It has been a busy week for the enterprise open source software solutions provider, Red Hat, as it announces a new version of its hybrid cloud application platform, which will be rolled out in a new partnership with Safaricom, a converged communications solutions provider in Kenya.
The new cloud application, Red Hat OpenShift 4.18, introduces new features and capabilities designed to streamline operations and security across IT environments and deliver greater consistency to all applications, from cloud-native and AI-enabled to virtualised and traditional.
According to Gartner, revirtualisation/devirtualisation is one of the top trends facing organisations for 2025. As shifts in the virtualisation market require firms to reevaluate their virtualsed infrastructure and strategies, for many, it is an opportunity to implement technologies that will both deliver on their current IT requirements as well as help them meet the needs of tomorrow.
The latest enhancements to Red Hat OpenShift are designed to simplify the management of virtual machines and containers while providing organisations with a common infrastructure to bring their generative AI (gen AI) plans to life.
Commenting on the launch, Mike Barrett, vice president and general manager, hybrid cloud platforms, Red Hat, said: “Many firms have reached an inflection point with their virtualised infrastructure, needing to make decisions quickly on their future direction.
“Red Hat OpenShift offers a simplified pathway to migration, but also enables organisations to keep an eye on the future via application modernisation. With Red Hat OpenShift, firms are able to protect their traditional investments while adopting a platform that enables them to seamlessly transition to an AI future.”
New partnership with Safaricom
In addition to the latest version of Red Hat OpenShift being launched, Red Hat also announced that it would be integrating OpenShift into Safaraicom as a common cloud platform for applications, including the M-PESA system.
Safaricom has more than 45 million subscribers and the widest modern mobile network coverage in Kenya, running sensitive applications with high uptime and stability requirements. To make its presence stronger across Africa, Safaricom identified the need to move from monolithic, traditional infrastructures to a cloud-native, container and microservices-based architecture that provides a flexible, stable foundation to grow and support its digital requirements.
Building on its use of Red Hat Enterprise Linux for a stable, reliable and flexible Linux platform and Red Hat Satellite for infrastructure management, Safaricom sought an open source solution for containerisation. Initially, Safaricom deployed upstream Kubernetes but faced stability challenges and a lag in resolving bugs quickly enough to meet its business needs.
Building on existing collaborations
The firm consequently chose to move to Red Hat OpenShift, the Kubernetes platform, which provides production-ready maturity and carrier-grade stability along with enterprise-grade support.
Red Hat OpenShift is now the core Kubernetes-based platform in Safaricom’s IT environment, running all of its containers and supporting approximately 70 per cent of its tier 1 and tier 2 applications. It is moving much of its estate to Red Hat OpenShift on bare-metal for greater control, increased economic efficiencies and more flexible scale-out capabilities.
James Maitai, chief technology information officer, Safaricom, added: “Red Hat has been a pivotal partner in Safaricom’s journey from a traditional telecommunications company to a technology-driven organisation. Through its innovative solutions and open source expertise, Red Hat has enabled us to enhance our internal efficiencies, streamline operations, and accelerate our digital transformation.
“This collaboration aligns with Safaricom’s mission of transforming lives by empowering our teams with cutting-edge tools and platforms that drive innovation and deliver exceptional value to our customers.
“As we continue to evolve into a techco, we look forward to deepening our relationship with Red Hat, fostering greater collaboration, and exploring new opportunities to create impactful solutions that will further our vision of connecting and enriching the lives of millions across Africa.”
