Overview
We’re thrilled to share an important update about the Cumulocity Edge platform that will bring enhanced performance, flexibility, and scalability to your edge computing experience. As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions, we’re introducing an architectural improvement by transitioning from the Cumulocity Edge Appliance VM to the new and improved Cumulocity Edge Installer.
Why this matters?
We’re making this change to better align with the diverse needs of our customers and to provide a more adaptable and scalable solution. Key benefits include:
Greater Flexibility
Customers are no longer confined to a predefined operating system or specific version (e.g., Rocky Linux 8 in the 10.18 release). This change allows customers to independently apply OS-level updates, such as critical security patches, without impacting or requiring modifications to the application layer. This ensures seamless updates, enhanced security, and improved system stability.
Enhanced Scalability and Self-Sufficiency
Enable customers to independently tailor deployments to their specific requirements.
Choice of Hypervisor
Freedom to deploy on preferred hypervisors for a tailored virtualization experience.
Security Hardening
Customers are free to implement OS level security measures that best fit their organizational standards.
Simplified Delivery and Maintenance
Streamline the deployment process and reduce complexity in maintaining IoT environments.
This transition marks a significant step forward in empowering our customers with tools to optimize their deployments while providing the flexibility needed in today’s dynamic technology landscape.
| Edge Appliance VM | Edge Installer | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Rocky Linux 8 |  Most modern Linux systems |
| Hypervisor | VMWare version 13; VMware Workstation 17.x; Hyper-V on Microsoft Windows 10 | Your preferred virtualization choice |
| OS Update Availability |  Limited to security vulnerability patches only |
Avaliable as soon as release by the OS provider |
| OS Update Flexibility | Not available |
Full control over updates |
What You Need to Know
The Cumulocity Edge Installer will be available by mid-summer 2025, and we’re encouraging all customers to plan their migration from the Edge Appliance VM to unlock these benefits. We’ve designed the process to be straightforward and will provide comprehensive support to ensure a smooth transition.
Side-by-Side Instance Migration
We’re planning a smooth migration from the Edge Appliance VM to the Edge Installer with a side-by-side approach. Once released you’ll be able to install Edge on your preferred modern Linux system and hypervisor while keeping your existing Edge Appliance VM operational. This will let you transition at your own pace, with options to migrate the operational data to the new setup. By the release date, we’ll provide a Migration Guide with clear steps to make the switch easy, and our support team will be ready to assist you every step of the way.
Here’s how to prepare:
- Stay Tuned for the Migration Guide: we’ll release a detailed guide describing the migration steps.
- Plan Your Transition: Once available, schedule your migration during a maintenance window to minimize disruption.
Access to the Edge Installer will be available in Summer 2025. If you want early alpha access, please reply to this email.
Timeline
Cumulocity Edge Appliance VM support and updates will transition to the Edge Installer by October 31, 2025, with official end-of-life for the Appliance VM occurring at the end of 2025.
We recommend planning your migration shortly after the June 2025 release to stay ahead of the curve and take full advantage of these improvements.
We’re Here to Help
We know transitions like this can raise questions, and we’re committed to making it as seamless as possible. Whether you’d like early insights into the migration process, technical assistance, or a discussion about how this fits your strategy, our team is ready to assist.
For customers with specific requirements, our Professional Services team offers assistance in creating custom-tailored Edge Installer images to suit your needs. This service is available for an additional fee.
Thank you for being a valued member of the Cumulocity community. We’re eager to bring you this improvement and can’t wait to see how it accelerates your success at the edge.
Feel free to reach out via PM @Nick_Ponomar1 in case of any questions about this announcement.