ztC Edge – a zero-touch, reliable, secure, highly automated computing platform
Industrial companies today are facing mounting pressure to be more productive and efficient. At the same time, new industrial technologies are becoming more powerful and more connected. The influx of data from new industrial devices, and the need to analyse this data where little to no skilled IT resources exist, is driving the need for – and growth of – new edge computing infrastructure.
Consider ztC Edge – a zero-touch, reliable, secure, highly automated computing platform, specifically designed for industrial edge environments. Purpose-built for operational technology (OT), ztC Edge is easy to set up, configure and manage. With built-in virtualisation and availability layer, automated data protection and application recovery, ztC Edge significantly reduces the dependence on IT for virtualised computing at the edge. Its self-protecting and self-monitoring features help reduce unplanned downtime and ensure the continuous availability of business-critical industrial applications.
Key Benefits
Ideal for running business-critical industrial applications quickly, easily and reliably, in decentralised locations with limited to no IT resources, ztC Edge users benefit from:
Availability and virtualisation built in
Self-protecting and monitored by Stratus
Installed in under 30 minutes
No IT or data room
Increased efficiency
With its pre-installed virtualisation platform and availability layer, support for common industrial communications protocols, and intuitive, user-friendly configuration and management tools, ztC Edge simplifies the process, and shortens the time it takes to get critical applications up and running, saving users time and effort.
Simplified security
Because it’s a hardened system with restricted USB ports, default secure communications settings, and easy-to-configure security features such as a host-based firewall, even those that aren’t security experts can quickly and easily secure their ztC Edge environment.
Less downtime
With automated data protection and application recovery, ztC Edge customers experience less unplanned downtime. Because the host environment can be updated while the system is still running (without requiring a system reboot), customers experience less planned downtime as well.
More flexibility
ztC Edge’s rugged form factor gives it the flexibility it to be deployed outside of traditional data rooms or data centres, such as on manufacturing plant floors. Its self-monitoring and self-protecting capabilities make it ideal for unmanned stations, or decentralised locations with limited resources. Support for both highly available and fault tolerant workloads lets customers match the level of availability to the criticality of their application.
Our Solution and Customers
Introducing ztC Edge Solution and what our customers are saying about Stratus
ztC Edge Features
These key features help companies increase operator efficiency, reduce IT dependence and minimise downtime risk:
Built-in virtualisation host and availability layer
ztC Edge ships with Stratus Redundant Linux, which combines a virtualisation host with broad guest OS support, and an availability platform with unique checkpointing capabilities. Easily import and launch your OVF appliances, including vSphere images. Instantly improve the reliability of your virtualised industrial control or IoT applications. Select fault tolerant or high availability mode. And do all this without relying on your IT staff.
Rugged hot-swappable nodes
ztC Edge’s compact, rugged design means that it can be used in a wide variety of locations and industrial settings, giving users greater flexibility. Its hot-swappable design makes it possible for plant operators and technicians, rather than specially trained IT admins, to repair ztC Edge when necessary. Choose from two models – the 100i and the 110i.
Simplified security
ztC Edge systems are inherently secure, with restricted USBs, default security settings and secure communications protocols. Easy-to-configure host-based firewall, active directory integration and trusted boot, further secure your ztC Edge environment. You don’t need to be a security expert to secure your ztC Edge.
Automated data protection and local site recovery
A ztC Edge system is comprised of two nodes that automatically mirror all data in memory and all data written to disk, for greater protection. In the event of a node failure, the system automatically restarts any VMs running on that failed node to its other node, to ensure continuity of service – even nodes on another floor or building. And it does all this automatically, without any user intervention.
Industrial interoperability
ztC Edge systems support common industrial protocols, making them easier to integrate into, and work with existing industrial automation environments. Use OPC UA attributes, or SNMP requests and traps, to monitor, visualise and notify systems and users. A REST API offers customers another way to retrieve relevant system health and performance information, and present them to third party systems management tools and dashboards.
Cloud-based system health monitoring and management services
Stratus’s cloud-based system health monitoring and management services ensures that applications on users’ ztC Edge systems are always running, with minimal user effort.
ztC Edge Models
Comparison table for ztC Edge 100i & ztC Edge 110i models:
ztC Edge 100i |
ztC Edge 110i |
|
---|---|---|
Compute | Intel i7-6700TE, 2.4 GHz, 8 MB cache, 4 HT cores | Intel i7-8700T, 2.4 GHz, 12 MB cache, 6 HT cores |
Memory | 32 GB DDR4 2400 | 32 GB DDR4 2400 |
Storage | 512 GB SSD | 2 TB SSD |
Networking | 2 x 1 GbE (for a-links)
2 x 1 GbE (for plant networks) |
2 x 10 GbE (for a-links)
6 x 1 GbE (for plant network) |
Temperature | -40–60°C | -40–60°C |
Humidity | 10–95% (non-condensing) | 10–95% (non-condensing) |
Shock and vibration | 50G, 11 ms
3 Grms @ 5–500 Hz |
50G, 11 ms
3 Grms @ 5–500 Hz |
Input power | 9–36 V (DC) 24 V DC 5 A 120 W (AC) |
24 V (DC) 24 V DC 5 A 120 W (AC) |
Dimensions | 280 mm x 190 mm x 76 mm | 280 mm x 210 mm x 87 mm |
Weight | 4.6 kg (9.1 kg for system) | 6.1 kg (12.2 kg for system) |
Certification | FCC, CE and others | FCC, CE and others |
Host OS support | Stratus Redundant Linux | Stratus Redundant Linux |
Guest OS support | Windows and Linux | Windows and Linux |
Availability support | High availability | Fault tolerance and high availability |