OpenShift

OpenShift. It is a family of containerization software products developed by Red Hat. The platform provides a comprehensive PaaS built around Docker containers and orchestrated and managed by Kubernetes on a foundation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Its primary function is to simplify the deployment, scaling, and operations of application containers across various infrastructure environments, from on-premises data centers to public clouds like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

Overview

OpenShift serves as an enterprise-ready application platform that extends the core capabilities of Kubernetes. It enhances the open-source orchestrator with developer and operational tools designed to accelerate application development and lifecycle management. The platform supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, including Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, and Ruby, and integrates with popular development tools like Jenkins, Git, and Eclipse. By providing built-in services for CI/CD, monitoring, logging, and service mesh, it aims to reduce the operational complexity associated with managing containerized applications at scale, allowing teams to focus on writing code.

Architecture

The architecture is fundamentally a layered system that builds upon the Kubernetes control plane. At its core, it utilizes etcd for distributed key-value storage, which maintains the state of the entire cluster. The master nodes, running services like the API server, Controller manager, and Scheduler, manage the desired state of applications and workloads. Worker nodes, running the RHEL or RHCOS operating systems, host the application containers. A critical architectural component is the concept of "Pods," which are the smallest deployable units in Kubernetes, often containing one or more containers. OpenShift adds enterprise security features through mandatory SELinux policies, RBAC, and a secure-by-default network model powered by the Open vSwitch-based SDN.

Components

Key components include the web-based OCP console and the command-line interface (CLI) tool, `oc`, which provides extensive control over the platform. For building application source code into container images, it employs S2I, a framework that injects source code into a base container image. The internal container registry manages built images, while integrated monitoring is handled by components based on Prometheus and Grafana. For logging, it aggregates data using the Elasticsearch, Fluentd, and Kibana (EFK) stack. Advanced service networking and observability are provided through the integration of Red Hat OpenShift Service Mesh, which is based on the Istio project, and the Knative framework for serverless workloads.

Deployment models

The platform is offered through several distinct deployment models to suit different organizational needs. OpenShift Container Platform is the flagship, self-managed offering for deployment in private data centers or public clouds. OpenShift on IBM Cloud provides a managed service on the IBM Cloud infrastructure. For developers, OpenShift Dedicated is a fully managed service operated by Red Hat on public clouds, while the ARO service is jointly managed by Microsoft and Red Hat on Microsoft Azure. The ROSA offering delivers a managed service on AWS. The upstream community project, known as OKD, serves as the foundation for all commercial distributions.

History and development

The technology originated from Red Hat's acquisition of Makara in 2010, which provided cloud application deployment solutions. The first generation, launched in 2011, was a proprietary PaaS built on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and utilizing JBoss application servers. A significant evolution occurred with the rise of containerization, leading to a complete redesign. In 2015, Red Hat launched OpenShift 3, rebuilt from the ground up using Docker containers and the Kubernetes orchestration engine, which was then a project led by Google. This shift aligned the platform with the emerging CNCF ecosystem. Subsequent development has focused on integrating core Kubernetes innovations, enhancing developer experience, and expanding managed service offerings through deep partnerships with major cloud providers like AWS, Google, and Microsoft.

Category:Cloud computing Category:Red Hat software Category:Platform as a service