Enterprise technology leaders face a defining operational challenge: rapid digital transformation isn’t enough on its own. Teams are under relentless pressure to maintain a continuous, highly secure infrastructure while simultaneously driving AI-infused modernization across the entire business. Solving this requires a dual strategy. You need a forward-looking vision for emerging workloads, paired with the relentless ability to execute reliably at scale.

Think of your IT footprint like a state of the art sporting venue. When you’re tasked with hosting game day for tens of thousands of fans, the fundamentals must be flawless. The pitch, lighting, security, and access control need to perform reliably every single time. That is execution. But to remain a world-class venue for decades, you also need the strategic vision to modernise the arena, integrate smart stadium technology, and adapt for next-generation fan experiences. Red Hat believes a consistent open hybrid cloud platform provides the most durable path to connect today's operational requirements with tomorrow's strategic goals.

We believe industry analyst evaluations support this approach. Red Hat is recognised as a Leader in three Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ reports: 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Container Management for the fourth year in a row, the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud-Native Application Platforms for the third year in a row and the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms for the first time. 

We believe these recognitions reflect our commitment to addressing the overarching business challenges our customers face. Red Hat believes that being named a Leader across these reports demonstrates that Red Hat OpenShift delivers the robust capabilities enterprise technology teams need right now alongside a clear roadmap for what comes next. 

For executive decision-makers, this independent analysis helps reinforce confidence in choosing a strategic partner for the open hybrid cloud. Red Hat OpenShift unifies the management of containers, virtual machines, and AI workloads under a single operational and security model across any environment—from on-premises data centres to multiple public clouds and out to the edge. By removing platform complexity, business leaders can accelerate application modernisation, operationalise AI technology, and safeguard IT investments while maintaining total strategic flexibility. 

I invite you to read the full Gartner reports to explore the detailed analysis and go to our website to see how Red Hat can help advance your business objectives.

Learn more about Red Hat OpenShift for container management
A full copy of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Container Management can be downloaded here.

Learn more about Red Hat OpenShift for Cloud-Native Application Platforms
A full copy of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud-Native Application Platforms can be downloaded here.

Learn more about Red Hat OpenShift for server virtualization
A full copy of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization Platforms can be downloaded here.

Want guidance on other tech challenges?
Discover more expert perspectives in The Executive’s Collection—where Red Hat leaders and industry analysts help you make smarter decisions and stay ahead of disruption.

 

Gartner Disclaimer:

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Cloud-Native Application Platforms, By Mukul Saha, Alex Coqueiro, Prasanna Lakshmi Narasimha, Richard Watson, 3 August 2026.

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Container Management, By Dennis Smith, Tony Iams, Wataru Katsurashima, Lucas Albuquerque, Carolin Zhou, Bhuvie Chhabra, 2 September 2026.

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Server Virtualization, By Tony Harvey, Daniel Bowers, Paul Delory, Tony Iams, Owen Marino, 14 September 2026.

Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Gartner and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.


About the author

Andrew Brown is Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer for Red Hat. His focus is on empowering businesses to build flexible, cross-platform IT infrastructure solutions using open source solutions. He is responsible for commercial and public sector sales, channel and alliances sales, and consulting and training services. He leads the company’s global go-to-market strategy, as well as revenue growth for Red Hat's products, services, and solutions in more than 40 countries.

A software industry veteran, Brown arrived at Red Hat in 2023 with more than 28 years experience in hybrid cloud and transformational technology. He began his career at IBM as an intern and held various positions working out of the UK, Japan and Canada. Most recently served as General Manager, Technology Group, IBM United Kingdom & Ireland, where he drove the business strategy, sales and marketing, and overall financial performance for Software & Cloud in EMEA. 

His passion lies in delivering superior customer experiences and success through trusted advisor relationships. On a personal front, he is a Foundation of Hearts board member, supporting Heart of Midlothian football club, the UKs largest professional fan owned club in the UK, and the community it serves.

UI_Icon-Red_Hat-Close-A-Black-RGB

Browse by channel

automation icon

Automation

The latest on IT automation for tech, teams, and environments

AI icon

Artificial intelligence

Updates on the platforms that free customers to run AI workloads anywhere

open hybrid cloud icon

Open hybrid cloud

Explore how we build a more flexible future with hybrid cloud

security icon

Security

The latest on how we reduce risks across environments and technologies

edge icon

Edge computing

Updates on the platforms that simplify operations at the edge

Infrastructure icon

Infrastructure

The latest on the world’s leading enterprise Linux platform

application development icon

Applications

Inside our solutions to the toughest application challenges

Virtualization icon

Virtualization

The future of enterprise virtualization for your workloads on-premise or across clouds