SUSE Launches Kubernetes Platform Rancher for SAP Applications

SUSE has officially announced the launch of its Rancher Prime Kubernetes platform, specifically certified for SAP applications, during its annual conference in Orlando. This new offering combines a suite of SAP-certified components with the Rancher Prime platform, which includes Linux, virtualization, and databases, all backed by integrated support.

The platform aims to enable organizations to seamlessly integrate sensitive data and external applications with SAP's cloud solutions. Additionally, SUSE is targeting the banking sector with its Kubernetes solution, starting with the certification for Temenos Core, a platform designed for banks and financial institutions.

In a significant move, SUSE will make the enterprise version of Rancher Prime available as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution starting April 2025. This cloud-based option provides customers with an alternative to self-managed installations, allowing them to utilize the service directly and pay based on their usage. Users will also have access to SUSE Cloud Observability on the AWS Marketplace, which facilitates the monitoring of platform stability, containers, and applications. Alongside this, SUSE offers the SUSE Application Collection, a repository of pre-packaged instructions, containers, and Helm charts tailored for cloud-based enterprise applications.

Moreover, SUSE has introduced the SUSE Private Registry for Rancher Prime, built on the open-source Harbor project. This tool enables organizations to manage their container images efficiently. Currently, only selected customers can access the early version of this product, but a broader technical preview is expected to be available soon. Discussions with clients have revealed that specific requirements have driven the development of the SUSE Private Registry, along with an expanded selection of storage options for SUSE Virtualization. Users can now integrate fully supported and certified storage from Dell, NetAPP, Oracle, and Portworx into the platform.

In addition to these developments, SUSE AI is set to receive an agent-based AI feature based on MLFlow. Recognizing the rapid evolution in the AI landscape, SUSE AI is designed with modularity in mind, allowing for quick adjustments in response to emerging needs, as stated by company executives. This includes the integration and certification of relevant open-source technologies such as MLFlow. SUSE AI was previously launched in November 2024, featuring partnerships with Ollama, Milvus, and OpenWebUI.

Furthermore, SUSE has announced a partnership with Infosys to develop the Responsible AI Suite, aimed at ensuring ethical AI practices and compliance with regulations and data protection in AI workloads. The company has also collaborated with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to provide the necessary hardware for its proprietary AI applications. Additionally, it was revealed at SUSECon that SLES 15 will receive its final upgrade with SP7.