KVM and Open-Source Virtualisation Trends
Introduction: Rethinking the Virtualisation Baseline
This Linux Foundation report investigates the growing role of KVM and open-source virtualisation in modern IT architecture. In an environment reshaped by licensing upheavals and increasing demand for infrastructure sovereignty, KVM has emerged as a foundation for flexibility, transparency, and innovation.
Based on global survey data, case studies, and contributions from infrastructure engineers, the report examines how open virtualisation is transforming enterprise strategies—across hyperscalers, telecoms, financial institutions, and the public sector.
1. KVM: The Enterprise-Ready Hypervisor
KVM is not new—it has powered much of the cloud ecosystem for over a decade—but it is newly strategic. As enterprises seek alternatives to VMware and proprietary hypervisors, KVM is recognised for:
- Stability and Performance: Core to AWS, GCP, IBM Cloud, and OpenStack deployments.
- Security and Isolation: Backed by SELinux and strong kernel-level controls.
- Community and Ecosystem: Hundreds of contributors and strong vendor support (Red Hat, SUSE, Canonical).
Its role as a general-purpose hypervisor makes it ideal for HCI, NFV, private clouds, and embedded edge use cases.
2. Market Adoption Patterns
Key adoption trends from the Linux Foundation survey include:
- 52% of large enterprises now run production workloads on KVM.
- 61% of those cite “freedom from vendor lock-in” as a primary motivator.
- 41% of respondents expect to expand KVM usage significantly over the next two years.
- Use cases include cloud IaaS, VDI, 5G core, and on-prem cloud-native platforms.
3. Emerging Platforms and Integrations
Several commercial and community platforms are amplifying KVM’s value:
- Harvester (SUSE) – A Rancher-integrated HCI platform for edge and core.
- OpenShift Virtualisation – Red Hat’s KVM-based extension to Kubernetes-native workloads.
- OpenStack – Uses KVM as its default hypervisor, serving telco and large-scale cloud markets.
- Proxmox VE – Lightweight virtualisation with strong community adoption.
- VirtManager, oVirt, Kimchi – Frontends that simplify KVM administration.
Together, these tools help enterprises operationalise KVM while retaining an open tooling stack.
4. Strategic Benefits for VMware Exit Scenarios
The report dedicates a section to organisations exploring an exit from VMware due to Broadcom’s acquisition. KVM-based platforms offer:
- Cost Predictability: No hypervisor licensing fees and a broad range of free/open tooling.
- Governance and Transparency: Open codebase, standards compliance, and community oversight.
- Customisability: Fit-for-purpose builds and integration flexibility with storage, networking, and automation layers.
- Support Options: Available from Red Hat, SUSE, Canonical, and community sources.
Notably, Linux Foundation analysts suggest that a KVM transition is best pursued through a staged hybrid approach—introducing KVM clusters alongside VMware workloads before gradually rebalancing.
5. Case Studies and Ecosystem Testimonials
Highlighted use cases include:
- Deutsche Telekom – Built a private cloud on KVM/OpenStack across 100+ data centres.
- US Department of Energy – Adopted KVM for its scientific computing infrastructure.
- Rakuten Mobile – Leveraged KVM to build a cloud-native 5G network, cutting cost and vendor dependency.
- Public Sector EU Consortium – Standardised on KVM to meet data sovereignty and procurement neutrality goals.
These stories demonstrate the scalability and operational maturity of KVM in demanding, regulated environments.
Key Takeaway
This Linux Foundation report repositions KVM not as an alternative, but as a modern virtualisation default. Its combination of open governance, cloud compatibility, and commercial support make it an ideal foundation for infrastructure strategies that prioritise resilience, cost control, and ecosystem flexibility.
In a world where VMware’s future is increasingly uncertain, KVM offers enterprises a tested, transparent, and production-proven path forward—backed by a global community and commercial-grade platforms.