Stratus Now Shipping ztC Edge System for the Industrial Edge

MAYNARD, Mass., May 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stratus Technologies, a global leader in continuous availability solutions for mission-critical applications, today announced the availability and shipment of Stratus^® ztCtm Edge, its zero-touch, fully virtualized and self-protecting computing platform, specifically designed for industrial edge environments. ztC Edge is the first product that, straight out of the box, brings the power of IT to OT environments, with its built-in reliability, virtualization and 24x7 remote monitoring. This, combined with its ability to be set up in less than 30 minutes, significantly reduces the IT burden for virtualized computing at the edge. Since announcing ztC Edge earlier this year, Stratus has been working with an extensive group of beta users on proofs of concept, and has begun shipping production units to customers, effective today. ztC Edge is available through Stratus' extensive network of partners and distributors.

Edge computing promises near real-time insights from the growing amount of data generated at the edge of corporate networks, such as information generated from machines on an industrial plant floor. This influx of data is projected to rise significantly in the coming years. In fact, according to a recent Gartner report, "By 2022, more than 50% of industrial IoT analytics will be performed at the edge, up from less than 10% today."* As industrial technologies are becoming more powerful and connected, data from these devices is driving the need for ? and growth of ? new edge computing infrastructure. ztC Edge addresses this need with built-in virtualization, automated protection and managed services, providing a versatile computing platform for running business-critical industrial applications quickly and reliably outside of the data center in environments ranging from the manufacturing plant floor to remote sites.

Highlights and Key Features:

ztC Edge is a self-protecting and self-monitoring system that reduces unplanned downtime for industrial users. Ideal for running industrial applications in remote locations with limited or no IT resources, ztC Edge users benefit from:

• Increased operational efficiency ? Through pre-installed virtualization software and intuitive, user-friendly configuration and management tools, ztC Edge simplifies the process and shortens the time it takes to get critical applications up and running, saving users time and effort. It can manage up to three virtual machines, each running different industrial or IIoT applications, such as analytics, SCADA/HMI and Historian.
• Purpose-built for industrial edge deployments ? ztC Edge's rugged form factor and DIN rail mounts give it the flexibility to be deployed outside of traditional data rooms or data centers, such as on manufacturing plant floors. Additionally, ztC Edge can be deployed in less than 30 minutes, offering users superior time to value.
• Automated application and data protection ? ztC Edge's self-monitoring and self-protecting capabilities make it ideal for unmanned stations or remote locations with limited IT resources. Because it takes care of itself, companies don't have to manage it, saving them time and effort.

As part of the company's roadmap, Stratus will introduce future products in the ztC Edge family including additional services, such as security, and full-stack monitoring and protection, staying true to its heritage for delivering all-in-one solutions for mission-critical reliability where you need it most.  

Quotes:

Dave Laurello, CEO, Stratus
"Today's industrial organizations need to achieve unparalleled operational productivity with minimal risk in order to remain competitive," said Dave Laurello, CEO, Stratus. "With ztC Edge, we are delivering on our vision for a new approach to running business-critical applications quickly and reliably at the plant level, setting up industrial companies to succeed in one of the biggest areas for growth: edge computing. By removing the management and maintenance burden, we are ensuring companies can stay laser focused on the efficiency of their operations and delivering the quality products their customers expect."

Ashish Nadkarni, Vice President of Computing Platforms, IDC
"Edge Computing is one of the top areas of IT investments, especially in the light of company-wide digital transformation initiatives such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It can offer enormous benefits when deployed in the right context, for the right use case, with the appropriate architecture and with the right investments in technologies. For optimal benefit, organizations must evaluate infrastructure platforms such as the Stratus ztC Edge that are designed from the ground up for various edge deployments."

Tom Schiller, CEO, AutomaTech
"When searching for the right edge system to support our broad base of industrial customers, simplicity and performance are key. We look for solutions that are easy to install and maintain, yet are ruggedized to handle the most severe environments. After testing the Stratus ztC Edge server in our production facilities, we were extremely impressed with its ability to strike that balance. The ease of use, combined with its built-in redundancy and virtualization, make it the ideal edge solution for industrial deployments. We look forward to bringing the benefits of unmatched reliability at the edge to our customers."

Additional Resources:

• Watch how one customer is using ztC Edge
• Read the IDC-authored blog post, "Best Practices for Designing an Edge Infrastructure"
• Read Gartner's September 2017 "Maverick* Research: The Edge Will Eat the Cloud"
• Download the ARC Market Report, "Is IIoT Living on the Edge in Industrial Environments?"
• Learn more about ztC Edge 

*Source:  Gartner, Cool Vendors in Edge Computing, 2018, April 2018 

About Stratus Technologies

Stratus takes the complexity out of keeping business critical applications running 24/7. Stratus' technologies proactively prevent instances of unplanned downtime both in the data center and at the edge, and our services ensure any issues are addressed before customers need to. Global Fortune 500 companies and small medium sized businesses in a wide range of industries across the globe have been relying on Stratus for operationally simple, continuous availability for more than 35 years. For more information, please visit www.stratus.com or follow on Twitter @StratusAlwaysOn. 

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