Teracloud Streams Roadmap

We have introduced a centralized open-source ecosystem including application samples, dev containers, and auxiliary tools. Additionally, we have launched a developer tools website to provide guides, tips, and a blog. This ecosystem empowers the Streams community to discover, try out, contribute, and maintain reference implementations, tools, and more.

Visual Studio Code marks our strategic transition to a modern, extensible development platform for Streams applications. In this initial phase, we introduce a foundational VS Code extension that provides essential tools for development and basic management. This release lays the groundwork for a fully integrated development environment, designed to streamline the entire application development lifecycle.

Also known as Teracloud Streams with IBM 7.2, this release represents our strategic platform built to leverage modern technologies and practices. It supports RHEL 8 and 9 with native binaries, optimized platform performance, and full integration with OpenJDK 17. With a focus on long-term support and complete platform security integration, this release is designed for forward-looking enterprises.

New functionalities include the addition of a Python operator, a full-function REST API for administration, and a new data exchange feature for accessing application data via REST. Improved data access capabilities, enhanced tooling, and a refined development experience provide significant value for modern workloads.

Migration to this platform requires some planning, as applications may need updates to ensure compatibility with RHEL 8 and 9. Native applications may require rebuilding, and additional validation steps will be necessary for production deployment. Thorough testing should be prioritized to minimize disruption.

This platform is best suited for projects targeting deployment in Q1 or Q2 of 2025, especially for organizations with resources available for application updates. It's ideal for use cases requiring modern features or for teams preferring a single migration rather than a staged approach.

Also known as 21CS Streams with IBM 7.1 GA, this transitional release is designed to address immediate security needs while minimizing migration complexity. It provides support for RHEL 7 and RHEL 8 platforms, utilizing compatibility libraries to ensure RHEL 7 binaries can run seamlessly on RHEL 8. This release also delivers essential security updates, dependency updates, and full technical support for production workloads.

Key benefits include regular security patches, compliance with current enterprise security requirements, and the ability to run existing Streams applications without modification. This ensures minimal disruption to production environments and eliminates the immediate need for application rebuilds.

However, it is important to note that this release serves as an interim solution rather than a long-term platform. Applications running on RHEL 7 binaries, though compatible with RHEL 8, will eventually require migration to RHEL 9 environments to ensure future readiness.