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secunet Security Networks AG and Portainer, the leading open-core container orchestration platform, have announced a strategic partnership. The collaboration is designed to connect what has traditionally been handled separately: edge hardware, system security,network security, fleet management, and container orchestration. Together, the two companies will deliver a complete solution for running the secunet Edge Gateway Platform securely at scale.
The partnership brings together secunet's deep expertise in high-security edge platform systems and Portainer's proven capabilities in managing Docker, Kubernetes, and edge workloads. The shared goal: make commissioning, software deployment, and day-to-day operations of edge and IoT environments both more secure and significantly simpler.
The right combination is critical
Connecting distributed sites,machines, and systems networks securely and efficiently requires integrating many moving parts: hardware, system architecture, networking, applications,administration, operations, and serviceability. Without standards that work together, the result is heavy lifting in design and integration, slower proof-of-value cycles, and real risk of feature gaps or security vulnerabilities.
This partnership addresses exactly that challenge. By combining two mature products, secunet and Portainer,we create a flexible Edge Platform System that covers the full stack: from the trusted secunet edge appliance and centralized fleet management, to Portainer's application orchestration layer and the automated, secure deployment of containerized applications to each edge appliance.
Users get a tightly integrated solution with a plug-and-play edge appliance, strong security, automation, and scale, with no vendor lock-in.
“Our shared goal is to use an Edge Platform System to reduce complexity at the edge while simultaneously raising the security level and serviceability. We are also creating a standardized workflow through which software vendors and solution providers can make their edge applications available to their system integrators for click-and-play installation.”
Torsten Redlich,Global Edge Unit Lead, secunet
A shared roadmap for the next generation of edge computing
At the heart of the strategic cooperation are joint customer initiatives focused on end-to-end automation and the protection of critical processes and systems.
A central priority is delivering a continuous Edge Platform Lifecycle. Going forward, both new edgea ppliances and containerized applications will be deployable automatically and tailored to each site. From initial commissioning through hardware rollover to the automated delivery of complete application stacks, the result is an end-to-end process that meaningfully cuts operational overhead and keeps compliance requirements in check.
Both companies are also developing standardized, preconfigured Industry App Portals. These give system integrators and their customers a much faster path to commissioning edge solutions, reducing the need for custom development and one-off integration work.
“In many environments,the quality of the entire solution stack determines whether a solution is truly fit for deployment. secunet edge provides the foundation for a controlled,centrally manageable edge network and a secure execution environment in the field.Portainer builds on that with an application management layer that meets demanding requirements for governance, traceability, and control. Together, we give system integrators, managed service operators, and critical infrastructure operators what they actually need: complete visibility and control from the edge appliance to the application.”
Tobias Mühlnikel, Head of Industrial & IoT BU, Portainer.io
Greater security for critical infrastructure and modern edge architectures
A further focus of the partnership is closing security gaps that remain widespread in edge and IoT projects today. These include insecure configuration processes, missing system updates, absent integrity protection and transparent encryption, plaintext passwords in Docker Compose files, and no centralized visibility into security states,vulnerabilities, or operational errors.
By combining the secunet Edge Platform with Portainer's enterprise capabilities, these issues are addressed systematically. Security mechanisms are built directly into the operational workflow, creating a robust, monitorable, and centrally managed edge solution for critical infrastructure, healthcare, industrial production, and public-sector environments.
Particular value for system integrators
System integrators stand to benefit significantly from this partnership. The combined solution offers:
• An optimally matched edge system (hardware and software components) with full application lifecycle management
• The combined solution can be sourced entirely from secunet; the Portainer platform is integrated into secunet edge EMS as a Service
• Operators running their own Portainer platform can use it alongside secunet edge
• Shorter project timelines and faster rollouts based tested, aligned system
• Reduced engineering and integration effort through cloud-native standards, open source, and Industry App Portal capabilities
• Reusable reference architecture across multiple projects
• New managed service models enabled by a controllable end-to-end edge system and remote-first design principles
• Simplified scaling of large edge and IoT environments using the secunet Edge Management Suite
The net result: customer projects delivered faster, more cost-effectively, and with less project risk.
First customer projects already successfully delivered
Both products are already live in customer projects. Organizations across eHealth, MedTech, smart manufacturing, and defense are using the combined expertise of secunet and Portainer to build and operate secure, scalable edge infrastructure.
