Docker has launched the Docker Enterprise Edition (EE), a new version of the Docker platform which the company says is optimized for business-critical deployments. Docker is also renaming its free tier of products to Docker Community Edition (CE).

Docker Enterprise Edition Docker Enterprise Edition (EE) is an integrated, supported and certified container platform for CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), Oracle Linux, and Windows Server 2016, as well as for cloud providers AWS and Azure.

Docker EE is available in three tiers:

1. Basic: The Docker platform for certified infrastructure, with support from Docker and certified containers and plugins.
2. Standard: Adds secure multi-tenancy with advanced image, container management, LDAP/AD user integration, secure software supply chain (Docker Datacenter).
3. Advanced: Adds Docker Security Scanning and continuous vulnerability monitoring

Docker EE will be released quarterly and each release is supported and maintained for a full year.

Docker Community Edition Docker Community Edition (CE) is a free platform for open infrastructure. Docker CE includes the full Docker platform and can be used by developers to build container apps. Docker CE is available for Mac and Windows, for AWS and Azure, and for CentOS, Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu.

Docker CE comes in two versions:

1. Edge: Updated every month
2. Stable: Released quarterly

Starting with the current release, version 17.03, Docker is moving to time-based releases and a YY.MM versioning scheme, similar to the scheme used by Canonical for Ubuntu.

Docker says it will continue to support customers whether the subscription covers Docker EE or Commercially Supported Docker. Customers can choose to stay with their current deployed version or upgrade to the latest Docker EE 17.03.

You can read a blog post on the announcement by Michael Friis, product manager at Docker, here.

[Image courtesy: Docker]