SUSE

Your Dutch SUSE Partner

As an official SUSE partner, we help organizations transition from closed ecosystems to open, enterprise-grade infrastructure. From VMware alternatives to Kubernetes and Linux: we migrate, modernize, and manage—without lock-in and without a big-bang approach.

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Our SUSE Services

At SUE, we help organizations get the most out of SUSE. With over 29 years of experience in Infrastructure & Operations, we ensure that your platform runs stably, securely, and is future-proof —both now and after the migration.

Licenses

As an official SUSE partner, we offer SUSE subscriptions at competitive, transparent rates, including advice on the right edition for your environment.

Implementation & migration

From vSphere to SUSE Virtualization, from standalone clusters to Rancher Prime, or from an outdated distribution to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server: we handle the migration in a controlled manner and without requiring a refactor on day one.

Support & maintenance

Direct access to a SUEengineer for incidents, patches, and performance issues. No first-line tickets.

Managed Services

Proactive monitoring, SLA-based support, and continuous optimization of your SUSE platform.

No waiting times

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Direct contact with a technical expert who is familiar with your environment.

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Services

SUSE Content Expert

In close collaboration with SUSE, we regularly share insights and best practices on open-source infrastructure. Is there a topic you'd like to see covered? Let us know via the contact form.

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Related content

Jonah Sanderse

"SUSE is a perfect fit for who we are. With our Linux and Kubernetes expertise, we ensure that open, enterprise-grade technology runs stably and securely in production."

SUSE Use Cases

VMware Alternative: From vSphere to SUSE Virtualization

Common VMware Challenges

Rising licensing costs following the acquisition by Broadcom, mandatory bundles, and the end of general support for vSphere 8 in October 2027 are forcing you to make a choice: continue paying more, or choose an alternative now.

Replace vSphere with SUSE Virtualization

SUSE Virtualization (based on Harvester, KubeVirt, and Longhorn) runs virtual machines and containers on a single open platform. SUSE maps your current environment and migrates VMs directly from vCenter or ESXi using the VM Import Controller or Coriolis, step by step and without requiring refactoring.

Advantages

No vendor lock-in, predictable subscription costs, and minimal downtime during migration. Plus, it’s container-ready when you’re ready.

Kubernetes Management with SUSE Rancher Prime

Common Kubernetes Challenges

Clusters in the data center, in AKS, EKS, or GKE, and at the edge, each with its own access rights, versions, and policies. This makes management complex and security difficult to ensure.

Centralize Your Clusters with SUSE Rancher Prime

Rancher Prime manages all your Kubernetes clusters from a single console, including air-gapped clusters. SUE sets up the platform with integration with Active Directory or Okta, uniform RBAC and security policies, signed images with SBOM, and monitoring.

Advantages

A centralized overview, consistent security and compliance, up to five years of long-term support for RKE2 and K3s, and development teams that can deliver faster.

Enterprise Linux: Standardizing on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16

Common Linux Challenges

A mix of distributions, unsupported community versions, and servers reaching end-of-life. Applying patches takes a lot of time, and auditors want verifiable information about what’s running.

Standardize on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16

SLES 16 is an enterprise Linux distribution with a lifecycle of up to 16 years, SELinux, instant rollback after updates, and management via Cockpit and Ansible. SUE migrates your servers in phases and handles patching and monitoring for you via Managed Services.

Advantages

Reduced administrative burden, a secure and compliant foundation for NIS2, and long-term planning certainty. Also for SAP environments and AI workloads.

The IT Challenges

More and more organizations want to move away from closed ecosystems. Licensing models are changing, regulations such as NIS2, DORA, and the GDPR are imposing stricter requirements, and the demand for digital sovereignty is growing. At the same time, the existing environment must continue to operate as usual.

How SUSE Helps

Open source without lock-in: SUSE is built on open standards such as Linux, KVM, and Kubernetes. You retain the freedom to choose where and how you run your workloads.
A single platform for VMs and containers: virtualization, Kubernetes, and Linux integrate seamlessly through SUSE Rancher Prime.
Security and compliance: long lifecycles, signed software, and certifications help you comply with NIS2 and other laws and regulations.

Start Your SUSE Partnership

Partner with SUE for your SUSE implementation

Migrate: We map out your environment and migrate workloads with minimal impact on production.
Modernize: Together, we'll determine where change makes sense—step by step and at your own pace.
Manage: After the transition, we’ll ensure stable management, monitoring, and optimization. You’ll remain in control.
Down-to-earth and transparent: not a “big bang,” but a partner who thinks along with me and takes responsibility.

Frequently asked questions

All frequently asked questions

How do you migrate from VMware vSphere to SUSE Virtualization?

In four steps: (1) inventory of VMs, dependencies, storage, and network; (2) a pilot with a group of less critical workloads; (3) migration of VMs in waves, with testing per group; (4) phasing out vSphere once everything has been migrated. A mandatory refactor on day one is not necessary: VMs remain VMs. Modernization to containers can follow afterward, on a per-application basis. The turnaround time depends primarily on the number of VMs and interconnections and ranges from a few weeks to several months. SUE carries out the migration and can manage the platform afterward.

Is SUSE a European vendor?

Yes. SUSE is a European company (SUSE S.A.), originally from Nuremberg, Germany, where it still has a major office. For organizations that want to reduce their dependence on non-European suppliers—for example, for reasons of digital sovereignty—this is often a key factor. Combine this with a European or on-premises infrastructure, and you keep both your software and data within the EU. SUSE helps you set up such a sovereign environment.

Is SUSE Virtualization a good alternative to VMware?

For many organizations, yes. SUSE Virtualization is based on the open-source Harvester project and runs virtual machines using KubeVirt on Kubernetes. This allows you to manage VMs and containers on the same platform. It’s a good fit if you want to eliminate VMware licensing costs while transitioning to containers. It’s less suitable if you rely on specific VMware features or third-party integrations; we’ll assess that upfront. In 2026, Gartner named SUSE a “Visionary” in the Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms. SUSE guides the transition from assessment to management.

Can SUSE also support our RHEL or CentOS servers?

Yes. With SUSE Multi-Linux Support (formerly SUSE Liberty Linux), you get a single support contract for mixed environments, including RHEL and CentOS systems. This is useful if you’re running multiple distributions or need time to replace CentOS 7, which will no longer receive community updates as of June 30, 2024. Think of it as a stopgap; for outdated systems, migration remains the solution. SUSE helps you choose between extended support and migration. The support itself also comes from SUSE: an organization with 29 years of Linux experience and engineers who know RHEL, CentOS, and SUSE inside and out.

Should we upgrade from SLES 15 to SLES 16?

Not right away, but do plan for it. SLES 16 has been available since November 2025 and, according to SUSE, will receive 16 years of support. SLES 15 will continue to be supported for a long time (until 2037, according to SUSE), so there’s no rush due to security updates. Key changes in version 16: SELinux is the default instead of AppArmor; a new installer (Agama); Cockpit for remote management instead of YaST; 64-bit timestamp handling, prepared for the Year 2038 problem. These changes will require adjustments to your management and automation processes. Therefore, start by deploying new servers on version 16 and upgrade existing servers in phases. SUE will test and plan the transition together with you.

SUSE Virtualization or Proxmox: What's the Difference?

Both are open-source alternatives to VMware, each with its own distinct character. Proxmox is an accessible virtualization platform with a large community, well-suited for small and medium-sized environments. SUSE Virtualization is built on Kubernetes, is centrally managed with Rancher, and offers enterprise support with a fixed lifecycle from SUSE. If you only want to run VMs on a limited scale, Proxmox is often sufficient. If you want to combine VMs and containers, centrally manage multiple clusters, and have vendor support for business-critical workloads, then SUSE Virtualization is a better fit. SUSE can help you make that decision based on your current environment.

What is SUSE Rancher Prime, and when do you need it?

Rancher Prime is SUSE’s platform for centrally managing multiple Kubernetes clusters on any infrastructure: in the cloud, on-premises, or at the edge. You can manage access, policies, monitoring, and upgrades all from one place. Prime is the commercial version of the open-source Rancher, featuring enterprise support, a fixed lifecycle, and additional security and compliance features. You’ll need it as soon as you have more than a few clusters or are running clusters in different locations. SUSE implements and manages Rancher Prime.

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Jonah Sanderse

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info@sue.nl +31 345 656 666 LinkedIn

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