CTHINGS.CO announces the launch of OrchestraOS, a secure and customizable embedded Linux platform designed to help manufacturers build, deploy, and maintain connected edge products at scale.
Building a connected product requires more than developing hardware and applications.
Manufacturers must also select, integrate, secure, maintain, and support the operating system that underpins their connected products. These responsibilities can consume engineering resources that could otherwise be directed toward product features, customer experience, and commercial differentiation.
The CTHINGS.CO operating system, OrchestraOS, addresses this challenge by providing a production-ready embedded Linux distribution for industrial edge devices and connected products.
Built using the Yocto Project, the platform can be adapted to different product, hardware, and operational requirements while giving manufacturers long-term control over their technology.
Developing an embedded operating system is not a one-time project.
After the initial build, teams must address vulnerabilities, maintain compatibility, test updates, and support the platform across successive product generations.
OrchestraOS provides a maintained foundation for these ongoing responsibilities. Instead of repeatedly building the underlying infrastructure, product teams can concentrate on the applications, services, and functionality that create value for their customers.
Starting from an established platform can reduce development complexity, shorten time to market, and provide a consistent base for future products.
Own your platform
Decisions made at the operating system level can shape a manufacturer’s technology strategy for years.
Proprietary platforms may simplify early development but can limit future customization, portability, and control. OrchestraOS is designed to help manufacturers avoid becoming dependent on a closed ecosystem.
Its Yocto-based architecture can be tailored to specific hardware and product requirements. Customers receive the software layers, Board Support Package (BSP) components, and hardware support packages relevant to their delivered solution, enabling future maintenance and continued development.
This allows organizations to evolve their products and technology roadmap on their own terms.
Protect every device
Connected products face growing cybersecurity risks and regulatory expectations.
Security must extend beyond applications and data to cover device startup, system integrity, software updates, identity, and intellectual property.
OrchestraOS includes capabilities such as trusted device startup, hardware-backed protection, encrypted storage, protected system files, firewall configuration, secure certificate provisioning, and Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) generation.
The platform is developed using a compliance-by-design approach, helping manufacturers build products that support cybersecurity compliance efforts relating to evolving regulations such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act and NIS2.
OrchestraOS can be configured to protect the core operating system from unintended changes while storing application data separately. It also supports redundant system partitions that allow devices to easily roll back to the previous software version if a software update fails, improving reliability and reducing downtime.
By introducing security at the operating system level, organizations can strengthen product resilience and reduce risk across distributed deployments.
Adapt to different products and environments
Connected products may use different hardware architectures, application models, connectivity options, and deployment environments.
OrchestraOS supports both native Linux applications and Docker containers, giving teams flexibility in how they develop and deploy software. It can also be adapted for products using edge AI capabilities and specialized computing hardware.
Devices built on OrchestraOS can operate in cloud-connected, private cloud, on-premises, or isolated industrial environments.
Manufacturers can therefore use a consistent platform across a broader product portfolio while adapting individual implementations to customer and market requirements.
Support products beyond deployment
Launching a device is only the beginning of its operational lifecycle.
Manufacturers must continue to address vulnerabilities, distribute software updates, support application changes, and maintain reliability across deployed fleets.
OrchestraOS follows Yocto Long-Term Support (LTS) release cycles and supports update strategies tailored to each implementation. These can include resilient remote updates with recovery and rollback capabilities, helping reduce the risk of failed updates and unnecessary device downtime.
The platform provides manufacturers with a structured foundation for maintaining connected products after they enter the market.
While OrchestraOS can operate as a standalone embedded operating system, it also integrates natively with the wider CTHINGS.CO Orchestra stack for centralized device and application management.
Native integration supports capabilities like secure device enrollment, remote management, certificate provisioning, operational data collection, and application lifecycle management across distributed fleets.
Organizations can also use Orchestra Manager's Containerized Application Lifecycle Management (CALM) to deploy and maintain containerized applications consistently across connected devices.
This extends control from the operating system on an individual device to centralized operations across the wider product environment.
OrchestraOS reduces the need for product teams to repeatedly solve the same operating system, security, update, and hardware integration challenges.
With these foundations already in place, manufacturers can invest more time in developing the functionality that differentiates their products, responds to customer needs, and supports business growth.
The result is a faster path from product concept to deployment, combined with the flexibility required for long-term development.
OrchestraOS is designed for manufacturers, OEMs, solution providers, and technology companies creating products for demanding edge environments.
Industrial IoT gateways
Build gateways that connect devices, collect data, run applications, and support remote operations across distributed locations.
Edge AI systems
Deploy AI-enabled products that process data closer to its source, helping reduce latency, limit unnecessary data transfer, and maintain local operation when connectivity is restricted.
Industrial automation
Support industrial computers and automation systems running applications and data-processing workloads in demanding operational environments.
Smart infrastructure
Create connected products for energy, transportation, buildings, utilities, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure.
Intelligent connected products
Develop specialized devices while retaining control over hardware integration, software deployment, security policies, and future product development.
A foundation for long-term product growth
OrchestraOS gives manufacturers a secure, adaptable, and production-ready foundation for developing connected edge products.
By combining platform ownership, integrated security, deployment flexibility, and long-term lifecycle support, OrchestraOS by CTHINGS.CO helps product teams move faster while maintaining control over the technology behind their products.