Google + Canonical Bring Ubuntu Pro To Google Cloud

At the end of 2019 "Ubuntu Pro" was announced as Ubuntu for Amazon's EC2 cloud with ten years of package updates/security, kernel livepatching, Canonical Landscape integration, and more. Google and Canonical are announcing today that Ubuntu Pro is now coming to Google Cloud.

Ubuntu Pro is now available with Google Cloud as their premium version of Ubuntu over the standard Ubuntu Linux distribution that has always been available via Google's public cloud.

Like with Ubuntu Pro for AWS, Ubuntu Pro for Google Cloud includes:

- Patching of high and critical CVEs for Ubuntu's universe repository, which covers over 30,000 packages, including Node.js, MongoDB, Redis and Apache Kafka, to name a few.
- A 10 year maintenance commitment (For 18.04 LTS onwards. The maintenance period for Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS is 8 years.)
- Live kernel patching, which offers VM instances increased security and higher uptimes.
- Officially certified components to enable operating environments under compliance regimes such as FedRAMP, HIPAA, PCI, GDPR, and ISO.
- Features to be available in H2 2021: Certified FIPS 140-2 components; security dashboard for Security Command Center, Managed Apps and more.
- All the standard optimizations and security updates included in Ubuntu.

Ubuntu Pro isn't for free with Google Cloud but these premium images can be purchased within the Google Cloud console.

With the embargo now lifted, additional information should be available from cloud.google.com.