SUSE Delivers Seamless and Scalable Edge Operations with SUSE Edge 3.2

We are pleased to announce the general availability of SUSE Edge 3.2. The newest version of the SUSE Edge platform improves operational efficiency and manageability, and accelerates the adoption of AI use cases in edge deployments. 

Enterprises in retail, manufacturing, healthcare and government verticals are experiencing a significant transformation due to the rapid advancement of edge computing. Edge computing capabilities at the edge help enterprises reduce latency, gain local real-time insights, and benefit from use cases enabled by AI/ML. However, several factors prevent them from fulfilling their objectives, including: the lack of a consistent platform between the cloud, enterprise premises and the edge; the difficulty of managing the lifecycle of all aspects of edge devices at scale; and the need to protect privacy of customers. They are stretched to meet the innovation demands from the business while rationalizing their spend.

To enable and simplify customer innovation, SUSE has unveiled SUSE Edge Suite, a comprehensive bundle that combines capabilities from SUSE’s Linux and Rancher offerings into a complete solution for Edge scenarios. Benefits include:

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency and Reduced Costs: SUSE’s edge solutions ensure consistent and reliable performance across stores, factories, hospitals, and beyond, resulting in improved operational efficiency and reduced costs.
• Robust Security: With SUSE’s robust security features, retailers can protect critical systems, such as point-of-sale (POS) systems, factory devices, and customer/patient data, from cyber threats and exfiltration, and ensure compliance.
• Accelerated Innovation: SUSE’s flexible open source platform supports the rapid deployment of new capabilities and use cases that enhance customer experience and drive business growth. This includes use cases such as computer vision, responsive merchandizing and smart payments that build on technologies such as data analytics, automation, and AI/ML. 
• Fraud Detection and Prevention: With SUSE’s edge solutions, data is processed real-time, allowing for quick identification and notification of suspicious activities. This enables eCommerce platforms to take immediate action to prevent fraud.

SUSE Edge Suite is based on SUSE Edge 3.2, the latest version of its edge computing platform. Newly launched SUSE Edge 3.2 includes a number of new features and enhancements, including:

• Validated designs that ensure consistent and easy deployment on commonly used hardware and system architectures
• Automation to lower the cost of lifecycle management – image build patch and deploy
• Flexible pricing models and bundles that align with the varied business models and scale needs of edge customers.
• Highly integrated comprehensive edge stack that supports AI/ML workloads, and GenAI models deployed at the edge. 

“SUSE is committed to delivering edge solutions that empower customers to succeed in today’s competitive environment,” said Keith Basil, SUSE’s General Manager for the Edge Business Unit. “SUSE Edge Suite and SUSE Edge 3.2 are transformative for customers in Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare and beyond, needing a comprehensive set of tools and capabilities to optimize their edge operations, enhance security, and accelerate innovation.”

Forrester Report Highlights Edge Computing Obstacles

SUSE recently commissioned a  Forrester Consulting study titled “Elevate In-Store Experiences and Streamline Operations with Retail-Savvy Edge Partners.” This study found key challenges facing retailers including security concerns, the need to upskill staff and scaling new edge solutions, all barriers which are addressed with SUSE’s edge solutions and expertise.  The study also found that while retailers are deploying a diverse array of edge technologies, the breadth of edge scenarios has made it difficult for retailers to keep up with new solution implementations. The report found that retail decision-makers prioritize using edge computing to anticipate customer needs and improve operational efficiency.  The study also shed light on the the follow key areas:

• Increased Operational efficiencies at the edge: 71% of respondents are keenly focused on increasing operational efficiency at their stores over the next 12-18 months. To achieve operational efficiency, 44% of respondents are planning to deploy fraud detection/reduction use cases. Additional operational efficiencies can be enabled by transitioning to containerized infrastructure, which 43% of respondents plan to do within the year. 
• Open Source and retail: 80% of respondents identified open source as important or very important for their edge application strategy, and 67% felt the same about using open source in their edge infrastructure strategy.
• Partnerships drive success: 91% of respondents are currently partnering or planning to partner to achieve key retail edge computing goals

SUSE Edge 3.2 will be generally available in Jan 2025. Reach out to SUSE and explore how we can help you in your journey to implement edge solutions that work the best for you. The full Forrester report can be found here.

Learn More

• Edge and Industrial IoT at Scale – Gorilla Guide
• Finding Value at the Edge – Webinar
• Gartner Report: How Enterprises are applying Edge Computing
• White Paper: Managing Edge Infrastructure at Scale with GitOps
• Edge Customer Success Stories
• Edge Corporate Blogs
• Edge Technical Blogs