For many, thinking about technology is still synonymous with futurism. Perhaps due to the non-linear evolution that sometimes surprises us, or the ruptures that suddenly change the course of what seemed predictable, there are still those who believe it is impossible to anticipate the next wave. And worse: that it doesn’t even make sense to try to do so.
However, upon closer inspection, we notice that the history of technology was not a completely unpredictable journey. In addition to the major leaps, its progress has been sustained by discreet yet decisive foundations. This is where an uncomfortable truth arises: it’s not enough to innovate; it’s also necessary to carefully choose where to implement that innovation so it doesn’t collapse at the first change in tide.
In technology, attention cannot solely be on the present; it must also be on the future. Based on this, the idea of an infrastructure tested by time makes sense. And it doesn’t require magic or guesswork. It requires strategy. There needs to be sensitivity to look beyond the ‘bits and bytes’ and understand that beneath all that is visible, there is a critical layer that cannot fail.
Many people think about cloud, artificial intelligence, automation, and microservices. But what holds all this together? What is the common layer that allows applications to run, systems to communicate with each other, and data to travel securely from one end of the planet to the other? This layer — this digital backbone — has a name that is rarely mentioned outside the technical world, but that allows all this to happen: the operating system.
Without glamour or marketing, the operating system has been for decades the bridge between hardware and software, between ideas and their execution. No matter how revolutionary a new application may be – without a robust, secure, and adaptable operating system, it will not reach production. There is no confidence. There is no scale. There is no future.
Today, this layer assumes even more importance because we are entering a hybrid era, where traditional and modern environments must coexist. An era in which technical talent is scarce, budgets are tight, and cyber attacks are increasing; automation is not a luxury, but a necessity; and AI is no longer an experiment, but a driver of competitive advantage.
So why don’t we talk more about the operating system? Why don’t we recognize that such a ‘basic’ decision as choosing the right system can enable – or hinder – innovation? The answer may lie in its nature: the operating system is invisible, but it is everywhere. And like everything that is essential, we tend to forget it… until something goes wrong.
Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at what it means to rely on an operating system ready for the future. One that not only executes processes but can become the true enabler of sustained digital transformation.
All of this can be found in Enterprise Linux, a Linux distribution created from carefully selected, rigorously tested, and validated content within a broad ecosystem of hardware and software partners. Unlike many community-provided distributions, Enterprise Linux offers not only innovation and performance but also continuous security, technical support, and proven stability. It is the foundation upon which organizations can build fearlessly, knowing they can scale, modernize, and evolve without losing control. Because the future cannot be improvised. It is being built. And every great construction starts with a solid foundation.
Evolving with the market
This vision is not just theoretical. It is backed by decades of adoption and trust. According to data from IDC, 56% of companies using public clouds and 49% operating in private clouds rely on Enterprise Linux as the underlying operating system, precisely because of the additional services it offers.
Leading in this market for over 25 years, Red Hat continually reinvents Enterprise Linux to stay at the forefront. Not as an isolated piece, but as a connective tissue between past, present, and technological future.
Your latest release, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, is a concrete response to today’s most pressing challenges. Its strength comes from the power of open source: a model that combines transparency, collaboration, and innovation to anticipate problems, not just react to them. This allows companies to create solutions ready for a world where artificial intelligence and quantum computing will no longer be futuristic topics but will become the new normal.
The impact goes beyond the technical. Recent IDC report shows that companies that standardize their infrastructure on Red Hat Enterprise Linux realize tangible benefits: operational savings, increased productivity, performance improvements, and enablement of new initiatives. It is estimated that this translates into profits equivalent to $26 million annually, with a return on investment (ROI) of 313% over three years.
Innovation-guided decisions
The new version of the operating system represents an important step in helping organizations address significant current challenges, such as containing deviations, making better decisions from the beginning of the service lifecycle, strengthening security, intelligently automating, and reducing dependence on highly specialized skills with AI-based tools.
But this goes beyond infrastructure. Modernizing a company’s digital foundation has a real impact on people’s lives. From the protection of banking data to the smooth operation of delivery apps and the efficiency of virtual assistants in call centers, everything depends — silently — on the robustness of the operating system behind the scenes.
In a world where more devices are connected every day and astronomical volumes of data are generated, any failure in this database can have enormous consequences for companies and consumers. Therefore, advances in operating systems not only transform organizations: they also enhance the digital experience of millions of people, helping to address present challenges and opening the doors to the future.
