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Stratus announces second generation zero-touch edge computing platform


Johannesburg, 29 Oct 2021

Stratus Technologies, a global leader in simplified, protected and autonomous edge computing platforms, today announced the second generation of its ztC Edge platform, the industry’s first edge computing platform to combine built-in application virtualisation and fault tolerance in an easy-to-install ruggedised design for the industrial edge. The new ztC Edge offers up to 200% greater performance over the prior generation. The compute platform is ideal for running critical applications and building smart machines in pharma, chemicals, oil and gas, food and beverage, and other industries where data loss and downtime are unacceptable. 

In addition, the company announced new versions of its virtualisation, remote system management and fault tolerance software – Stratus Redundant Linux, ztC Advisor and everRun, respectively – furthering the efficiency and continuous availability of Stratus computing platforms.

Greater performance and flexibility with ztC Edge 200i and 250i

The ztC Edge platform is a rugged, secure, highly automated edge computing platform that protects and delivers critical applications quickly, reliably and efficiently in distributed, under-resourced locations, supporting increased operational efficiency and elimination of downtime.

Purpose-built for operational technology (OT) while meeting standard IT performance and security requirements, ztC Edge can quickly be installed at a single location or across multiple locations without the need for specialised IT skills.

Jason Andersen, Vice-President of Business Line Management, said: “Since its introduction, our ztC Edge platform has enabled our customers to dramatically simplify their edge infrastructure, gain efficiency and drive innovation. Our second-generation platform adds features refined by customer and partner feedback and delivers sizeable performance gains by incorporating the latest technologies available for speed and reliability.”

  • Greater CPU power – up to 10 Intel Xeon cores to process larger workloads, more thin clients and more complex applications.
  • Incorporation of ECC memory – support for ECC memory optimised for critical applications and data.
  • Upgrade to NVMe storage – support for faster and more advanced NVMe storage, up to 2TB, enabling local or on-machine historians.
  • More flexible deployment – ability to deploy ztC Edge and easily pair additional ztC Edge platforms later to add capacity as well as high availability or fault tolerance, offering more supply chain flexibility for both VARs and end-users.

These enhancements add to ztC Edge’s existing unique features critical at the industrial edge, including:

  • UL Class I Div 2 certification and IP40 rating for operation in rugged environments;
  • Built-in virtualisation supporting Linux or Windows guest OSes;
  • High availability or fault tolerance modes when paired;
  • Design based on ISA/IEC 62443 security standards; and
  • Simple plug-n-play deployment and self-monitoring maintenance.

Through Stratus’ Strategic Alliance partners, the ztC Edge 250i is performance tested to run four virtual machines (VMs), up to 20 thin clients, and control architectures up to 10 000 I/Os. For more details about the ztC Edge 200i and 250i, visit the Stratus ztC Edge page.

Both the ztC Edge 200i and 250i are scheduled to be available in Q4 of 2021, and are available immediately for pre-order from any Stratus Authorized Partner.

Latest software releases deliver improved deployment, remote system management and security

Stratus software provides the system intelligence and management layers that enable complete edge solutions combining application virtualisation, fault tolerance and remote operation. Updates to Stratus software products include:

  • Stratus Redundant Linux (SRL) 2.3 – The latest version of Stratus’ built-in virtualisation OS features the latest CVE remediations and a new configuration wizard to simplify pairing of ztC Edge units to enable high availability or fault tolerance. SRL 2.3 is available for download for fielded ztC Edge 100i and 110i platforms and will ship with new ztC Edge 100i, 110i, 200i and 250i platforms.
  • ztC Advisor 1.1 – ztC Advisor provides business, operations, and IT leaders with a centralized systems management solution that offers at-a-glance health monitoring, software information, and status across their entire ztC Edge inventory. The newest software adds a “partner mode” for SIs and VARs to manage ztC Edge platforms for customers when enabled by end users.
  • everRun 7.9 – Stratus’ fault tolerance software, which enables teams to deploy Stratus’ industry-leading fault tolerance to third-party servers, adds support for Intel Ice Lake processors and Linux Debian OS, and includes a range of software updates and CVE remediations.

The updated Stratus software versions are scheduled for release by the end of Q3 2021. The software will be available to existing customers on support contracts at no additional charge.

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Stratus

For leaders digitally transforming their operations to drive predictable, peak performance with minimal risk, Stratus ensures the continuous availability of business-critical applications by delivering zero-touch Edge Computing platforms that are simple to deploy and maintain, protected from interruptions and threats, and autonomous. For 40 years, we have provided reliable and redundant zero-touch computing, enabling global Fortune 500 companies and small-to-medium sized businesses to securely and remotely turn data into actionable intelligence at the Edge, cloud and data center – driving uptime and efficiency. For more information, please visit www.stratus.com or follow on Twitter @StratusAlwaysOn and LinkedIn @StratusTechnologies

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