Product updates: VM Sandboxes, Lower latency routing, RBAC, and more

Summary

Modal also announced several product updates including VM Sandboxes in alpha, lower latency regional routing, and role-based access control. VM Sandboxes, currently in alpha, are a new VM runtime that runs a real Linux kernel, supporting Docker containers and Linux features like eBPF, systemd, cgroups, and custom filesystem mounts for better I/O performance. Regional routing lets Functions run in US West, EU West, or Asia Pacific South instead of default US East with a single setting, lowering latency and keeping data in-region. RBAC is now available for Team and Enterprise plans, with Environments as security boundaries and read-only defaults via Restricted Environments, tied into Audit Logs. Other updates include domain allowlisting, named images, volume subdirectory mounts, readiness probes, configurable snapshot TTLs with a 30-day default, SDK updates, and a partnership with Anthropic for Claude Managed Agents.

Takeaways

1. 1

   VM Sandboxes run a real Linux kernel, enabling Docker containers and Linux features like eBPF, systemd, cgroups, and custom filesystem mounts.

2. 2

   Regional routing allows Functions to be set to run in US West, EU West, or Asia Pacific South with a single setting, reducing latency and keeping data in-region.

3. 3

   RBAC uses Environments as security boundaries, with Restricted Environments making workspace members read-only by default and tying into Audit Logs.

FAQ