OpenNebula, SUSE partner on sovereign cloud platform
Thu, 21st May 2026 (Today)
OpenNebula Systems and SUSE have partnered to deliver a sovereign cloud platform, combining software from both companies into a single stack for private and hybrid cloud use.
The platform brings together OpenNebula's cloud orchestration and virtualisation software with SUSE Linux Enterprise and SUSE Rancher. It is aimed at organisations that need tighter control over data location and compliance.
Both companies are positioning it as an open alternative to proprietary infrastructure stacks from vendors such as VMware and Nutanix. Customers can use the platform to run virtual machines, Kubernetes and edge workloads on the same infrastructure.
The stack covers the operating system, virtualisation layer, cloud management and Kubernetes management. This gives customers a single platform for managing private and hybrid environments, rather than assembling separate products for each layer.
OpenNebula provides the cloud and virtualisation components, including multi-tenancy, resource governance and lifecycle management for compute, storage and networking. SUSE contributes its Linux distribution and Kubernetes tools, including SUSE Rancher and the RKE2 distribution.
Kubernetes clusters can be provisioned and operated through standardised workflows across environments. The integrated setup is intended to give organisations more transparency and reduce dependence on a single supplier.
Market backdrop
The tie-up comes as more public sector bodies and regulated industries look for cloud models that keep infrastructure under closer local or organisational control. Demand for sovereign cloud arrangements has risen as governments and large enterprises weigh data residency, operational autonomy and reliance on large foreign technology suppliers.
For OpenNebula, the partnership adds a well-established Linux and Kubernetes supplier as it seeks to win organisations reviewing their infrastructure choices. The company says it is increasingly being used as a replacement for VMware, as customers look to modernise existing estates without overhauling underlying hardware and operating practices.
SUSE has long focused on open-source infrastructure software, with Linux, Kubernetes, edge and AI-related offerings at the core of its portfolio. The agreement with OpenNebula extends that approach into a more tightly packaged platform aimed at sovereign cloud deployments.
Integrated stack
The platform is built on SUSE Linux Enterprise, which serves as the base operating system across infrastructure services, virtual machines and edge environments. OpenNebula sits on top as the control layer for cloud and virtualised resources, while Rancher and RKE2 handle Kubernetes management when container orchestration is needed.
That structure reflects a broader shift in enterprise IT. Many organisations are not moving entirely to containers or entirely to virtual machines. Instead, they are trying to operate both side by side while keeping management and policy more consistent across workloads.
The joint product is designed to support that mix, letting customers adopt Kubernetes where needed without committing all applications and infrastructure to a single operating model.
Diego Rios, General Manager EMEA South at SUSE, described the partnership as part of the company's wider emphasis on interoperability and user choice.
"At SUSE, we believe that 'Choice Happens' when we prioritize interoperability and open innovation. By combining SUSE Linux Enterprise and Rancher with OpenNebula, we are providing organizations with a truly sovereign cloud platform-one that eliminates vendor lock-in and delivers the mission-critical resilience needed to run VMs, Kubernetes, and edge workloads on their own terms," said Rios.
OpenNebula said the objective is to give customers a more stable and flexible route to infrastructure modernisation while preserving direct control over operations.
"Our goal is to provide organizations with an open and sovereign cloud platform that combines stability, flexibility, and operational consistency," said Alexander Sergunin, Partner Manager at OpenNebula Systems.
"Together with SUSE, we deliver a solution that allows organizations to modernize their infrastructure while maintaining full control," he added.