Stratus ztC Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Features, Benefits and How it works

Stratus ztC Edge

Across industries, business, operations and IT leaders want to harness Industry 4.0 opportunities to gain new insight, achieve operational excellence, and operate more efficiently and safely. Edge Computing solves the inherent challenges of bandwidth, latency, and security at edge locations to enable IIoT devices and data acquisition.

ztC Edge provides teams with a zero-touch, secure, and highly-automated Edge Computing platform, purpose built for edge environments. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything about ztC Edge, including its key benefits, features, and how it works to unlock the full potential of edge computing for your business.

Stratus ztC Edge Overview

What is Stratus ztC Edge?

Stratus ztC Edge is a compact computing platform built for edge locations and OT environments where continuous availability of critical applications and data is essential and dedicated IT support is limited. 

The platform is UL Class I Div 2 certified and IP40 rated, and mountable on a DIN rail. Internally, the platform runs the Stratus Redundant Linux (SRL) operating system, which delivers built-in virtualization to run multiple applications concurrently. 

When deployed in a paired/redundant configuration, the ztC Edge platform provides zero-touch, secure, and highly automated fault tolerance and/or high availability out-of-the-box and allows users to set the availability level by virtual machine (VM). 

In addition, ztC Edge offers a range of capabilities to connect to existing IT systems for manageability and is engineered to be serviceable by OT or IT staff.

Stratus ztC Edge

Stratus ztC Edge Overview

 

ztC Edge Positioning

Stratus ztC Edge provides teams with a ruggedized, and highly automated Edge Computing platform that is purpose-built to run mission-critical applications in edge environments without downtime or data loss. 

With ztC Edge’s combination of built-in virtualization and out-ofthe-box high availability and fault tolerance, organizations are able to rapidly modernize and scale edge infrastructure. 

The platform’s plug-and-play operation and automated selfprotecting and self-monitoring capabilities enable easy deployment, management, and serviceability by both Operations and IT staff. 

With ztC Edge, customers run multiple applications concurrently close to critical equipment or processes with confidence — turning edge data into actionable insight.

Key Product Philosophy

Simple: Delivers built-in virtualization and fault tolerance out-ofthe-box, no additional scripting; easy to deploy (30 min or less), manage, and service (hot swappable, plug-andplay) by Operations or IT; supports open standards and software. 

Protected: Provides secure, continuous computing availability for critical applications to eliminate downtime, prevent data loss, and ensure data integrity; housed in UL Class I Div 2, IP40 rated enclosure for operation in rugged environments. 

Autonomous: Features highly automated operation for zero-touch operation; health monitoring, alerting, and automated checkpointing, failover, and resynching allow remote operation without human monitoring or on-site IT support.

Key benefits of Stratus ztC Edge
Stratus ztC Edge 250i

Key benefits of Stratus ztC Edge

Greater efficiency: With built-in virtualization supporting Windows and Linux guest operating systems, industrial interoperability, and field serviceability, ztC Edge simplifies and shortens the time it takes to deploy, manage, and maintain your critical edge applications, saving you time and effort.

Simplified security: With restricted USB ports, secure communication protocols, secure and trusted boot, role-based access controls, and easy-to-configure hostbased firewall, you do not need to be a security expert to secure your ztC Edge platform. 

Less downtime: ztC Edge’s self-monitoring and self-protecting features help reduce unplanned downtime. And because its operating environment can be updated while it is still running (without requiring a system reboot), customers also experience less planned downtime. 

More flexibility: ztC Edge’s rugged, compact, industrial form factor performs equally well in the control room, control panel, shop floor, or inside machines, giving customers more choice. Automated capabilities make it suitable for unmanned stations, or remote, decentralized locations with limited IT resources. Simplified Management: RESTful API available in the ztC Edge offers interoperability with your preferred system management tools.

Discover ztC Edge

Features of Stratus ztC Edge 

Stratus ztC Edge is a secure, rugged, highly automated computing platform that enables the rapid and efficient delivery of reliable business-critical applications in remote, understaffed locations at the edge of corporate networks. Features like its built-in virtualization, simplified security, industrial interoperability, OT manageability, rugged form factor, automated protection, field serviceability, and complementary services help companies increase productivity, while minimizing risk of downtime.

Built-in virtualization

ztC Edge ships with its own operating environment called Stratus Redundant Linux. It contains a virtualization host that supports both Windows and Linux guest operating systems, and OVF files and OVA images, including third-party templates. An intuitive management console makes it easy for local and remote staff to set up, configure, import, and manage their virtual machines.

OT and IT manageability

ztC Edge ships with its own management tool, the ztC Edge Console, that simplifies system and software management. With it, administrators can remotely access their systems, set thresholds and alerts, check for updates, backup and restore system settings and preferences, and easily manage their VMs. In addition, administrators can leverage ztC Edge’s RESTful API calls to enable interoperability with third-party systems management tools, allowing local or remote monitoring and management on a single pane of glass.

Automated protection

When deployed as a redundant pair (dual deployment), ztC Edge provides instant protection for your workloads. Data is automatically replicated across platforms. VMs running on one platform will automatically restart (in High Availability mode) or resume (in Fault Tolerant mode) on the other machine in the event of a failure. If ztC Edge detects a networking or disk failure on one computer, it automatically re-routes traffic or uses data on the other computer, with no operator intervention. Platforms can even be deployed across physical distances for automated local site recovery.

Rugged redundant nodes

Designed for the harsh conditions typically found in industrial locations, ztC Edge nodes are UL Class I Div 2 certified and IP40 rated for deployment anywhere from the control room or control panel to machines on the shop floor, closer to your devices that are generating
data. More durable than standard servers or workstations, ztC Edge offers customers greater reliability and deployment flexibility.

Industrial interoperability

ztC Edge is designed to help OT or IT more easily secure their Edge Computing environment. A host-based firewall, restricted USB ports, role-based access controls with Active Directory integration, secure communications protocols, and secure and trusted boot all work together to minimize your security exposure.

Field serviceability

When deployed as a redundant pair, ztC Edge platforms are hot-swappable and auto-synchronizing, making field repairs quick and easy. Maintenance or repairs to individual computers can be completed while the node is running and without a system reboot, ensuring service continuity. This allows OT or IT staff to plan and complete a system repair when it is convenient.

Platform Specifications

The second generation ztC Edge is available in two models, the 200i and 250i. Systems may be wall or DIN rail mounted, and offer a fan-less, solid state design. The ztC Edge 250i is a more powerful system to support larger software workloads that require more storage, processing power, and fault tolerance.

ztC Edge 200i ztC Edge 250i
Compute Intel Xeon W-1250TE, 2.4 GHz, 12 MB cache, 6 HT cores
Intel Xeon W-1290TE, 1.8 GHz, 20 MB cache, 10 HT cores
Memory 32 GB DDR4 2666 (ECC)
64 GB DDR4 2666 (ECC)
Storage 1 TB SSD (NVMe)
2 TB SSD (NVMe)
Networking 2 x 1 GbE (for a-links), 4 x 1 GbE (for networks)
2 x 10 GbE (for a-links), 6 x 1 GbE (for networks)
Temperature -20 to 60 °C (-4 to 140 °F)
-20 to 60 °C (-4 to 140 °F)
Humidity 95% @ 40 °C (non-condensing)
95% @ 40 °C (non-condensing)
Shock 20G, 11 ms 10G, 11 ms
Vibration 3 Grms @ 5-500 Hz
1.5 Grms @ 5-500 Hz
Input power 9V-36V (DC-nominal 35W)
9V-36V (DC-nominal 35W)
Dimensions 230 x 192 x 77 mm (9.1 x 7.6 x 3.0 in)
230 x 192 x 127 mm (9.1 x 7.6 x 5.0 in)
Weight 3.3 kg (7.2 lbs) 4.6 kg (10.2 lbs)
Installation Wall or DIN rail mount
Wall or DIN rail mount
Certification CI D2. FCC, CE, and others
CI D2. FCC, CE, and others
Host OS support Stratus Redundant Linux
Stratus Redundant Linux
Guest OS support Windows and Linux
Windows and Linux
Availability support HA HA and FT

How Stratus ztc Edge works

Built-In Virtualization and Fault Tolerance Out-of-the-Box, No Additional Work

Stratus Redundant Linux (SRL) is ztC Edge’s Ubuntu-based operating system which delivers built-in application virtualization and fault tolerance/high availability without any coding or scripting

Stratus Redundant Linux (SRL)

Stratus Redundant Linux is the operating environment that comes pre-installed on every ztC Edge platform. It includes BOTH a virtualization host and availability layer

Stratus ztC Edge is the only industrial edge computing solution available today that ships with its own virtualization host AND availability layer, saving customers the time and trouble of installing, configuring and managing their own virtualization host and redundant applications. 

To virtualize your applications is to create your virtual machines, just install your OS and applications, and then launch them. Or, even faster, import your existing virtual machine templates into ztC Edge and launch them. Using the virtualization host, customers can consolidate both current and legacy workloads, increasing their resource utilization and extending their useful life. 

In addition, ztC Edge ships with its own availability layer. Implementing a redundant environment is automatic when installing and running them in a redundant ztC Edge system. There’s nothing extra that you need to do – no application changes, or any application configuration and troubleshooting like you would need if you implemented applications in redundant mode on two servers. 

When ztC Edge is deployed as a redundant system, Stratus Redundant Linux can be updated dynamically without requiring a system reboot. This helps shorten planned downtime. 

Built-in Fault Tolerance or High Availability – Now or Later

Users can configure fault tolerance (FT) or high availability (HA) by platform – and VM – to suit need

Stratus ztC Edge can easily be upgraded to HA or FT
Stratus ztC Edge can easily be upgraded to HA or FT

Stratus ztC Edge can easily be upgraded to a redundant configuration for higher availability (HA) or fault tolerance (FT). This way, customers can start small, and add more capabilities as their needs change

FT or HA support occurs automatically when two ztC Edge platforms are combined through their alinks – and you confirm that they’re meant to be paired in a redundant configuration. They automatically configure themselves to operate redundantly, including synchronizing data.

When two ztC Edge 200i platforms are combined, it effectively becomes a redundant ztC Edge 200i system, automatically delivering highly available virtualized workloads.

Similarly, when two ztC Edge 250i platforms are combined, it effectively becomes a redundant ztC Edge 250i system, automatically delivering either highly available or fault tolerant virtualized workloads. You can select the level of availability – HA or FT – by VM.

How Stratus ztC Edge Delivers Fault Tolerance and High Availability

How Stratus ztC Edge Delivers Fault Tolerance and High Availability
How Stratus ztC Edge Delivers Fault Tolerance and High Availability

Redundant ztC Edge 250i systems support both fault tolerant (FT) and highly available (HA) workloads at the VM level, allowing customers can run both FT and HA workloads simultaneously, on the same system. This flexibility allows customers to match the level of availability to the criticality of their workloads to optimize resource utilization.

In FT mode, applications run on a primary node, with redundant applications standing by, ready to run on a secondary node, should there be a catastrophic failure to the primary. Using a unique check-pointing engine, ztC Edge systems precisely replicate all data written to disk, all data in memory, and all CPU states. And by using very small time slices and carefully coordinating when execution threads and I/O operations take place and are verified, a precise level of synchronization is achieved. This method does require additional system resources to support fault tolerance. Therefore, we recommend using FT mode, only when necessary

If FT mode is not selected, workloads running on redundant ztC Edge systems run in high availability (HA) mode automatically. In HA mode, all data written to disk is mirrored across both platforms in the system, but not in memory data. This approach requires less system resources than FT mode, but there is potential for some data loss. If health monitoring determines a failure is likely, the system proactively moves VMs from primary node to the secondary in a live migration. In this case, applications are not interrupted, and no data is lost or corrupted. 

However, if there is an unexpected CPU or power failure in the primary node running the VM that triggers it to automatically restart on the secondary node, How Stratus ztC Edge Delivers Fault Tolerance and High Availability there will be a brief service interruption while the VM is restarting. And any data in memory, or data generated during the time the VM and applications are offline, will be lost. 

In HA, failover time is as long as it takes for VM on secondary node to boot. Stratus has measured the availability level of FT in everRun, which operates the same as SRL, at 5 nines availability (99.999% uptime), which means an average of 5 minutes of downtime per year.

Why choose Stratus

Why choose Stratus ztC Edge
Why choose Stratus ztC Edge

For leaders digitally transforming their operations in order to drive predictable, peak performance with minimalrisk, Stratus ensures the continuous availability of business-critical applications by delivering zero-touch Edge Computing platforms that are simple to deploy and maintain, protected from interruptions and threats, and autonomous. For 40 years, we have provided reliable and redundant zero-touch computing, enabling global Fortune 500 companies and small-to-medium sized businesses to securely and remotely turn data into actionable intelligence at the Edge, cloud and data center –driving uptime and efficiency.

Stratus provides a range of Support offerings with a single focus: to enable continuous platform availability and uptime for customers’ critical applications. To fulfill our promise of continuous availability, we’ve built our Edge Computing platforms to be serviced and maintained while in operation, without disruption or downtime.

Stratus Support provides the essential set of “wrap around” services—from basic support to proactive uptime monitoring—that ensure the health of Stratus platforms and free customers’ resources for other value-add activity.

Servo Dynamics –  Master Distributors of Stratus Technologies in Viet Nam

Servo Dynamics is the exclusive distributor of Stratus Technologies in Vietnam, offering ztC Edge solutions tailored to the region’s industrial needs. They provide expert consultation, installation, and support to help businesses maximize the benefits of Stratus’ advanced edge computing technology.

System Support

8×5 web-based support:
Web-based technical support services provided during local business hours.

Root cause problem determination:
For each confirmed critical issue, whether self-reported or initiated by Servo Dynamics from an alert it receives, an analysis by Servo engineers of the root cause(s) of that issue, using log files, interactions from troubleshooting, or inspection of returned failed hardware. Upon customer request, Servo will provide a summary of their analysis through a customer accessible case update, and/or review the analysis with the customer over the phone.

Software updates and upgrades:
Access and entitlement to software updates and upgrades with your support subscription. Helps ensure customers’ systems are secure, robust, and operating at peak performance.

Secure access to self-service portal:
Secure, online resource for customers to see current support cases and service history, and view/download the latest software and firmware. Customers can also use the portal to search Stratus’s extensive video library and knowledgebase for help and answers to commonly asked technical questions, and manage their users’ access rights and privileges.

System Health Add-ons

24x7x365 web and phone-based support upgrade, with 30 minute critical response SLA:
Web or phone-based technical support services provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For critical issues (e.g. when a production system is inaccessible, unresponsive, or losing information or data, and when no workaround or temporary resolution is available), Servo will respond to customers within 30 minutes of being notified.

Advance parts exchange:
Shipment and delivery of a replacement part within 3 business days of diagnosing a system issue, for no additional charge. Does not require the customer to first send Stratus their failed system.

Media retention:
For customers required to comply with strict company policies for retaining sensitive data. Instructions for how to safely remove a system’s physical disk media, prior to returning the diskless system to Stratus for repair or exchange.

Proactive uptime monitoring:
Continuous monitoring by Stratus of various ztC Edge system parameters (e.g. temperature, voltage, SSD life, CPU usage, memory utilization, etc.), with customer notification if warranted. Requires ztC Edge systems be connected to Stratus’s Active Service Network—its secure on-line services delivery platform.

Request Support

FAQs

Status ztC Edge is engineered for Operations and IT teams who need to jointly modernize and scale edge infrastructure and run complex software with maximum reliability in edge locations. The platform is purpose-built to allow serviceability and manageability for OT and IT staff and offers an operational lifespan of eight to ten years, twice that of traditional IPCs and servers. 

No, you don’t have to buy two nodes at a time. Deployment of the ztC Edge is flexible, allowing you to buy a single ztC Edge node to consolidate workloads and run applications, and then add a second node at a later date to support high availability or fault tolerance. Users are able to configure the redundant pair on their own using the ztC Edge wizard.

The number of VMs vary depending on workload, but most users typically set up no more than four (4) VMs on the ztC Edge platform.  

Each order for a Stratus 200i and 250i ztC Edge platform includes: the ztC Edge system, cables to connect them (if configuring for dual node deployment), and a perpetual license for Stratus Redundant Linux – the host operating system that includes Stratus’ virtualization platform and availability layer. The AC adapter, DIN rail and wall mount kits are optional.

Stratus ztC Edge requires at least one Windows license, which will support up to 2 VMs. For a redundant deployment, you will need to acquire two Windows licenses (one for each ztC Edge node) at a minimum. The two licenses will provide support for up to four VMs on a redundant ztC Edge system. If customers 6 want to run more than four small VMs on a redundant ztC Edge system, they will need to acquire additional Windows licenses. 

Leave a Reply