SUSE Virtualization
The Enterprise-Ready Version of Harvester
Modernize your infrastructure with the open-source alternative designed for a cloud-native world. Built on Harvester, our platform seamlessly bridges legacy workloads with cutting-edge AI, Edge, and multi-cloud environments.
Kubernetes Virtualization Benefits
Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) solutions designed for organizations looking for a flexible and open solution to run cloud-native and virtual machine workloads in the datacenter, public clouds, AI and at the edge.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
As open source, SUSE Virtualization is free from the costly license and subscription fees of other solutions. In addition, its foundation is based on existing technology such as SUSE Linux and kernel-based virtual machines.
Seamlessly Manage VMs, Containers, and the edge
SUSE Virtualization unifies VM and container management with VM Auto Balancing, Live Storage Migration, and advanced upgrade controls, streamlining operations and boosting efficiency for hybrid cloud infrastructure.
Modernize IT infrastructure
Native NVIDIA MIG vGPU support for AI workloads with optional lift-and-shift for VMs. Transform at your pace with trusted Kubernetes virtualization (KubeVirt) to transform data centers.
Simplify Infrastructure management
SUSE Virtualization simplifies infrastructure management with an intuitive web dashboard, ensuring seamless visualization and control for all your deployments.
Experience SUSE Virtualization
The Leading Enterprise Alternative to VMware
Transitioning from a legacy stack doesn’t mean sacrificing enterprise-grade features. Here is how SUSE Virtualization (Harvester) compares to VMware vSphere for the modern data center.
|
Features |
VMware vSphere |
SUSE Virtualization |
|---|---|---|
|
Core Architecture |
Proprietary Monolithic Hypervisor (ESXi) |
Cloud-Native HCI (KubeVirt + Kubernetes) |
|
Licensing Model |
Proprietary; subscription licensed |
100% Open Source; No vendor lock-in |
|
VM & Container Unity |
Requires vSphere with Tanzu |
Unified stack for VMs and Containers |
|
Storage Solution |
vSAN (hardware & licensing required) |
Longhorn (Distributed, software-defined) |
|
Management |
vCenter Server (Centralized) |
Rancher Manager automation and scale |
|
Hardware Support |
Prescribed Broadcom Compatibility Guide required |
Hardware Agnostic; Bare-metal ready |
|
AI/ML Readiness |
vGPU requires NVIDIA AI Enterprise |
Native NVIDIA MIG vGPU multitenancy |
|
TCO |
Variable & subscription-dependent |
Predictable; Substantially lower TCO |
Bring Your Storage to SUSE. Trusted and Ready.
Low-latency storage for virtualization and container workloads.
CSI- Compatible
Easily integrate existing storage with CSI drivers. Native support for snapshots and volume clones simplifies VM protection.
Certified
Partner-certified for compliance and data resilience. Built-in synchronous replication keeps volumes available.
Validated
Testing with top vendors for piece of mind: Dell Technologies, NetApp, HPE, Oracle, Portworx by Pure Storage
FAQ: Migrating to SUSE Virtualization
Does SUSE Virtualization support Live Migration?
Like VMware vMotion, SUSE Virtualization supports live migration of running virtual machines between cluster nodes with minimal service interruption.
- The Tech: It utilizes KubeVirt and Longhorn distributed storage to ensure data remains accessible during the move.
- Requirement: A minimum of three nodes is recommended for high availability and seamless live migration.
How do I handle drivers for Windows and Linux guests?
For the best performance, SUSE uses VirtIO drivers (paravirtualized drivers).
- Linux: Most modern distributions have VirtIO drivers built into the kernel.
- Windows: SUSE provides a Virtual Machine Driver Pack (VMDP) or a VirtIO ISO. During migration, these drivers replace VMware Tools to ensure the guest OS communicates efficiently with the KVM-based hypervisor.
Can I manage my existing VMware VMs and new Containers together?
Absolutely. This is a primary advantage of the SUSE stack. By integrating with SUSE Rancher, you get a single "pane of glass" to manage:
- Traditional Virtual Machines on Harvester.
- Kubernetes clusters (RKE2/K3s) across your data center, edge, or public cloud.
What happens if a physical host fails?
SUSE Virtualization provides built-in High Availability (HA). If a node goes down, the cluster detects the failure and automatically restarts the affected VMs on the remaining healthy nodes. Because Longhorn replicates data across the cluster, your disk images remain safe and available.
Is there an automated tool for the move?
Yes. The VM Import Controller add-on allows you to connect directly to your VMware vCenter or ESXi hosts. You can map your networks and storage directly in the UI and trigger the migration of VMs without manually exporting and importing OVF/OVA files.
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