A multimodal operating system is one that is able to support systems and services that operate within a company’s physical data center, as well as those that work within a virtual, cloud-enabled, or software-defined environment.
The legacy IT environment that is traditionally housed in an on-premise data center is referred to as a Mode 1 environment. The virtual, cloud-enabled, or software-defined environment is referred to as a Mode 2 environment. Mode 2 is where agile development takes place using application development services such as containers and Cloud Foundry. Mode 2 environments support the Internet of Things, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge security innovations such as continuous adaptive risk and trust assessment (CARTA). At this point, most companies have moved at least some of their services to a Mode 2 environment and are managing their Mode 1 and Mode 2 environments separately.
A multimodal operating system bridges the two Modes, allowing seamless interoperability from Mode 1 to Mode 2 and back. This solves many of the challenges of running two separate environments, including installation, integration, interoperability, service, support, and staff training. A multimodal operating system makes it easier to migrate some systems and services into the cloud while still running the on-premise physical infrastructure efficiently. This capability can close the growing gap between Mode 1 and Mode 2 operations and enable a business to carry out a digital transformation at its own pace, while maintaining legacy systems where that makes sense. SUSE Linux Enterprise System 15 (SLES 15) is designed for multimodal IT environments and enables the use of a single operating system for any hardware or application. This creates a simplified IT environment that works for traditional data center environments as well as a software-defined infrastructure or the cloud.