Highlights:

  • StackState has developed a software solution designed for administrators to troubleshoot Kubernetes deployments.
  • SUSE will look into ways to add more features to StackState, such as fixing industrial equipment linked to the internet.

SUSE SA acquired StackState BV, a venture-supported startup that offers a platform to resolve discrepancies in Kubernetes environments.

During its annual SUSECON conference, the Linux distributor made the announcement. Executives gave a sneak peek at a new piece of software that will make using artificial intelligence models easier.

Based in Luxembourg the well-known Linux distribution of the same name is offered by SUSE. There are various specialized editions of the platform that are designed to power connected devices, operate SAP applications, and fulfill other use cases. With its operating systems, SUSE bundles a utility that lessens the effort required to maintain Linux setups.

The company also sells a different line of software tools for managing Kubernetes environments. Rancher Prime, a platform that streamlines the deployment and management of Kubernetes clusters, is the focal point of this product range. SUSE’s announcement of the acquisition of StackState will contribute to the feature set expansion of Rancher Prime.

StackState has developed a software solution for administrators to troubleshoot Kubernetes deployments. The company claims that in some situations, its software can cut down on the average amount of time needed to solve faults by 84%. By shortening the duration of application outages, troubleshooting workflows can be expedited, and their influence on a company’s business operations mitigated.

Configuration problems are a major cause of many technical issues impacting Kubernetes systems. StackState’s feature set includes a tool called Timeline, which helps identify these kinds of mistakes. It also helps pinpoint the precise alteration that resulted in the failure by enabling managers to review how a Kubernetes configuration option changed in the weeks preceding an outage.

A Kubernetes system can contain up to hundreds of containers and additional software components. StackState’s interface displays those elements in a map that illustrates their interactions. Administrators can use the map to identify which other workloads may be impacted by a technical issue with a container.

SUSE Chief Executive Officer Dirk Peter Van Leeuwen reported, “Cloud workloads are getting more complex by the day. Applications are distributed into so many different elements that you need to understand. You need to have a way to monitor in real time how they are interacting with each other.”

Rancher Prime will incorporate StackState’s functionalities, according to SUSE. It intends to provide the code for the observability tool under an open-source license in the future. SUSE will look into ways to add more features to StackState, such as fixing industrial equipment linked to the internet.

One of the main features of SUSE AI, a new product the firm unveiled along with the acquisition, is Rancher Prime. The offering comprises the SUSE’s Linux distribution and allied cybersecurity tool, NeuVector, along with the Kubernetes management platform. The latter solution may detect software flaws in a company’s containers and prevent attacks; SUSE acquired it in 2021.

The purpose of SUSE AI is to offer generative AI models with a software base. SUSE claims that the offering will lower the expenses related to operating such models. It also promises to make it easier to maintain regulatory compliance and safeguard an organization’s AI workloads against intrusions.

There is presently an early access program available for SUSE AI. It is anticipated that the product will debut later this year.