While Ubuntu has been available as a standard edition on Google Cloud since 2014, it is now the pro version of the operating system that will also be accessible in the cloud. The deployment of the entire offer is planned for the second half of 2021, targeting particular companies specializing in the Cloud. On June 14, 2021, Canonical announced that the premium version of Ubuntu, intended in particular for professional use in business, will now be offered to Google Cloud users. While Ubuntu has been available as a standard edition on Google Cloud since 2014, it is now the pro version of the operating system that will also be accessible in the cloud. The deployment of the entire offer is planned for the second half of 2021, targeting particular companies specializing in the Cloud. In addition, in the second half of 2021, the offer will also include FIPS 140-2 certified components as well as a security dashboard, for the Security Command Center and managed applications. All this with pricing whose load will represent between 3 and 4.5% of the “average IT costs” spent by companies, according to Canonical’s calculates. Cloud-specialized structures will be able to acquire the pro version of Ubuntu via the Google Cloud Marketplace and the GCP console.
The agreement mainly covers uses in business and production
Alex Gallagher, vice president of Cloud GTM at Canonical, which develops and markets, among other things, Ubuntu Pro, says he is “delighted to see the collaboration between Canonical and Google Cloud to make Ubuntu Pro available. Ubuntu Pro on Google Cloud sets a new standard for operating system security and makes your migration to Google Cloud easier.” According to a statement issued by Ubuntu’s parent company, the common goal of the two firms is to offer a “more secure, strengthened and cost-effective development environment”. Alex Gallagher justified this opening by the fact that “since 2014, Canonical has been providing Ubuntu to Google Cloud customers. We are continuously expanding security coverage, high operational efficiency, and native compatibility with Google Cloud features.” On the Google Cloud side, June Yang, vice president and general manager of Google Compute Engine and Google Cloud, argues that “the availability of Ubuntu Pro on Google Cloud will provide [its] enterprise customers with the additional security and compliance services needed for their critical workloads.” The arrival of Ubuntu Pro on Google Cloud is therefore done in a logic of continuity, with companies and production units specialized in the Cloud in the line of sight.
