrastructure and reduce operational overhead. And remember, with SUSE’s long-term support, you’ll have reliable Kubernetes infrastructure for the next five years and beyond.

It’s Kubernetes simplified—for real-world enterprises.