Search results: “Google”

The SUSE Public Cloud team is all set for an exciting week at Booth C4 of Partner Playground of Google Next 2017! Join us as Google takes over the Moscone Center and learn how the Google Cloud Platform is accelerating innovation by taking the power of what cloud can already do — and enabling your imagination to drive what’s next.

Learn about SUSE Enterprise Linux Server on the Google Cloud Platform and engage with leading Linux and Cloud architects to understand how the modern enterprise is benefiting from the latest in cloud technology powered by Google. Build and engage with SUSE and Google this week at an event rich with imagination and ideas ready to be developed and launched on Google.

Use this link to schedule a meeting with SUSE to learn how we’re partnering with Google and ask us about how you can:

• Easily deploy SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on the Google Cloud Launcher which offers ready-to-go development stacks, solutions, and services to accelerate development. Spend less time installing; more time developing.
• Containerize your cloud deployments and just code by building your apps on Google Cloud Platform
• Achieve powerful performance for big data and analytics workloads

Get Started wth SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on Google Today!

Schedule a Meeting with SUSE at Google Next: http://bit.ly/2mvszIK

Google Compute Engine’s general availability confirms what public cloud users have known for a long time: that Google is ready to take its cloud computing expertise to the next level for customers looking for a solid public cloud option from an innovative organization that knows a thing or two about running a massively scalable infrastructure.

We are happy to partner with Google to bring SUSE Linux Enterprise Server to Google Compute Engine for all machine instance types. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on Google Compute Engine brings the performance, reliability, security and scalability that development teams and IT operations groups require when moving to the cloud.

We deliver on these needs through our commitment to smart innovation. Smart innovation has always been the driving vision behind the development of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.  Now Google Cloud users can benefit, too, through the integration of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with Google Compute Engine.

It all starts with our forward-looking development model. This model enables SUSE to offer the latest features and performance enhancements, support the latest hardware and deliver enterprise reliability and application compatibility. One manifestation of our approach is that SUSE was the first enterprise Linux distribution to use the latest Linux kernel, 3.0. This improves the performance of compute and I/O intensive workloads while taking advantage of the latest hardware RAS capabilities.

Smart innovation builds on our heritage as the provider of the original enterprise Linux distribution. One of our key focus areas from the beginning, that has only escalated in importance, is the delivery of the most scalable operating system possible. Using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on Google Compute Engine gives users access to an operating system that is certified with 4,096 logical CPUs and 64 TiB of RAM and contains the OFED Stack for low-latency, inter-machine communication.  SUSE Linux Enterprise Server also ships with the XFS file system and Btrfs, a resilient file system with improved scalability and data integrity.

While we like to tout our smart innovation, in the end it is about helping our customers and partners innovate.  That is the ultimate goal of our partnership with Google.  It is why more than 1,500 ISVs have certified over 10,000 applications on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and why we include a comprehensive software developer kit (SDK) as part of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.  The SDK delivers versioning tools (git, subversion), Perl, PHP, Python and Ruby on Rails.  And to simplify the deployment, configuration and administration of your workloads, we also include an integrated suite of management tools (YaST, AutoYaST, Zypp, and a small footprint CIM broker).

Whether developing new applications or bringing existing workloads, this is just some of the smart innovation that SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on Google Compute Engine offers you.

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are increasingly turning to public cloud services to drive their digital transformation efforts. This shift is propelled by the public cloud’s ability to offer scalable, flexible, and cost-efficient IT resources on demand. As organizations strive to remain competitive, the agility provided by cloud services becomes not just an asset but a necessity. This transition is fundamentally changing how companies manage their IT infrastructure, making the journey towards public cloud adoption a key strategic move.

Amidst this shift, IT automation is a critical component of modern business operations. By automating routine and complex tasks, businesses can achieve greater efficiency, reduce human error, and free up valuable resources for strategic initiatives. Automation in cloud environments streamlines operations, from deploying servers to scaling applications, ensuring that IT infrastructures can rapidly adapt to changing business needs.

The convergence of public cloud adoption and IT automation opens a new realm of possibilities for business innovation and agility. This article explores how embracing public cloud services not only facilitates but also amplifies IT automation capabilities. Through real-world examples and expert insights, we’ll delve into the mechanisms by which public cloud platforms empower organizations to automate their IT operations more extensively, driving significant gains in operational efficiency, cost savings, and competitive advantage.

The Evolution of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has undergone a remarkable evolution since its inception, transforming the way businesses deploy and manage IT resources. Initially, the concept of cloud computing emerged as a dynamic means to share computing power and data storage, eliminating the need for extensive on-premise hardware. This era saw the rise of private clouds, which offered organizations the ability to harness cloud capabilities while maintaining control over their IT environment. However, the scalability and cost-effectiveness of these private clouds were often limited by the need for substantial upfront investment and ongoing maintenance.

The advent of public cloud services marked a pivotal shift in this landscape. Giants like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform began offering computing resources as a service, accessible over the internet. This model democratized access to high-powered computing resources, making them available on a pay-as-you-go basis. The transition from private to public cloud services heralded a new era of IT flexibility, scalability, and efficiency.

The impact of cloud computing on IT operations has been profound. Traditional IT tasks, such as provisioning servers, scaling applications, and managing data storage, have been simplified and automated. The public cloud has introduced a level of agility previously unattainable, enabling businesses to respond to market demands and innovate at an unprecedented pace. This shift has not only reduced operational costs but also allowed IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth. As cloud computing continues to evolve, its role as a catalyst for IT automation and business innovation becomes increasingly evident.

Understanding IT Automation

IT automation is the use of software to create repeatable instructions and processes to replace or reduce human interaction with IT systems. It’s a cornerstone of modern IT operations, enabling businesses to streamline operations, reduce manual errors, and scale efficiently. Automation is crucial for managing complex, dynamic environments, especially in the context of cloud computing where resources can be adjusted with demand.

There are several types of IT automation, each addressing different aspects of IT operations. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) allows teams to manage and provision IT infrastructure through code, rather than manual processes, enhancing speed and consistency. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) automates the software release process, from code update to deployment, ensuring that applications are efficiently updated and maintained. Automated monitoring tools proactively track system health, performance, and security, alerting teams to issues before they impact operations.

The benefits of IT automation are multifaceted. It significantly reduces the time and cost associated with manual IT management, increases operational efficiency, and minimizes the risk of human error. For businesses, this means faster time-to-market for new features or products, improved service reliability, and the ability to allocate more resources towards innovation rather than maintenance. As such, IT automation is not just a technical improvement but a strategic asset that drives competitive advantage.

How Public Cloud Services Facilitate IT Automation

Public cloud services have emerged as a catalyst for IT automation, offering tools and features that significantly enhance the efficiency and agility of IT operations.

Scalability and Flexibility

One of the most compelling attributes of public cloud platforms is their automated scaling features. These platforms can automatically adjust computing resources based on real-time demand, ensuring that applications always have the necessary resources without manual intervention. This scalability not only optimizes cost but also supports uninterrupted service delivery.

The flexibility in resource allocation provided by public clouds further supports automation. IT teams can dynamically provision and decommission resources through automated scripts or templates, significantly reducing the time and complexity involved in managing IT infrastructure.

Advanced Tools and Services

Public cloud providers offer a suite of advanced tools for automation, such as AWS CloudFormation, Azure Resource Manager, and Google Cloud Deployment Manager. These tools allow organizations to define and deploy IaC, automating the setup and management of cloud environments.

Moreover, public clouds feature robust integration capabilities with third-party automation tools. Whether it’s integrating with CI/CD pipelines for software deployment or leveraging specialized monitoring and management tools, the public cloud ecosystem is designed to support extensive automation strategies.

Public cloud services enable businesses to significantly enhance their IT automation capabilities through these mechanisms. By leveraging scalable resources, flexible management options, and comprehensive toolsets, organizations can automate a wide range of IT operations, from infrastructure provisioning to application deployment and monitoring, driving greater operational efficiency and innovation.

Cost Efficiency and Optimization

Public cloud services inherently promote cost efficiency by reducing the need for manual intervention in IT operations. Automation capabilities built into these platforms allow for the dynamic allocation and scaling of resources based on demand, eliminating overspending on underutilized resources. Through automated resource management, businesses can optimize their spending by ensuring that they only pay for the resources they use.

Examples of cost optimization include automated scaling during peak usage times to maintain performance without permanent investment in high-capacity infrastructure, and automated shutdown of resources during off-peak hours to save costs. Additionally, automated backup and data lifecycle policies help in managing storage costs efficiently. These automated processes ensure that businesses can maintain optimal service levels while minimizing expenses, showcasing the financial advantage of leveraging public cloud services for IT automation.

Overcoming Challenges in Cloud-Based IT Automation

While cloud-based IT automation offers myriad benefits, it also presents specific challenges that businesses must navigate. Two of the most significant hurdles are ensuring security and compliance and managing the complexity of automation workflows. By addressing these challenges effectively, organizations can harness the full potential of cloud-based IT automation.

Security and Compliance

Addressing Security Concerns with Automated Policies: Security in the cloud is paramount, especially when automation tools are implemented. Automated security policies enable organizations to consistently enforce security standards across their cloud environments. These policies can automatically detect and remediate non-compliant configurations or suspicious activities, ensuring a proactive approach to cloud security.

Ensuring Compliance in an Automated Public Cloud Environment: Compliance in an automated setting requires a structured approach to manage and monitor the cloud infrastructure. Utilizing cloud management platforms that offer built-in compliance frameworks can significantly ease this burden. These tools not only automate compliance checks but also provide detailed reports for auditing purposes, ensuring that businesses meet regulatory standards effortlessly.

Managing Complexity: Strategies for Simplifying Automation Workflows

As IT environments become increasingly complex, simplifying automation workflows is essential. One effective strategy is adopting a modular approach to automation, where workflows are broken down into smaller, manageable components. This not only makes the automation process more manageable but also enhances flexibility and scalability.

Tools and Best Practices for Managing Automated Systems

Leveraging the right tools is crucial for managing automated systems efficiently. Tools that offer visual workflow designers, integration capabilities, and scalable architectures can significantly reduce the complexity of automation. Additionally, adhering to best practices such as continuous monitoring, regular updates, and thorough testing of automation scripts ensures the smooth functioning of automated systems.

By tackling these challenges head-on, businesses can secure and streamline their cloud-based IT automation efforts, leading to enhanced operational efficiency and agility.

Conclusion

The exploration of cloud computing’s evolution and the strategic integration of IT automation has underscored the immense benefits that public cloud services offer to today’s enterprises. By harnessing the scalability, cost-effectiveness, and rapid innovation that public cloud platforms provide, organizations can significantly enhance their IT automation efforts. This leads to remarkable improvements in operational efficiency and business agility. Looking ahead, the synergy between IT automation and cloud computing is poised to be a cornerstone of business innovation, unlocking new avenues for growth and competitiveness.

Despite the challenges that may arise, the path to adopting public cloud services has been made smoother by the availability of robust strategies and tools. We are at the cusp of a technological transformation that will redefine the paradigms of IT operations and infrastructure management. In this pivotal moment, SUSE stands ready to guide businesses through their cloud journey with cutting-edge Linux products and open source solutions designed for seamless public cloud integration and efficient IT automation.

SUSE encourages businesses to leverage public cloud solutions to bolster their IT automation capabilities. With our expertise and innovative solutions, companies can not only navigate the complexities of cloud adoption but also harness the full potential of cloud computing and automation. Partner with SUSE to future-proof your business, ensuring you are well-equipped to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Is Public Cloud Adoption?

Public cloud adoption refers to the process by which organizations transition their IT resources, applications, and operational processes to cloud services that are managed and provided by third-party companies. This move is driven by the desire to enhance flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency. Unlike private clouds, which are dedicated to a single organization, public clouds serve a multitude of clients, offering resources like servers and storage over the Internet. This model allows businesses to avoid the upfront cost and complexity of owning and maintaining their own IT infrastructure.

How Does Public Cloud Adoption Enhance IT Automation?

Public cloud adoption significantly enhances IT automation by providing scalable resources, advanced toolsets, and comprehensive managed services. These features facilitate the automatic scaling of resources to meet demand, streamline software deployment processes, and manage routine tasks such as backups, updates, and security checks with minimal human intervention. The inherent flexibility and breadth of services offered by public clouds enable organizations to automate their IT operations more effectively, leading to increased efficiency and reduced operational costs.

What Are the Key Benefits of IT Automation for Businesses?

The key benefits of IT automation for businesses include enhanced efficiency, reduced operational costs, improved reliability, and the ability to deploy services and applications faster. Automation reduces the need for manual intervention in routine tasks, thereby minimizing the risk of human error and ensuring operations run smoothly and consistently. It also enables organizations to respond more quickly to market changes and customer needs by facilitating rapid deployment of resources and applications.

Can Small Businesses Benefit from Public Cloud and IT Automation?

Absolutely. Small businesses stand to gain significantly from public cloud and IT automation. The scalability of cloud solutions means that businesses only pay for the resources they use, which can be scaled up or down based on demand. This flexibility makes cloud services and automation highly cost-effective, even for small enterprises, allowing them to leverage advanced technologies that were previously accessible only to larger organizations. Automation can further reduce operational costs by minimizing manual tasks, allowing small business owners to focus more on strategic growth areas.

How Do Public Cloud Services Ensure Security and Compliance in Automated Environments?

Public cloud providers invest heavily in security measures and compliance standards to protect data and ensure privacy in automated workflows. These measures include physical security controls at data centers, encryption of data in transit and at rest, and sophisticated access control mechanisms. Additionally, public clouds often comply with a broad range of international and industry-specific regulations, offering businesses peace of mind that their data handling practices are in line with legal requirements.

What Are Some Common Challenges in Implementing IT Automation via Public Cloud?

Common challenges in implementing IT automation via the public cloud include navigating the complexity of cloud services, bridging skill gaps within the organization, and addressing security concerns. Organizations may struggle with selecting the right tools and services that match their specific needs or integrating new cloud services with existing infrastructure. To overcome these challenges, businesses can invest in training for their staff, seek guidance from cloud consultants, and implement robust security practices and tools designed for cloud environments.

How Can Companies Get Started with Public Cloud Adoption and IT Automation?

Companies can start with public cloud adoption and IT automation by first assessing their business needs and identifying which processes and workloads could benefit most from moving to the cloud. The next step involves selecting the right cloud provider that aligns with their requirements in terms of services, security, and compliance. Businesses should then start small, moving a single workload or process to the cloud to gain familiarity with the environment before gradually implementing automation tools and practices across their operations.

Are There Any Industry-Specific Considerations for Public Cloud Adoption and IT Automation?

Yes, there are industry-specific considerations for public cloud adoption and IT automation. Regulatory compliance, data sensitivity, and specific operational needs vary significantly across sectors. For instance, healthcare organizations must ensure their cloud services comply with HIPAA regulations, while financial services firms have to meet strict data security and privacy standards. Understanding these nuances and selecting cloud services that offer the necessary controls and compliance certifications is crucial for successful adoption in any industry.

What Is the Future of Public Cloud and IT Automation?

The future of public cloud and IT automation is likely to be shaped by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the rise of serverless computing, and an increased focus on sustainability. AI and machine learning are set to automate even more complex tasks and decision-making processes, while serverless computing will allow businesses to run applications without managing the underlying servers, further reducing costs and operational overhead. Additionally, the cloud industry is moving towards greener practices, with providers focusing on reducing energy consumption and utilizing renewable energy sources.

How Does SUSE Support Public Cloud Adoption and IT Automation?

SUSE offers a range of solutions and services designed to facilitate easy and secure public cloud adoption and enhance IT automation capabilities for businesses. These include scalable Linux operating systems, Kubernetes management platforms such as Rancher for container orchestration, and tools for cloud-native application development. SUSE’s solutions are designed to be open and interoperable, supporting a variety of cloud providers and ensuring that businesses can leverage the full benefits of public cloud and automation without being locked into a single vendor.

Since joining SUSE, I’ve been talking with our customers and sales teams to learn more about how enterprises are consuming SUSE technologies. Very quickly, some consistent messages have come through—you want a multi-product, multi-year agreement to consume SUSE’s enterprise-grade open source technologies on the cloud, with the freedom to scale your solution architecture as needed.

Plus, you told us that you want the ability to switch spend between SUSE offerings without impacting your contract so you can adapt to evolving business needs with ease. 

Say hello to streamlined solutions that drive faster time-to-value

Our recent groundbreaking deals with AWS and Google Cloud offer you just that:

• Ability to purchase multiple SUSE offerings through one contract
• Include multi-year subscription options
• Ability to switch your spend between SUSE offerings without impacting your contract

This new way of procuring software on the cloud offers you stability and predictability, in an uncertain world, and making it easier for you to roll out your technology projects on budget.

Say goodbye to fragmented spending

Complex problems demand comprehensive solutions, and that’s exactly what we offer. 

From operating systems to container management, we are able to address complexity and simplify management, while providing security across your applications. 

Whether you’re a Rancher Prime customer or managing a highly distributed SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP estate, we are reshaping the way you purchase software, through groundbreaking agreements with cloud providers that offers you a path to simplified procurement and significant cost savings.

Our holistic approach to procurement ensures you have everything you need in one place. 

Streamline Your Cloud Spend with SUSE: Unlocking Value, Choice, and Flexibility

But we don’t stop there. 

These strategic alliances with cloud providers represent just the beginning of our commitment to driving value for our customers. From seamless migrations to cost-saving initiatives, we’re here to support your transformation every step of the way.

Reach out to our cloud experts at cloud@suse.com today to learn how our innovative buying program can simplify your procurement process with a single agreement for all SUSE offerings on the marketplace catalog.

Let me start by stating that the following is limited to the Public Cloud SDK packages, i.e. packages that provide code used to access the APIs for Alibaba, AWS, Azure, and Google cloud, no other Python packages are affected by this change.

Also the timing of when you apply these changes is under your control, there is no forced update. There are some support implications and I’ll get to those later.

What is happening?

A while ago we introduced a Python 3.11 interpreter and module stack in the SLE-Module-Python3 repository for SLE 15 SP4 and later. This does not effect the default system Python which remains as Python 3.6. Meaning /usr/bin/python3 will continue to point to the Python 3.6 interpreter. There are many parts of a SLE system that depend on the link from /usr/bin/python3 to /usr/bin/python3.6 and as such you cannot change this link without breaking parts of your system. While other Python interpreters exist in the SLE-Module-Python3 repository the Python 3.11 interpreter is special in that we are providing a reasonably large set of 400+ Python modules built with the Python 3.11 interpreter. This set is smaller than the modules provided for the default Python 3.6 interpreter but was scoped large enough such that we can move the Public Cloud tool-chains and some other tools forward.

In an effort to provide as smooth a transition as possible and to not switch things out without notification the packages in question, for example python3-boto3 will be set to be Obsoleted in the new packages, python311-boto3. This means that if there are no other RPM dependencies on the old package, i.e. the package starting with python3-, that package will be removed from your system and will be replaced by the new package, i.e. a package that starts with python311-. This will happen silently, i.e. no warning from zypper. Again, the silent change only happens when there are no other RPM dependencies.

The practical effect of this is that any script that is using any of the SDK modules has to be re-pointed to the Python 3.11 interpreter, i.e. #!/usr/bin/python3 needs to change to #!/usr/bin/python3.11. That’s it.

Said differently, if you get a “module not found error” after a system update when you are running one of your scripts that uses any of the Public Cloud SDKs check your “#!” line and adjust it. Once you re-point your script to #!/usr/bin/python3.11 the error will go away and you are good to go.

If you package your own code as RPM packages and have the appropriate dependencies set in your spec file zypper will notify you of a conflict.

In cases where there are RPM dependencies on the Python 3.6 based packages you will get a message from zypper about a conflict and you need to choose how to resolve the conflict.

If you have the cli packages installed, for example azure-cli or aws-cli, those code bases have also been switched to the Python 3.11 interpreter and therefore will pull in the new python311-* packages. Since these modules have the Obsoletes directive for the old packages you will be notified if there are unresolvable conflicts. If you have no custom RPMs that generate dependencies the update will proceed without issues and the appropriate packages starting with python3- will be removed.

Why are you doing this to me?

The Python modules for the Public Cloud move at a relatively high speed and all have dropped support for Python 3.6 builds. In an effort to continue to be in a position to provide access to new features in the Public Cloud frameworks we need to be able to update the SDKs. This is only possible if we advance the version of the Python interpreter used to build the SDK, and cli packages.

When is this hitting me?

The updated packages will be available in mid to late April. That said, you get to decide when you switch. There are, at the time of release, no security implications and the new packages will be there for you when you have had time to test your setup against the updated packages. Until then you can use the code built against the Python 3.6 interpreter. The implication is that if you run across a bug it will need to be reproduced with the latest package, as is customary for everything in SLE, and as such that means the Python 3.11 builds.

What are you doing to help me?

We are creating a new support status for our packages, known as superseded. This status indicates to the package management stack that a package with name A has been superseded by a package with name B. The successor information will be encoded in the repository data which is processed by zypper. Therefore zypper will inform you when a package on your system is in the superseded state and zypper will tell you which package to install. This new functionality will be available with the next version of zypper, zypper-1.14.69 and libzypp-17.32.0. The support status of a package is shown when you run zypper info for a package. For example zypper info zypper will show that the package has Level 3 support with the entry labeled Support Level. This will change to superseded for packages that have successor packages. Since zypper will also provide the information of the successor package you are only a zypper in operation away from getting the new packages. The information zypper will provide as part of the package information will look as follows:

-> zypper info foo

Support Level : Discontinued and superseded by a different package (bar)
The successor package is already installed.

This happens when the successor package is already installed on your system. In some cases the successor package will not remove the predecessor, while in other cases, like the one for the Public Cloud SDKs the predecessor packages will be removed when the successor is installed.

-> zypper info foo

Support Level : Discontinued and superseded by a different package (bar)
The successor package should be installed as soon as possible to receive continued support.

In this case the successor package is not yet installed and zypper is informing you that the successor package is available and the recommendation is to install it.

-> zypper info foo

Support Level : Discontinued and superseded by a different package (wrzlprmpf)
Unfortunately the successor package is not provided by any repository.

This is a bug and should be reported. In this case we forgot to publish the successor package or made a mistake in creating the repository metadata.

This is new for SLE, isn’t it?

At the package level it is new, yes. In the Public Cloud we have had the feature of succession for a long time. The data made available on pint.suse.com shows the succession of images. Whenever a new image is released in replacement of an already existing image the new image is the successor image and the previous image is set to be superseded. As such the concept is something we have used at a higher level for over 10 years and we are now bringing this concept to the package level to provide a clear lineage for packages in cases where the new package is not a drop in replacement for and older package but the new package is intended to take the place of the old package.

The bottom line

If you have custom scripts the change is a reasonably easy change to the “#!” line and if you are using the command line tools we ship only you will not even notice the switch to the newer Python interpreter.

Edge: The new frontier of innovation

Organizations need to be at the forefront—they are looking to accelerate transformation and deliver differentiation at the edge. They face challenges, scale being one of the hardest to overcome, and have to navigate skilled resource constraints and the burden of pre-existing technology debt. They are stretched to meet the innovation demands from the business while maximizing the customer experience. 

IDC analysts remain very optimistic about the growth of the edge infrastructure market, predicting that infrastructure deployed at edge locations will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.8% through 2027. According to the “Edge Worldwide Spending Guide,” IDC Research, Mar 14, 2024, the total edge spend will reach $350 billion by 2027.

Today, we are announcing the new SUSE Edge 3.0 platform, which brings the power of open source to the edge. Using SUSE Edge 3.0’s highly validated, scalable, and tightly-integrated stack, organizations can not only deliver innovation at the edge, but also build a sustainable competitive advantage over their competition.

Scalability, security, and consistency in operations are three of the most important priorities SUSE addresses in the latest release. With SUSE Edge 3.0, customers can confidently deploy and manage at edge scale, knowing their vast number of edge devices in the field are equipped with data center-grade security built upon SUSE’s thirty years of experience in delivering Linux solutions.

Customer demands are increasing rapidly to deliver superior edge experiences

Since its founding in 1995, Danelec has emerged as a pioneer in maritime technology, specializing in Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs), Shaft Power Meters and Ship Performance Monitoring systems.

Aiming to meet and exceed its customers’ needs, Danelec adopted SUSE Edge to innovate maritime edge computing. The resulting solution delivered unprecedented savings for Danelec’s client — over $30,000 per edge device per month — thanks to increased operational efficiencies, enhanced compliance, significant scalability and improved data reporting. Set to become a cornerstone of its product offerings, Danelec’s innovative, Kubernetes-based solution not only positions Danelec for compounded growth but also promises to revolutionize global maritime operations.

What is SUSE Edge, and what’s new in 3.0?

Simply put, SUSE Edge is a purpose-built cloud-native edge computing platform for managing the full lifecycle of edge devices at scale. Since its inception, SUSE Edge has been adopted across industries such as manufacturing, telco, retail, healthcare and others, each challenged with delivering:

• A fully integrated, cloud native edge platform: Increase efficiency across your edge infrastructure.
• Scalability: Easily deploy and manage edge infrastructure, from hundreds to tens of thousands of nodes.
• Enterprise-grade security: Full platform, data center-grade security to every edge device, wherever it is located.

SUSE Edge 3.0 is focused on three key areas:

1. Bring the full power of open source to the edge with a highly validated, reliable, and edge-optimized stack.

Why does a validated edge stack matter? Organizations need more than a freely downloadable stack of technology components. They need prescribed, opinionated, and tested configurations that work seamlessly in their business environment. Instead of spending time integrating, customizing, and troubleshooting, they can focus on building business value.

With SUSE Edge 3.0, organizations can take the guesswork out and instead, use a validated design with finely integrated configurations that have been comprehensively tested in industry use cases.

The SUSE Edge 3.0 stack is purpose-built to run in resource-constrained, remote locations with intermittent internet connectivity (ideal for embedded devices). Edge 3.0 is underpinned by SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE) Micro and leverages CNCF-certificated Kubernetes distributions, K3s/RKE2, supporting the management and execution of containers, virtual machines, and microservices.

     2. Manage distributed edge environments at scale with an easy-to-deploy, purpose-built edge stack.

Scale amplifies everything—every extra step in configuration, every onboarding error, and every security flaw. SUSE Edge 3.0 further simplifies the onboarding process so organizations can truly benefit from zero-touch provisioning (ZTP). 

• Rancher Prime, at the heart of the Edge 3.0 stack, enables customers to perform zero-touch provisioning and multi-cluster management of their Edge infrastructure. API-driven infrastructure, such as GitOps-based management of Kubernetes, supports frequent additions, modifications, and deletions of thousands of devices and services without human intervention. 
• Components like Edge Image Builder enable customers to build fully customized deployment artifacts to bootstrap edge clusters at scale, even in the most remote locations where connectivity cannot be guaranteed. Full operating system customization, comprehensive network management, and the air-gapping of Kubernetes resources and customer workloads are a few of the capabilities customers can rely on.   

      3. Secure the edge with enterprise-grade security capabilities.

The Edge 3.0 platform ensures security and reliability in the Build, Deploy and Runtime phases. NeuVector supports zero-trust, cloud native security by performing vulnerability scanning and implementing security policies with runtime policing. SLE Micro is both a reliable and secure operating system for the Edge, with a pre-installed SELinux security framework, an immutable file system, and provides the ability to enable FIPS-mode, ensuring strict compliance with NIST-validated cryptographical modules and enforcing system hardening best practices.  

How do we implement an Edge solution? Where do we start, and how do we start right the first time?

Implementing an Edge solution is a strategic decision. The outcome of implementing a successful edge infrastructure can translate into exceptionally superior customer experiences, which is the desired goal for most organizations. Here is an example of an edge journey.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) aims for the industry to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with a significant milestone set to slash emissions by 30% by 2030. Achieving these goals requires clean technologies, alternative fuels and dual-fuel vessels. However, the average age of commercial fleets is 21.9 years, meaning it will take at least 30 years before the global fleet can be renewed. As a result, the shipping industry is looking for digital solutions to optimize efficiencies further and document the environmental impact of sea-level transportation.

From this context, a major shipping company contacted Danelec, looking for a hassle-free solution for hosting its voyage optimization applications.

Lacking in-house Kubernetes expertise and recognizing the need for a sophisticated yet easily manageable solution, Danelec turned to the market for a comprehensive Kubernetes edge solution. This search led them to discover SUSE Edge.

This sums up a typical starting point: an organization explores an edge solution, does its research and discovers that a purpose-built open source solution will work best for its business goals.

Strategic foundation

“The solution we built with SUSE Edge is primed for twofold growth,” says Zenth. “For one, there’s a trend in the industry where more and more vessel owners are looking for a solution just like ours. For another, we plan to migrate our legacy offerings onto this platform to enhance their value and utility.”

Confident in the solution’s viability, Danelec is ready to redefine operations for the high seas, setting sail for a greener future and compound company growth.

Reach out to SUSE and explore how we can help you in your journey to implement edge solutions that work the best for you.

Meet us at KubeCon

We are showcasing SUSE Edge 3.0 at KubeCon EU in Paris. Meet the SUSE team and learn about the latest Rancher, NeuVector, SLE Micro and SUSE Edge 3.0 releases. Plus, check out some of the cool demos and join the Rancher community.

Want to learn more?

We recommend downloading these assets below to gain a full understanding of SUSE Edge:

• Edge Whitepaper
• Gorilla Guide
• Data Sheet
• Edge solution page

In today’s tech-driven economy, understanding cloud migration strategy is pivotal for businesses aiming to harness the power of digital transformation. Cloud computing, a revolutionary technology, offers computing services—servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the internet (“the cloud”) to provide faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.

At the heart of this evolution is the strategic imperative for cloud migration, a process that involves moving data, applications, and other business elements to a cloud computing environment. The significance of cloud migration in the modern business landscape cannot be overstated. It enables organizations to become more efficient, secure, and flexible, empowering them to meet the demands of a rapidly changing market.

A cloud migration strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how an organization will transition its digital assets to the cloud. This strategy is crucial for minimizing risks, reducing downtime, and ensuring a seamless transition that aligns with business goals. It involves selecting the right cloud provider, deciding on a cloud environment (public, private, or hybrid), and determining the most effective migration tools and services.

For businesses, the adoption of a cloud migration strategy offers numerous benefits, including improved scalability, enhanced performance, reduced IT costs, and better disaster recovery capabilities. In the context of an ever-increasing reliance on digital technologies, formulating and executing a well-thought-out cloud migration strategy is not just advantageous—it’s essential for staying competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Understanding Cloud Migration

Cloud migration represents a strategic shift for businesses aiming to leverage the power of cloud computing to enhance their digital infrastructure. It involves the transition of data, applications, IT processes, and databases from on-premises hardware or between cloud environments. This move is driven by the desire to capitalize on the cloud’s scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency.

Several key drivers motivate organizations to migrate to the cloud. Cost reduction is a primary factor, as the cloud minimizes the need for physical hardware and its associated maintenance expenses. Scalability is another critical benefit, allowing businesses to adjust resources in response to fluctuating demands seamlessly. Moreover, cloud migration offers enhanced performance, superior disaster recovery capabilities, and the opportunity to utilize advanced technologies like AI and ML for insightful data analysis. The growing trend towards remote work further accentuates the importance of the cloud’s anywhere, anytime data and application access.

SUSE, a leader in open source software, plays a pivotal role in facilitating cloud migration through its comprehensive suite of solutions. SUSE’s offerings are designed to support businesses at every stage of their cloud journey, emphasizing reliability, performance, and security.

The cloud services landscape is categorized into three main models, catering to various business needs:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): SUSE’s collaboration with major public cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), ensures that businesses have the robust infrastructure required for their operations, including virtual servers, networks, and storage solutions.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): SUSE/Rancher Cloud Application Deployment Platform simplifies application development and deployment by providing a PaaS environment that streamlines the lifecycle of cloud-native and containerized applications. This allows developers to focus on innovation without the overhead of managing underlying infrastructure.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): While SUSE primarily focuses on infrastructure and platform solutions, its ecosystem includes partnerships that facilitate access to SaaS applications, enabling businesses to leverage software over the internet efficiently.

Incorporating SUSE solutions into a cloud migration strategy enables businesses to navigate their digital transformation with confidence. By choosing between IaaS and PaaS offerings from SUSE, organizations can tailor their cloud environment to meet specific operational needs, technical capabilities, and strategic goals, all while benefiting from the open source leader’s expertise in making cloud transitions seamless and secure.

The Cloud Migration Strategy Explained

Embarking on a cloud migration journey involves a strategic framework designed to guide businesses through the transition of their IT infrastructure, applications, and services to the cloud. A well-defined cloud migration strategy not only ensures a smooth transition but also aligns with the business objectives, maximizes ROI, and enhances operational efficiency. SUSE, as a leader in open source and cloud-native solutions for cloud infrastructure and application delivery, offers valuable insights and tools for each step of this process.

Assessing Your Needs

The first step in a cloud migration strategy is to thoroughly assess your organization’s needs.

• Identifying Business Objectives: Understanding what you aim to achieve through cloud migration is crucial. Objectives may include cost reduction, improved scalability, enhanced performance, or fostering innovation. SUSE solutions, designed for efficiency and adaptability, can help meet these varied objectives by providing a solid foundation for your cloud environment.
• Assessing Current IT Infrastructure: Evaluate your existing infrastructure to determine what can be moved to the cloud and what may need to be updated or replaced. SUSE open and cloud-native infrastructure solutions offer the flexibility to support a wide range of applications and workloads, making it easier to plan a migration that aligns with current capabilities and future growth.

Understanding Application Dependencies: Mapping out how your applications interact and depend on each other is vital. This understanding helps in planning the migration sequence to ensure business continuity. SUSE application delivery solutions can simplify this process by providing tools for managing and deploying applications across various environments seamlessly.

Planning Cloud Migration

Once the assessment phase is complete, the next step is to plan the migration.

• Choosing the Right Cloud Service Model: Considering the adoption of  IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS depends on your business needs. SUSE offers robust IaaS and PaaS solutions that cater to businesses looking for control over their infrastructure or those seeking to streamline application development and deployment.
• Selecting the Cloud Provider: Choose a provider that aligns with your technical requirements, budget, and business goals. SUSE’s partnerships with leading cloud providers ensure that businesses have the flexibility to select the best environment for their needs while benefiting from SUSE’s reliability and security features.
• Creating a Migration Plan and Timeline: Develop a detailed migration plan that includes a timeline, milestones, and a clear sequence of moving applications and data. Utilizing SUSE tools and services can help in creating a structured approach to migration, minimizing downtime, and reducing risks.
• Budget Considerations: Estimate the costs associated with cloud migration, including the expenses for cloud services, potential upgrades, and training. SUSE’s cost-effective solutions and the ability to choose between different service models can help businesses manage their budgets effectively.

Types of Cloud Migration Strategies

Understanding the various approaches to cloud migration is essential for selecting the strategy that best fits your organization’s needs. The 6 R’s provide a framework for considering different migration strategies:

• Rehosting (Lift-and-Shift): Moving applications to the cloud without modifications. SUSE supports rehosting by ensuring that existing applications run smoothly on cloud infrastructure.
• Replatforming: Making minor adjustments to applications to capitalize on cloud capabilities without overhauling the core architecture. SUSE’s flexible platform solutions facilitate re-platforming by making it easier to adapt applications for cloud environments.
• Repurchasing (Move to SaaS): Switching to a cloud-based application instead of hosting on-premises. While SUSE focuses on IaaS and PaaS, its ecosystem supports seamless integration with SaaS solutions.
• Refactoring/Rearchitecting: Redesigning applications to fully utilize cloud-native features. SUSE provides open, secure, and cloud-native Kubernetes/container management solutions necessary for businesses looking to refactor their applications and workloads for optimal performance in the cloud.
• Retiring: Identifying and decommissioning obsolete or unused applications to optimize resource allocation. SUSE solutions can help identify which parts of the IT portfolio are no longer needed, streamlining the migration process.
• Retaining: Choosing not to migrate certain applications or data to the cloud, either due to compliance issues, technical limitations, or strategic reasons. SUSE supports hybrid cloud environments, allowing for the retention of some resources on-premises while migrating others to the cloud.

Implementing a cloud migration strategy with SUSE ensures businesses have the support, tools, and flexibility needed to transition to the cloud efficiently and effectively. By carefully assessing needs, planning the migration, and understanding the types of strategies available, organizations can navigate their cloud migration journey successfully.

Cloud Migration Best Practices

When embarking on a cloud migration journey, adhering to best practices ensures a seamless, secure, and efficient transition. Leveraging SUSE’s expertise in open source and cloud-native solutions can help organizations navigate the complexities of cloud migration while aligning with these best practices.

Ensuring Security and Compliance

Security and compliance are paramount in any cloud migration strategy. SUSE’s commitment to security is evident in its robust digital trust solutions that incorporate security features designed to protect data and applications in the cloud. Organizations should conduct thorough risk assessments and choose cloud services that comply with industry standards and regulations. SUSE’ solutions, known for their security and reliability, provide a solid foundation for building a compliant and secure cloud environment.

Managing Data and Application Migration

Effective management of data and application migration is crucial for minimizing risks and ensuring a smooth transition. SUSE enterprise Kubernetes/container management and security solutions offer powerful tools for managing the lifecycle of applications and services across different environments. By leveraging these tools, organizations can streamline the migration process, ensure data integrity, and maintain application performance.

Minimizing Downtime

Minimizing downtime during migration is essential to maintain business continuity. SUSE’s high-availability solutions are designed to ensure that applications remain accessible during the migration process. Planning migrations during low-usage periods and utilizing SUSE’s live migration features can further reduce the impact on business operations.

Training and Support for Staff

Preparing your team for the cloud environment is critical for a successful migration. SUSE provides comprehensive training and support resources to help staff understand new tools and technologies. Investing in training and leveraging SUSE’s expert support ensures that your team is equipped to manage the cloud environment effectively, fostering a smooth transition and ongoing operational efficiency.

By following these best practices and utilizing the SUSE suite of solutions, organizations can achieve a secure, efficient, and successful cloud migration, positioning themselves for future growth and innovation in the cloud era.

Tools and Technologies for Cloud Migration

The landscape of cloud migration is rich with tools and technologies designed to streamline the transition of business operations to the cloud. SUSE, as a leader in open source software, offers a suite of solutions that complement these tools, ensuring that migrations are efficient, secure, and aligned with business goals.

Overview of Popular Cloud Migration Tools

The market offers a variety of cloud migration tools, each catering to different aspects of the migration process. Tools such as AWS Migration Hub, Azure Migrate, and Google Cloud Migration Services provide platforms for assessing, planning, and executing migrations. These tools are complemented by SUSE open, secure, and cloud-native solutions, designed to ensure compatibility and performance in cloud environments. SUSE business critical infrastructure and cloud-native management solutions, such as SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and SUSE Rancher Prime, offer customers powerful platforms for deploying and managing enterprise workloads in a multi-cloud environment, facilitating a seamless migration.

Automation in Cloud Migration

Automation plays a crucial role in simplifying the cloud migration process. It reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and accelerates the transition. The SUSE container and Kubernetes management and security products, like SUSE NeuVector Prime and SUSE Rancher Prime, automate the deployment, scaling, securing, and management of containerized workloads, making the migration process more simple, efficient, and reliable.

Challenges and Solutions in Cloud Migration

Common Challenges:

• Compatibility and Performance Issues: Migrating existing applications to the cloud can reveal compatibility and performance challenges.
• Security and Compliance Concerns: Ensuring data security and regulatory compliance during and after migration.
• Downtime and Disruption: Minimizing downtime and operational disruption during the migration.

Strategies to Overcome These Challenges:

• Leveraging SUSE Compatibility Solutions: SUSE technologies ensure that applications and workloads run seamlessly in cloud environments, addressing compatibility and performance issues.
• Implementing SUSE Security Features: SUSE’s commitment to security provides a suite of features designed to protect data and applications, helping organizations meet their security and compliance requirements.
• Utilizing SUSE High Availability Solutions: SUSE offers solutions that ensure minimal downtime and disruption during the migration process, enabling businesses to maintain continuity.

The SUSE ecosystem provides a comprehensive set of tools and technologies that support cloud migration. From assessment and planning through execution, SUSE’s solutions enhance the effectiveness of popular cloud migration tools, automate processes to reduce complexity, and offer strategies to overcome common challenges. By integrating SUSE solutions into their cloud migration strategy, organizations can navigate the transition with confidence, ensuring a successful move to the cloud.

The Future of Cloud Migration

As cloud computing continues to evolve, the future of cloud migration is shaped by emerging trends that promise to redefine the way businesses leverage technology. SUSE, at the forefront of open source innovation, is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in this evolution.

Emerging Trends in Cloud Computing:

• Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Strategies: Businesses are increasingly adopting hybrid and multi-cloud environments to optimize their operations and enhance flexibility. SUSE solutions support this trend by facilitating seamless integration across various cloud platforms and on-premises environments.
• Containerization and Kubernetes Management: The use of containers for deploying applications is on the rise, with Kubernetes becoming the standard for orchestrating these containers. SUSE Rancher Prime simplifies the management and operations of Kubernetes clusters, making it easier for businesses to adopt containerization as part of their cloud migration strategy.
• Edge Computing: As data processing needs become more decentralized, edge computing emerges as a crucial component of cloud strategies. SUSE edge solutions enable businesses to deploy and manage applications closer to the data source, reducing latency and improving performance.

How Cloud Migration Will Evolve:

Cloud migration will continue to become more streamlined, secure, and efficient. Automation will play a significant role in reducing manual efforts and speeding up the migration process. SUSE’s commitment to innovation and its comprehensive suite of cloud solutions ensure that businesses can navigate the future of cloud migration with confidence. As cloud technologies advance, the SUSE adaptive and scalable solutions will empower organizations to stay ahead in the rapidly changing digital landscape, ensuring that they can leverage the full potential of cloud computing.

Conclusion: Navigating Cloud Migration with SUSE

In wrapping up our exploration of cloud migration, the criticality of a well-structured cloud migration strategy cannot be overstated. Such a strategy is foundational in harnessing the transformative power of cloud computing, enabling businesses to achieve scalability, flexibility, and innovation. With its comprehensive suite of open source solutions, SUSE stands as a beacon for organizations seeking to navigate the complexities of cloud migration.

The journey to the cloud, while promising significant benefits, demands meticulous planning, execution, and continuous optimization. A partnership with SUSE equips businesses with the necessary tools, technologies, and expertise to ensure a smooth transition. From assessing needs and planning migration to selecting the right tools and overcoming challenges, SUSE solutions offer a pathway to successful cloud adoption.

As we look towards the future, the evolution of cloud migration strategies will continue to align with emerging trends in cloud computing. The emphasis will increasingly be on automation, security, multi-cloud and hybrid environments, and the integration of advanced technologies. Preparing for a successful cloud migration involves not just technological readiness but also a strategic vision that SUSE is uniquely positioned to support.

In conclusion, leveraging SUSE’s innovative and reliable solutions paves the way for a seamless and effective transition to the cloud, ensuring that businesses remain competitive and agile in the digital age.

It would be easy to think that corporate endeavor and innovation will always benefit  the customer. It’s often true, but not always – as the world of enterprise open source software right now is demonstrating.

Open source isn’t just about the inputs – about the principle that a wide diverse community with shared equity in the outcome will always be the fastest way to innovate. It’s also about the outputs. About the freedom to select the best option that works for you – whether you are an individual amateur coder or looking for a solution for your Fortune 500 company.

However, for some, it seems that there is a strong temptation to cash in on what they see as casino winnings. To draw a line around gains, and walk off the floor. But the world isn’t a “winner takes all” place. The history of human evolution has these moments but is largely based on cooperation, on open collaboration. Without it, we’d never have crossed oceans, let alone reached for the stars. 

Yet where we are now  is in the middle of a battle between cashing out on open and continuing to mutually benefit. It’s vertical control on the one hand and the freedom to select vendors based on trust and value on the other.

This is a tug of war. At one end of the rope are vendors reducing choice for their customers – often with little notice. We see de facto platforms eating at innovation, we see consumption without transparency, and commercial pressures forcing decisions .

Customers are right to feel that in 2024 the walls are closing in around them. It doesn’t have to be this way. At the other end of the rope, customers can find partners who, yes, have the scale and resources to innovate at pace, but also maintain the conviction that the ecosystem and the open source model are the biggest drivers of that innovation.

This is why – right now more than ever – it’s important to stand up for the right to choose. We’re reminded that choice matters. 

At SUSE, we’re lucky to not only have built much of the code the world relies on, we continue to engineer modern solutions for new workloads in the open. And the choice SUSE has made is to remain open.

Consolidation is antithetical to open source, to customer choice and upsets the equilibrium from the mutual benefit of customer and vendor.

Importantly, one fundamental truth to the open source development model has been that companies that compete can also collaborate. When market power actively works against customers’ ability to choose from multiple vendors, that is a backwards step. Instead, we continue to believe in the open ethos. Where the smallest can work alongside the biggest – with customers free to select and move between partners. Open code compels all to compete on value not IP – which is customer-first. 

Choice matters, therefore choice happens. That’s the ethos we support, and one we are proud to live day in and day out.  For over 30 years SUSE has proven this commitment is a resilient one, one we make today and every day.

Liberate your Linux and take control of your future with SUSE Liberty Linux.