KVM has the engine. Enterprises need the control plane.
VirtStack turns SUSE Linux Enterprise and KVM infrastructure into a centralized, policy-driven, web-based platform for Day-2 operations.
SLES + KVM + SUSE HA underneath. VirtStack on top.
Why this conversation is happening now
The virtualization market is going through a structural shift, and many organisations are using their next renewal to reassess platform strategy.
Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, completed in November 2023, brought new licensing and packaging models. How do they affect our cost and contract terms?
How much of our platform strategy rests on a single supplier?
Renewals are becoming architecture decisions: stay, re-platform, or go modular.
KVM is mature. The open question is how to operate it at enterprise scale.
This isn't a verdict on any vendor. It's a governance question — and VirtStack answers the fourth one.
The Day-2 problem
Every tool in a KVM estate is good at its job. The trouble is that they are per-host, per-cluster tools:
virsh · virt-install · libvirt XML · QEMU/KVM · crmsh · Corosync · SBD fencing · bridges and bonds · LVM and multipath · NFS/SAN tools · monitoring
× every host × every cluster × every engineer
Tribal knowledge
Procedures live in shell history and personal runbooks.
Inconsistent change
Every engineer builds a VM a little differently.
Slow diagnosis
When something breaks at 2 a.m., state is scattered across hosts and tools.
KVM isn't the problem. The operations around it are.
An open, modular foundation
| Layer | Component | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Workloads | Windows, Linux, SAP | What the business runs |
| Virtualization engine | KVM (in kernel since 2007) + QEMU | Runs VMs and emulates devices |
| Management API | libvirt | Standard interface to define and control VMs |
| High availability | Pacemaker, Corosync, SBD (SUSE HA) | Clustering and fencing |
| Operating system | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 | Kernel, networking, storage, security, lifecycle |
| Infrastructure | Your servers, SAN/NAS and networks | Reused, not replaced |
VirtStack replaces none of it
VirtStack sits above SLES, KVM, QEMU, libvirt, Pacemaker, Corosync and your storage and networks. Your SUSE subscriptions, your support model and your Linux skills stay exactly where they are.
Investment protection: VMs are standard libvirt domains on SLES. If VirtStack were removed, workloads keep running and remain manageable with SUSE tools. You would lose the console, not the platform.
Isn't Hawk2 already a web UI for SUSE HA? Yes — for cluster resources. Hawk2 is not a VM lifecycle, placement or cloning console. VirtStack reads cluster state and respects Pacemaker; it does not replace Hawk2 or crmsh.
Integrated or modular? An architectural comparison
This is a comparison of architectures, not a scorecard. The right model depends on your existing storage, skills and tolerance for dependency.
| Dimension | Proprietary virtualization | Integrated HCI | SLES/KVM + VirtStack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypervisor | Vendor-specific | Integrated | KVM |
| OS foundation | Vendor platform | Integrated appliance | SLES 15 SP7 |
| Control plane | Vendor platform | Integrated | VirtStack |
| High availability | Platform-specific | Integrated | Pacemaker / SUSE HA |
| Storage | Platform-dependent | Integrated software-defined storage | Your SAN, NAS or local |
| Architecture | Integrated | Integrated | Modular |
| Open-source base | Varies | Varies | Yes |
| Day-2 maturity | Mature | Mature | Core available; roadmap active |
For L1–L3 engineers: from Linux commands to enterprise operations
Today — per host, per tool, repeated:
ssh root@kvm-07
virsh list --all
virsh edit vm-42 # hand-edit domain XML
crm status
multipath -ll; lvs
# ...then again on the next hostWith VirtStack — one console:
Hosts · VMs · HA · Storage · Networks · Events
- Fleet-wide inventory
- Preflight checks before every change
- Live event stream & WebSocket metrics
- Standard workflows instead of personal runbooks
- Audit trail on every administrative action
VirtStack doesn't hide Linux. It makes it operationally consumable. It's still SLES, still libvirt, still Pacemaker — and your shell still works.
For CIOs and CTOs: what it means for the business
| Outcome | Technology | Operational benefit | Business result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choice | Open stack: SLES, KVM, Pacemaker | Choose each layer independently | Less single-vendor dependency |
| Efficiency | One console, live event stream | One view across hosts and clusters | Less time per change and incident |
| Risk | Preflight, HA safeguards, audit log | Every change validated first | Fewer failed changes; audit-ready |
| Speed | Templates, instant linked clones | Dev/test VMs in seconds | Faster project delivery |
| Standards | Placement engine, NUMA policies | Repeatable VM builds | Consistent service quality |
Open source is not zero cost. SUSE subscriptions, VirtStack licensing, skills and migration effort are real. We build a TCO model with you — comparing current licensing and support against SLES or SLES for SAP subscriptions, VirtStack, migration services and training — rather than quoting a savings percentage.
Who supports what? SUSE supports SLES, KVM and SUSE HA under your SUSE subscription. VirtStack is supported by its vendor under your VirtStack subscription.
The future is open. The operations experience is enterprise.
Book a hands-on lab walkthrough for your engineers or request an estate assessment.