# SLES on VMware - Experiences **URL:** \ **Category:** SLES Virtualization\ **Created:** [February 10, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111 "2014-02-10T21:20:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Achim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Achim](https://forums.suse.com/u/Achim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/1 "2014-02-10T21:20:44Z")
Hello, we are currently thinking about using SLES for VMware. Anyone with customer experience about using SLES for VMware instead of the normal SLES? What about the quality of the VMware Support are there any disadvantages? And what about differences in the operating system? The only difference mentioned in the release notes is the VMware branding and the removal of XEN and KVM. Thank you! Achim ---
**Author:** ![ab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@ab1](https://forums.suse.com/u/ab1)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/2 "2014-02-10T22:13:51Z")
On 02/10/2014 12:24 PM, A13923 wrote:[color=blue] > we are currently thinking about using SLES for VMware. Anyone with > customer experience about using SLES for VMware instead of the normal > SLES?[/color] No idea on this part. My personal preference is to get support from a vendor directly, but that’s just me. The licensing bits of SLES for VMware may be very compelling; I would not know as I use KVM and Xen primarily. [color=blue] > What about the quality of the VMware Support are there any > disadvantages? And what about differences in the operating system? The > only difference mentioned in the release notes is the VMware branding > and the removal of XEN and KVM.[/color] This is the real reason I’m responding. The technical side should be all but identical (branding). I have not compared package-by-package, but I’d be surprised of the Xen/KVM bits were anything more than not supported, particularly since KVM is part of the mainline kernel that you’ll be using in any case. – Good luck. If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, show your appreciation and click on the star below… ---
**Author:** ![Achim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Achim](https://forums.suse.com/u/Achim)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 10:28am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/3 "2014-02-11T10:28:28Z")
I think if you want to install KVM or Xen you could use the packages from the normal SLES repository. But you won’t get updates aside from the SPs. But probably it’s more a safety mechanism to avoid support requests regarding undesired nested virtualization 😉 But I’m still wondering why I couldn’t find more information about “SLES for VMware” in the net. And personally I haven’t seen a running version yet. Reading the presentations from the VMware website I would say it’s a good solution for customers using vSphere so where did they hide the disadvantages? One question is could you buy normal SLES support with an subscription from VMware or is the only possibility to buy support from VMware. And what about special cases like the SAP LinuxLab. In some cases you need a premium support to get support from the Lab. Is this also possible with VMware support? ---
**Author:** ![smflood](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forums.suse.com/smflood/32/10576_2.png) [@smflood](https://forums.suse.com/u/smflood)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/4 "2014-02-11T17:46:06Z")
On 10/02/2014 19:24, A13923 wrote: [color=blue] > What about the quality of the VMware Support are there any > disadvantages?[/color] Kind of ironic that you’re asking the above question in a SUSE Forum … perhaps you’re answering your own question? 😉 [color=blue] > And what about differences in the operating system? The > only difference mentioned in the release notes is the VMware branding > and the removal of XEN and KVM.[/color] That pretty much sums it up - SLES for VMware is essentially SLES branded for VMware with non-VMware virtualisation options removed. ## HTH. Simon SUSE Knowledge Partner * * * ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![smflood](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forums.suse.com/smflood/32/10576_2.png) [@smflood](https://forums.suse.com/u/smflood)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/5 "2014-02-11T17:50:42Z")
On 11/02/2014 08:34, A13923 wrote: [color=blue] > I think if you want to install KVM or Xen you could use the packages > from the normal SLES repository. But you won’t get updates aside from > the SPs. But probably it’s more a safety mechanism to avoid support > requests regarding undesired nested virtualization ;)[/color] If you (ever) want to install KVM or Xen with SLES for VMware then SLES for VMware is not for you. You certainly wouldn’t be supported by either VMware or SUSE. Note that it’s possible to convert SLES for VMware to “regular” SLES (or at least with 11 SP1) - see TID 7007761[1] (which also gives an idea of what’s missing/different). [color=blue] > But I’m still wondering why I couldn’t find more information about “SLES > for VMware” in the net. And personally I haven’t seen a running version > yet. Reading the presentations from the VMware website I would say it’s > a good solution for customers using vSphere so where did they hide the > disadvantages?[/color] That’s really down to VMware. Presumably you’ve seen [http://www.vmware.com/products/sles-for-vmware/](http://www.vmware.com/products/sles-for-vmware/) [color=blue] > One question is could you buy normal SLES support with an subscription > from VMware or is the only possibility to buy support from VMware. And > what about special cases like the SAP LinuxLab. In some cases you need a > premium support to get support from the Lab. Is this also possible with > VMware support?[/color] SLES for VMware is supported by VMware. “Regular” SLES is supported by SUSE. HTH. ## [1] [https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7007761](https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7007761) Simon SUSE Knowledge Partner * * * ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Willem1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@Willem1](https://forums.suse.com/u/Willem1)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/6 "2014-02-11T21:19:46Z")
> [@A13923;19225](#): > > …But I’m still wondering why I couldn’t find more information about “SLES for VMware” in the net. And personally I haven’t seen a running version yet. Reading the presentations from the VMware website I would say it’s a good solution for customers using vSphere so where did they hide the disadvantages?.. A couple of customers sites are running the SLES for VMware version, and those run fine. Other than the branding (and that you are only supposed to run that version within a vSphere environment), all the other bits work the same. Customers have been using it for general purpose web services or are running their own applications on it. I’ve also used it successfully within my customer base (that did not have any SLES licenses) to supply them with an updated/supported bases SLES server with Novell Vibe running ontop (which has a free starterpack license). I also see it as a good sign that most of the VMware own appliances are running on SLES VM’s 🙂 All in all I’ve had good experiences with it, and don’t have any objections against it in in such environments. Cheers, Willem ---
**Author:** ![Achim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Achim](https://forums.suse.com/u/Achim)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/sles-on-vmware-experiences/25111/7 "2014-02-12T16:12:09Z")
Hi Simon, no I’m not interested in running XEN oder KVM in an vSphere environment :). It was only a respond to the post from ab about the removal of the two components. You said “SLES for VMware is supported by VMware. “Regular” SLES is supported by SUSE”. Is this a “yes” to my question if you could buy support only directly from VMware if you use “SLES for VMware”? Or could I use the subscriptions from VMware and buy support directly from SUSE? Thank you Achim