Ubuntu Core 22, a completely containerized Ubuntu 22.04 LTS edition optimized for IoT and edge devices, is now available for general download. This release would offer Ubuntu’s comprehensive operating system (OS) and services to a wide range of embedded and IoT devices when combined with Canonical’s technology offer.
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IoT device makers have several hurdles in delivering products on time and on budget. As device fleets grow, ensuring security and remote administration at scale may becom more difficult. With an “ultra-secured and low-touch” OS backed by a growing community of silicon and ODM partners, Ubuntu Core 22 would help manufacturers tackle these difficulties.
“Our goal at Canonical is to provide secure, reliable open source everywhere – from the development environment to the cloud, down to the edge and to devices,” said Mark Shuttleworth, CEO at Canonical. “With this release, and Ubuntu’s real-time kernel, we are ready to expand the benefits of Ubuntu Core across the entire embedded world.”
Real-Time Compute Support
For time-sensitive industrial, telecom, automotive, and robotics use cases, the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS real-time kernel, now in beta, provides excellent performance, ultra-low latency, and workload predictability.
To provide time-bound answers, the new version contains a fully preemptible kernel. Canonical collaborates with silicon and hardware vendors to deliver sophisticated real-time functionality on Ubuntu Certified Hardware right out of the box.
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Application-Centric
Ubuntu Core is a stable, containerized version of Ubuntu that splits down the monolithic Ubuntu image into snaps, which contain the kernel, operating system, and applications. To make it entirely portable and stable, each snap has an isolated sandbox that contains the application’s dependencies. Snapcraft, a framework created by Canonical, provides on-rails snap creation for quick iteration, automated testing, and reliable deploy ent.
Every Ubuntu Core device has its own dedicated IoT App Store, which gives users complete control over the apps on their device and allows them to build, publish, and distribute software on a single platform. The IoT App Store provides businesses with a comprehensive software management solution that allows them to implement a variety of new on-premise functionalities.
The system would ensure transactional mission-critical over-the-air (OTA) updates to the kernel, OS, and apps – updates will always finish successfully or roll back to the previous functional version, preventing a device from being ‘bricked.’ Snaps also include delta updates to save network traffic and digital signatures to assure the integrity and provenance of software.
Secured boot, complete disk encryption, secured recovery, and rigorous confinement of the OS and applications are all available right out of the box with Ubuntu Core.
“KMC Controls’ range of IoT devices are purpose-built for mission-critical industrial environments. Security is paramount for our customers,” said Brad Kehler, COO at KMC Controls. “We chose Ubuntu Core for its built-in advanced security features and robust over-the-air update framework. Ubuntu Core comes with 10 years of security update commitment which allows us to keep devices secure in the field for their long life. With a proven application enablement framework, our development teams can focus on creating applications that solve business problems.”
Ubuntu Certified Hardware Program
Customers would benefit from Canonical’s ten-year security maintenance of kernel, OS, and application-level code, which allows devices and their applications to fulfill business and public-sector digital security standards.
Ubuntu Core’s footprint in the market has been created thanks to partnerships with top silicon and hardware partners such as Advantech, Lenovo, and others.
The Ubuntu Certified Hardware program outlines a set of off-the-shelf IoT and edge devices that have been tested and proven to function with Ubuntu. The program would be unusual in that it involves a commitment to evaluating certified hardware at Canonical’s laboratories with every security upgrade throughout the device’s lifespan.
“Advantech provides embedded, industrial, IoT and automation solutions. We continue to strengthen our participation in the Ubuntu Certified Hardware Program,” said Eric Kao, Director of Advantech WISE-Edge+. “Canonical ensures that certified hardware goes through an extensive testing process and provides a stable, secure, and optimized Ubuntu Core to reduce time to market and development costs for our customers.”
Executive Summary
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For time-sensitive industrial, telecom, automotive, and robotics use cases, the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS real-time kernel, now in beta, provides excellent performance, ultra-low latency, and workload predictability
-
To provide time-bound answers, the new version contains a fully preemptible kernel.
Application-Centric
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A stable, containerized version of Ubuntu that splits down the monolithic Ubuntu image into snaps, which contain the kernel, operating system, and applications.
-
Snapcraft, a framework created by Canonical, provides on-rails snap creation for quick iteration, automated testing, and reliable deploy ent.
Ubuntu Certified Hardware Program
-
Off-the-shelf IoT and edge devices that have been tested and proven to function with Ubuntu.
-
Canonical ensures that certified hardware goes through an extensive testing process and provides a stable, secure, and optimized Ubuntu Core to reduce time to market and development costs for our customers.
