Meet Liz, the SUSE Rancher Prime AI Assistant (Preview) simplifying Kubernetes management with intelligent operations

Managing Kubernetes often means managing complexity. Between cluster upgrades, YAML configurations, and rapidly evolving features, even experienced teams face a steep learning curve. That is why we are introducing the SUSE Rancher AI Assistant, affectionately known as Liz, short for Lizard. Liz is designed to make Kubernetes management simpler, faster, and more intuitive. 

Built directly into SUSE Rancher Prime, the assistant serves as an on-demand expert that helps users of all skill levels get more from their platform. By answering questions in natural language and offering guided help, it reduces cognitive load and supports intelligent operations that make it easier for teams to use SUSE Rancher Prime to its full potential. The initial tech preview supports Ollama to give enterprises an open source AI option that keeps data within their own infrastructure to fortify their digital sovereignty strategy and providing choice. Integrations with Gemini and ChatGPT are available for even more choice.

Closing the Kubernetes skills gap

The core objective of the SUSE Rancher AI Assistant is to close the gap between the complexity of distributed Kubernetes infrastructure and the day-to-day needs of teams that manage it across cloud, on-prem, and edge environments. The tech preview focuses on delivering capabilities from the first two stages of AI interaction, the On-Demand Expert and the foundational elements of the Contextual Assistant. Together, these features simplify learning, streamline troubleshooting, and improve overall productivity.

Built for intelligent, secure operations

Liz simplifies how users interact with their infrastructure and operations. You can ask Liz questions about your infrastructure and get real-time information and expert guidance. Liz is context aware to provide proactive guidance and targeted help.

Liz lowers complexity so much you start talking to your infrastructure like a co-worker. 

Hey Liz, is my production cluster behaving strangely? 

Yes. Node CPU utilization across prod-us-west is 35% higher than its seven-day baseline, caused by increased traffic from checkout-service. Autoscaler events confirm 4 additional nodes were added this morning.

The Liz  (Tech Preview) also provides guided operations, leading users step-by-step through complex workflows like cluster upgrades, GitOps configuration, or API deprecation reviews. Finally, she offers on-demand expertise, giving instant answers to Kubernetes questions in real time, from understanding basic concepts to troubleshooting issues like CrashLoopBackOffs.

Every action is tightly governed by enterprise security standards. Liz uses the same RBAC policies as the user, ensuring she never exceeds permissions or performs any action without explicit approval. With integrated SSO and RBAC, all interactions are scoped to the user’s permissions, maintaining both security and compliance. Data protection is inherent in the design, as all communications occur within secure, authenticated sessions, and with Ollama, the assistant can be deployed entirely on-premise for complete data sovereignty.

Plug in to Gemini and ChatGPT if you want

Liz  is built with the same open source values that define Rancher. The tech preview supports Ollama, providing enterprises with an open, transparent platform that delivers flexibility, control, and privacy. Integrations today include additional models such as Gemini and ChatGPT, offering flexibility for enterprises to choose the right model for their needs while maintaining data governance.

Building confidence through intelligent operations

Liz’s mission is simple: to make Kubernetes management faster, safer, and more approachable for every user. By combining guided assistance with secure, context-aware intelligence, the SUSE Rancher AI Assistant helps teams accelerate adoption, reduce cognitive load, and maintain consistent operations across cloud, on-prem, and edge environments.

Available now in tech preview

Liz tech preview is available now as a UI extension within Rancher Prime. It communicates through a secure LLM proxy, ensuring data privacy and enterprise compliance. The first release, powered by Ollama, prioritizes on-prem and hybrid environments where data governance is critical.

This is your opportunity to experience intelligent Kubernetes management firsthand. Join the early adopter program and help shape the future of intelligent operations with SUSE Rancher Prime.

Register for early access today.

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Explore how SUSE Rancher Prime is redefining enterprise Kubernetes operations:

• Learn how SUSE Rancher Prime was recognized in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management
• Discover insights from the Forrester Wave™ Report on Kubernetes and hybrid cloud strategy
• Read IDC’s ROI study showing 258% ROI and multimillion-dollar benefits for SUSE Rancher Prime customers

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