Stratus Technologies, a supplier of autonomous computing platforms for edge and data
center applications has expanded Linux virtualization capabilities for its 12th generation of
its ftServer platform—the latest version of the company’s fault-tolerant servers.
This update brings kernel-based virtual machine (KVM) support for Red Hat Enterprise
Linux to the Stratus ftServer family of computing platforms. According to Stratus, this
feature has been added to address “a critical market need for optionality and openness in
virtualization, while continuing to provide industry-leading fault-tolerant compute
capabilities.”
The new release provides KVM hypervisor support on RHEL 8.8 for the 12th generation
ftServer models 2920, 4920, 6920 and 6910. Existing users of RHEL who want to add
support for KVM can log in to the Stratus Service Portal to download the new release of the
Automated Uptime Layer (AUL) for RHEL.
The company noted that interest among manufacturers for Linux and KVM is increasing as
they search for greater computing flexibility. Stratus says this added support for the
ftServer family delivers another Linux-based virtualization option that pairs with the fault
tolerance of its built-in full system redundancy and intelligent system management.
“Virtualization allows organizations to consolidate workloads onto a single platform, which
can reduce cost and simplify management, but it is not a one-size-fits all endeavor,” said
Dara Ambrose, vice president of products and solutions at Stratus. “With the complexity of
operating a modern business, enterprises need to be able to configure systems and have
the flexibility to choose the hypervisor that that will meet their specific needs.”
For those unfamiliar with computer virtualization, the term hypervisor refers to
software, firmware or hardware that creates and runs virtual machines. A virtual machine is
the virtualization or emulation of a computer system that provides the functionality of a
physical computer.
The company added that Stratus ftServer platforms running multiple virtual machines
deliver five-nines reliability to enable OT and IT teams to consolidate their critical
applications on a single platform and run them with minimal downtime or data loss.
The Stratus ftServer platform also includes proactive health monitoring and alerts users of
potential issues before they occur via the Stratus ActiveService Network or other
monitoring tools used by customers.
