MontaVista launches MVEdge

MontaVista® Software has introduced MVEdge, a full-platform solution for the Intelligent Edge, specifically aimed at gateway-style devices.

MVEdge allows customers to focus their development resources on developing and enhancing their core products on top of a Linux platform, with MontaVista providing the full DevOps environment from source to deployment, including a pre-integrated security framework for the run-time platform and support for production security processes.

MVEdge is flexible in its approach to maintaining the Linux distribution, depending on the end product’s lifecycle requirements.  In addition, MVEdge include options for different levels of CVE maintenance services, SLA-based support and security configurations up to a certified level for safety/security standards.

The foundation of MVEdge is the previously announced market leading partnership between MontaVista Software and Foundries.io, bringing together core capabilities of the two companies: a field-proven commercial Embedded Linux distribution from MontaVista supporting a wide range of embedded hardware boards, and a cloud-native tool suite including end-to-end secure Over-The-Air (OTA) update technologies and container based CICD pipeline from Foundries.io.

The foundation of MVEdge is a feature rich Linux platform from MontaVista that is built on the same Carrier-Grade infrastructure as MontaVista’s Carrier-Grade eXpress (CGX) Linux, a product family with 20+ years of deployment in the Embedded Linux market. Out-of-the-box, MVEdge provides all the MontaVista CGX values of true commercial-grade embedded support: deep technical expertise, robust quality, and long-term maintenance options.

The Linux baselines in MVEdge are combined with the FoundriesFactory build system, a modern DevOps tool suite delivering cloud-based build infrastructure, and a secure OTA update solution with advanced fleet management features. With this combination, developers will be able to easily deploy and manage complex cloud IoT projects securely, leveraging an industry leading Linux platform and support services for security and configuration.

The key value of the solution is to provide a true end-to-end platform for value-add software development that can be deployed rapidly and securely maintained for the product’s lifespan.

With MVEdge, the customer has a pre-integrated solution and tooling allowing fielded devices to be updated and supported for 10 years or more with a seamless CVE patch stream provided by MontaVista.  Maintenance patches include backported support for the latest security vulnerabilities merged with the stable platform baseline deployed by the customer. This approach keeps devices in the field secure, and greatly reduces the risk of regressions      introduced by rebasing.

With the commercial grade processes followed by MontaVista, combined with the secure OTA capabilities for lifecycle management, MVEdge provides an ideal baseline for IoT products requiring certification around cybersecurity or functional safety, such as Common Criteria, or standards compliance, such as IOTSF.      

The initial version of MVEdge is based on Yocto Project 3.1 user-space baseline, and Linux kernel 5.4, and includes platform support across the major architectures IA/x86, ARM, PPC and MIPS, with custom BSP options provided by MontaVista’s award winning Professional Services team.

“We’re excited to partner with MontaVista to support its new MVEdge product, incorporating the FoundriesFactory DevOps platform” said George Grey, CEO of Foundries.io. “Coupling MontaVista’s storied Linux and services expertise with our groundbreaking approach of using cloud technologies to develop, deploy and maintain Linux software accelerates time to market and delivers new opportunities to OEMs building and deploying secure intelligent devices at the Edge.”

“With MVEdge, we are extremely happy to bring another game-changing product to the embedded Linux market after our MVShield product line” said Iisko Lappalainen, Director of Product Management, MontaVista Software, LLC. “Foundries.io’s innovative technology coupled with MontaVista’s extremely stable, secure, feature-rich and field-proven Linux baseline, will help us solve customer problems previously unaddressed, allowing very fast time-to-market due to an already proven and secure platform, while including an immediate long-term support pipeline and ready-to-go Secure OTA process. This allows our customers to keep embedded devices on the Edge secure and up to date - effectively improving resilience against cyber threats.”