OpenShift- RedHat’s Kubernetes container platform
What is OpenShift?
OpenShift is a family of containerization software products developed by Red Hat. It is an enterprise-ready Kubernetes container platform with full-stack automated operations to manage hybrid cloud, multicloud, and edge deployments.
Red Hat OpenShift is optimized to improve developer productivity and promote innovation. The OpenShift Container Platform — an on-premises platform as a service built around Docker containers orchestrated and managed by Kubernetes on a foundation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Kubernetes Vs OpenShift
Both Kubernetes and OpenShift feature robust and scalable architecture that enables rapid and large-scale application development, deployment, and management. They both run on the Apache License 2.0. But that’s just about where the similarities end. Here are just a few of the many ways OpenShift and Kubernetes differ.
1. Deployment
Kubernetes offers more flexibility as an open-source framework and can be installed on almost any platform — like Microsoft Azure and AWS — as well as any Linux distribution, including Ubuntu and Debian. OpenShift, on the other hand, requires Red Hat’s proprietary Red Hat Enterprise Linux Atomic Host (RHELAH), Fedora, or CentOS. This narrows options for many businesses, especially if they’re not already using these platforms.
2. Templates
Kubernetes offers Helm templates that are easy to use and provide a generous amount of flexibility. OpenShift templates are nowhere near as flexible or user-friendly.
3. Support
Kubernetes has a large active community of developers who continuously collaborate on refining the platform. It also offers support for multiple frameworks and languages. OpenShift has a much smaller support community that is limited primarily to Red Hat developers.
4. Networking
Kubernetes lacks a networking solution but lets users employ third-party network plug-ins. OpenShift, on the other hand, has its out-of-the-box networking solution called Open vSwitch, which comes with three native plug-ins.
5. Releases and Updates
Kubernetes has an average of four releases each year, while OpenShift trails with around three. Similarly, Kubernetes supports several concurrent and simultaneous updates, while OpenShift DeploymentConfig does not.
6. Security
OpenShift has stricter security policies. For instance, it is forbidden to run a container as root. It also offers a secure-by-default option to enhance security. Kubernetes doesn’t come with built-in authentication or authorization capabilities, so developers must create bearer tokens and other authentication procedures manually.
7. Container Image Management
Last but not the least, OpenShift lets developers use Image Streams to manage container images, while Kubernetes doesn’t offer container image management features.
Advantages of using OpenShift over Kubernetes
While a business can choose to install and manage their Kubernetes deployment themselves, an enterprise Kubernetes platform can help those with limited resources, or who don’t want the added responsibility of manually managing their Kubernetes environments.
A vendor-managed Kubernetes platform, such as Red Hat OpenShift, can provide commercial support, handle upgrades and patches, and increase security for Kubernetes and Kubernetes-native applications. The vendor also usually vets third-party integrations, like networking, storage, container registries, and cloud services. The Kubernetes vendor might also provide monitoring, alerting, and logging solutions.
Case Studies of OpenShift
Now that we know what OpenShift is, let us look at some case studies of the top organisations who are using OpenShift.
1. Cisco
To keep pace with customer demand, Cisco, a leading provider of networking solutions, must quickly deliver new IT products and solutions.
The challenge is to keep its IT team engaged and productive to fuel innovation. With help from Red Hat, Cisco built its Lightweight Application Environment (LAE), which runs on Red Hat® OpenShift Container Platform, a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) technology formerly known as OpenShift Enterprise by Red Hat.
Now provisioning times have gone from months to minutes, and the Cisco IT team can focus on strategic initiatives.
2. AirBus
To build a path to faster application delivery with DevOps practices, Airbus participated in a Red Hat Open Innovation Labs engagement.
During the 6-week residency, Airbus’s teams worked closely with Red Hat consultants to learn about building cloud-native applications following DevOps practices.
The project used Open Practice Library foundational approaches to collaborative, iterative strategy and development to envision, plan, and begin building an initial prototype platform. Weekly review meetings helped participants hone the project roadmap and stay informed of progress.
3. CA Technologies
CA Technologies delivers scalable, secure, enterprise-ready applications to the majority of the Global Fortune 500.
With Red Hat® OpenShift Container Platform, formerly called OpenShift Enterprise by Red Hat, the company can build and deploy these apps faster so that its customers are better able to compete in the fast-paced application economy.
4. Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company seeks to provide mobility solutions at accessible prices to its customers, including dealerships and parts distributors who sell to a variety of retail and commercial consumers.
To speed delivery and simplify maintenance, the company sought to create a container-based application platform to modernize its legacy stateful applications and optimize its hardware use.
With this platform, based on Red Hat OpenShift and supported by Red Hat and Sysdig technology, Ford has improved developer productivity, enhanced its security and compliance approach, and optimized its hardware use to improve operating costs.
Now, the company can focus on exploring new ways to innovate, from big data to machine learning and artificial intelligence.
5. Lenovo
Lenovo, a multinational technology manufacturer, wanted to transform digitally to meet business demand and gain competitive advantage.
The company needed agile and cloud capabilities to launch applications more efficiently. Using a Red Hat® Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution, Lenovo decreased system deployment time and improved productivity through greater automation and increased support for collaborative DevOps work.
