SmartOS

An open-source illumos-based hypervisor operating system that runs zones and KVM or bhyve virtual machines.

FreeOpen sourceSelf-hosted
Official websitetritoncloud.io

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About SmartOS

SmartOS is an illumos-based operating system built for running clouds. It boots from the network or a USB key into memory and runs containers (zones) and virtual machines side by side, with ZFS, DTrace and kernel resource controls in the base system. Each container gets its own IP address, and VMs run under KVM or bhyve.

SmartOS works as a standalone hypervisor. It is also the base of the Triton cloud platform, which adds identity, tenancy, networking, image management and an API on top.

Strengths

  • Runs zones and KVM or bhyve VMs on the same host
  • ZFS and DTrace built in
  • Boots into memory from USB or the network

Limitations

  • Illumos base is less familiar than Linux
  • Cloud management features require Triton on top

Details

Pricing
FreeThe SmartOS ISO is free and open source; Triton offers paid private and hosted cloud options.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
Triton Cloud
Platforms
Self-hosted
How it runs
Operating system
Account
Not required
Best suited for
Administrators running containers and VMs on their own servers with ZFS
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to SmartOS

Compare all

Software that can replace SmartOS for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • FreeBSD

    An open source Unix-like operating system with native ZFS, jails and the bhyve hypervisor.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hostedCommand line

    FreeBSD offers native ZFS, jails and the bhyve hypervisor in a general Unix-like operating system with a thorough Handbook, installed to disk rather than booted into memory.

  • Proxmox VE

    A bare-metal server platform that runs KVM virtual machines and LXC containers from one web interface.

    FreemiumOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Proxmox VE switches to a Linux base, running KVM virtual machines and LXC containers from one web interface with backup and clustering included.

  • XCP-ng

    Open-source bare-metal hypervisor built on Xen, managed through Xen Orchestra.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    XCP-ng is an open-source bare-metal hypervisor built on Xen and managed through Xen Orchestra, focused on virtual machines rather than zones.

  • VMware ESXi Free

    Industry-standard bare-metal hypervisor with a free tier for small setups.

    FreemiumProprietarySelf-hosted

    VMware ESXi Free is a closed-source bare-metal hypervisor widely used in enterprise, whose free edition lacks centralized vSphere management.

  • Incus

    Manage Linux system containers and virtual machines through one interface.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Incus manages Linux system containers and virtual machines through one interface, replacing the illumos base with a Linux host.

  • LXD

    Canonical's open-source manager for system containers and KVM virtual machines on Linux.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxWebSelf-hostedCommand line

    LXD runs Linux system containers and KVM virtual machines side by side with a web interface and CLI, and is most at home on Ubuntu.

SmartOS as an alternative

Listings that name SmartOS as an alternative.

  • LXC

    System containers that run a full Linux userspace instead of a single process.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    SmartOS runs zones alongside KVM or bhyve VMs on an illumos base with ZFS and DTrace, which is less familiar than Linux and needs Triton for cloud management.

  • Xen Project

    An open source type-1 hypervisor that runs several isolated operating systems on the same hardware.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hosted

    SmartOS is an open source illumos-based hypervisor OS running zones and KVM or bhyve VMs, with ZFS and DTrace built in.

  • XenServer

    A Xen-based server virtualization platform for running and managing virtual machines on your own hardware.

    PaidProprietarySelf-hosted

    SmartOS is an open-source illumos-based hypervisor running zones and KVM or bhyve VMs with ZFS, though cloud management requires Triton on top.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

Report a wrong fact or a dead link on this listing