Red Hat enables Cloud flexibility

Red Hat, Inc. has announced a collaboration with Google that will enable Red Hat customers to move eligible Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscriptions to Google Compute Engine using Red Hat Cloud Access, reinforcing the flexibility and choice afforded by the open hybrid cloud. Google joined the Red Hat Certified Cloud Provider programme in November 2013, joining a group of technology industry leaders who offer tested, proven solutions that extend the functionality of Red Hat’s open hybrid cloud solutions.

Red Hat Cloud Access is a unique “bring-your-own-subscription” benefit available from select Red Hat Certified Cloud Providers that enables customers to move their Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscriptions from on-premise to public clouds. With today’s announcement, Google becomes only the second Red Hat Certified Cloud Provider to earn designation as a Red Hat Cloud Access-enabled partner. In December 2013, Google announced the general availability of Google Compute Engine, including support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Through Red Hat Cloud Access, Red Hat customers can take advantage of the benefits of the Google Cloud Platform with the confidence that the consistency and quality of on-premise Red Hat technologies are the same on a public cloud. Red Hat Cloud Access also enables customers to maintain a direct relationship with Red Hat – including the ability to receive full support from Red Hat’s award-winning Global Support Services organisation – on Google Compute Engine, enabling customers to maintain a consistent level of service and support across all certified deployment infrastructures with consistent and predictable pricing.

By joining the Red Hat Certified Cloud Provider programme, Google has signified that it is a trusted destination for Red Hat customers, independent software vendors (ISVs), and partners to benefit from Red Hat offerings in public clouds under innovative consumption and service models with the confidence that Red Hat product experts have validated the solution. Launched in 2009, the Red Hat Certified Cloud Provider Programme assembles the solutions cloud providers need to plan, build, manage and offer hosted cloud solutions and Red Hat technologies to customers. The Certified Cloud Provider designation is awarded to Red Hat partners following rigorous validation by Red Hat. Each provider meets testing and certification requirements to demonstrate that they can deliver a safe, scalable, supported and consistent environment for enterprise cloud deployments.

In October 2013, Red Hat introduced new subscription options for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, enabling customers to deploy the platform anywhere—in physical, virtual, and cloud environments. With the subscription options for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat customers can buy a number of subscriptions, deploy an initial mix on physical and on virtual machines, and then re-deploy in different patterns as requirements evolve. This flexibility facilitates computing movement across environments, including swapping resources in and out of the cloud – via Red Hat Cloud Access – as business requirements dictate, supporting an agile business environment. In addition, by standardising on a single operating environment for all physical, virtual, and cloud deployments, organisations can realise significant operational benefits.