Confluent unveils advanced platform for Apache Flink

Confluent has announced the general availability of its Confluent Platform for Apache Flink, featuring enhanced security and facility for managing on-premises applications.

The platform is designed to offer enterprise-level security capabilities and simplify the management and scaling of Apache Flink workloads, particularly for businesses operating cloud and on-premises environments. Confluent is now positioned as the sole provider offering combined data streaming and stream processing for these settings.

"Stream processing is where the magic happens. It transforms real-time data into experiences and operations that drive modern businesses forward," said Shaun Clowes, Chief Product Officer at Confluent. "With our latest announcement, any organisation can take advantage of Apache Flink – scaling, securing, and managing it with ease – unlocking innovation without limits."

Apache Flink is recognised for its robust performance and flexibility in handling real-time data analytics, which is critical for decision-making, fraud detection, and enhanced customer experiences. However, the self-management of Flink infrastructures can present challenges due to its complexity. This is particularly relevant for those seeking a cloud-native technology experience on-premises.

The new Confluent Platform for Apache Flink aims to address these challenges, allowing organisations to manage on-premises workloads efficiently. It offers long-term support from expert practitioners in Apache Kafka and Flink. This enterprise-grade platform features improved scalability, enhanced security, integrated security models, and consolidated support to minimise risk.

Confluent reports success stories from various enterprises, such as a Fortune 50 telecom company utilising the platform for real-time analytics, contributing to reduced customer churn and enhanced margins.

Additionally, Confluent has introduced the Confluent Manager for Apache Flink (CMF) to streamline the deployment, updating, and scaling of Flink. Key features include simplified management and resource allocation in Kubernetes, optimised collaboration across the Confluent ecosystem, and reinforced security mechanisms ensuring compliance with organisational policies.

Shari Lava, Senior Research Director at IDC, commented on the need for companies to operationalise Flink securely and efficiently: "Companies need to make Flink more accessible, secure, and easier to operationalise wherever their workloads are deployed. Businesses should look for offerings that combine deep Flink expertise with capabilities like built-in connectors, automated operations, and strong customer success and support to accelerate time-to-value and simplify getting Flink applications into production. Solutions that provide a unified control plane across Flink and other components like Kafka go a long way in enabling more companies to harness real-time data and govern it effectively."

Confluent also introduced WarpStream Orbit to facilitate simpler and cost-effective migrations to its "Bring Your Own Cloud" (BYOC) model. WarpStream's model allows for seamless migration from open-source Kafka systems to WarpStream clusters, offering optimised storage solutions and disaster recovery setups for high-throughput workloads.