Red Hat and Panasonic Partner to Deliver Rugged AI-Ready Edge Computing Solutions

Red Hat,  the world’s leading provider of open-source solutions, and Panasonic Connect  announced a global collaboration to redefine the capabilities of ruggedized edge computing. By preloading Red Hat Device Edge on Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices, Panasonic Connect delivers a unified platform for out-of-the-box real-time data processing, supporting industrial automation, smart manufacturing and defense sector capabilities.

Panasonic TOUGHBOOK, paired with Red Hat Device Edge, are a line of rugged laptops and tablets optimized for specialized edge computing and designed to address rigorous security and compliance requirements, spanning use cases across government, defense sectors and manufacturing. Red Hat Device Edge combines an enterprise-ready and supported distribution of the Red Hat-led open source community project MicroShift, a lightweight Kubernetes distribution derived from the edge capabilities of Red Hat OpenShift, along with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform.

Using Red Hat Device Edge, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices can offer:

• Faster, simplified deployment: An out-of-the-box, pre-tested solution to speed time-to-value while helping to address mission-critical security requirements.
• Enhanced flexibility and customization: Red Hat Device Edge delivers a reliable, Linux-based footprint to support demanding edge workloads.
• Operational resilience in extreme conditions: The combined physical durability of Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices with the built-in security capabilities of Red Hat Device Edge offers reliability in disconnected or remote environments.

Organizations will have the flexibility to select the level of Red Hat Device Edge support needed for their specific operational requirements. Red Hat Device Edge on Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices is now generally available.

“With this collaboration, Red Hat is helping Panasonic Connect transform beyond traditional rugged compute devices to intelligent, self-sufficient nodes that thrive in the most challenging and remote environments. Powered by Red Hat Device Edge, Panasonic TOUGHBOOKs provide the hardened foundation required for mobile command and control, tactical communication, drone control, real-time intelligence gathering and secure data processing in even the harshest conditions, delivering results where they matter most.”

– Kelly Switt, Senior Director, Industrial Business, Red Hat

“Our collaboration with Red Hat enables us to deliver additional options for secure edge computing solutions out-of-the-box. This empowers our customers across government, defense sectors and manufacturing to achieve real-time data processing and industrial automation with enhanced flexibility and sustained uptime in even the most extreme conditions.”

– Koji Higashitani, senior manager, Mobile Solutions Business Division, Panasonic Connect