OpenShift is a container application platform that combines Docker and Kubernetes to provide a robust and efficient deployment solution.
Docker is a containerization platform that allows developers to package, ship, and run applications in containers.
Kubernetes, on the other hand, is a container orchestration system that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.
OpenShift leverages both Docker and Kubernetes to provide a scalable and highly available platform for deploying applications.
What Is
Red Hat OpenShift is a multifaceted, Open Source container application development platform from Red Hat Inc.
Red Hat OpenShift provides developers with an integrated development environment (IDE) for building and deploying Docker-formatted containers.
The underlying OpenShift code and functionality are identical across different versions, although implementations and locations may differ.
OpenShift Container Platform is a private platform as a service for organizations that deploy and manage OpenShift on their own on-premises hardware or on the infrastructure of a certified cloud provider.
OpenShift Container Platform is implemented as an assemblage of Docker-based application containers managed via Kubernetes orchestration, all running on an operating system (OS) foundation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
Why Use
Using Red Hat OpenShift can help you manage and automate a large number of containers, freeing up developers from manual management tasks.
As container use increases, OpenShift offers a way to bridge legacy servers supporting traditional applications and modern, microservices-based work.
This approach is a cornerstone of DevOps efforts, promoting continuous app development and common tools for DevOps teams.
OpenShift's options support a mobile-first approach for companies that want to produce smartphone and tablet apps quickly.
By using OpenShift, you can help IT organizations bridge the gap between legacy and modern applications.
How OpenShift Works
OpenShift uses Docker containers and Kubernetes orchestration, built on RHEL, to support the application development lifecycle.
OpenShift enables any app created with it to run anywhere that Docker containers are supported, including on premises, public clouds, private clouds, and hybrid cloud environments.
Docker is responsible for creating Linux-based containers, and Kubernetes performs orchestration of containers on multiple hosts.
OpenShift has a layered architecture where Docker and Kubernetes tightly hold layers with each other.
The major components of OpenShift Architecture include the API Server, Controller Manager, Etcd, Scheduler, Docker, Kubelet Service, Proxy Service, and Integrated OpenShift Container Registry.
Here's a breakdown of these components:
After developers push code to OpenShift, it orchestrates how and when the apps run, and enables dev teams to fix, fine-tune, and scale those apps as quickly as needed.
Cloud Deployment and Architecture
Cloud deployment and architecture are crucial aspects of Openshift and Docker, and Red Hat is a leading player in this space. Red Hat OpenShift lays the foundation for hybrid cloud services, making it easier to deploy and manage applications across different environments.
Red Hat OpenShift uses a layered architecture, where Docker and Kubernetes work together to create a seamless experience. Docker creates Linux-based containers, while Kubernetes performs orchestration of containers on multiple hosts.
Red Hat OpenShift has a robust architecture that includes several key components. Here are some of the major components:
- API Server: Communicates with different tools and libraries.
- Controller Manager: Regulates and manages cluster state, and gathers and sends information to API servers.
- Etcd: Stores configuration information and has key-value to distribute among nodes for accessibility.
- Scheduler: Helps in distributing workloads to nodes.
- Docker: Runs containers for the application.
- Kubelet Service: Manages network issues, port forwarding, and receives commands from master components.
- Proxy Service: Makes services available to external hosts, manages load balancing, and health checkups of containers and pods.
- Integrated OpenShift Container Registry: An inbuilt storage for storing Docker images.
Red Hat OpenShift provides consistency across any infrastructure, making tasks easier for both developers and the operations team. It provides a common abstraction layer where both parties can see how applications are packaged, deployed, and managed.
OpenShift Deployment
OpenShift Deployment is a powerful tool that can help you develop more innovative applications with enterprise Kubernetes. It supports the DevOps process with the help of CI/CD Pipeline for automating applications and their delivery.
Red Hat OpenShift includes self-service developer tools, which are a game-changer for developers. This feature allows developers to work more efficiently and effectively.
The inclusion of a wide range of coding language support is a major advantage of OpenShift. This means you can use the programming language of your choice to develop applications.
OpenShift also provides the ability to integrate and use public cloud services such as AI/ML. This opens up a world of possibilities for developers who want to leverage the power of AI and machine learning.
Operations
OpenShift makes the task of managing applications, VMs, and containers significantly more manageable by providing a single control panel.
This control panel allows System Admins to easily manage all their resources in one place, streamlining their workflow and reducing complexity.
OpenShift operator helps automate Kubernetes Operations, making it easier to deploy and manage containerized applications.
Built-in CI/CD tools automate application delivery, saving time and increasing efficiency for development teams.
With OpenShift, System Admins can automate many routine tasks, freeing up time to focus on more strategic and high-value tasks.
Docker and Kubernetes
Docker is a light-weight virtualization solution that allows multiple isolated applications to run on the same physical server. It's a more efficient way to deploy applications compared to traditional virtual machines.
Kubernetes, on the other hand, is an open-source container orchestration system that automates deployment and resource scaling for Docker containers. It's highly scalable and can manage a large number of containers, making it a popular choice for cloud-native applications.
Here are some key benefits of using Docker and Kubernetes together:
- Highly scalable: Kubernetes uses horizontal scaling to manage resource loads, ensuring operations continue running smoothly.
- Self-healing and rollback: If containers fail or don’t respond to health checks, Kubernetes will automatically close and restart containers for you.
- Portable and uniform: Kubernetes can run in a variety of environments, from public and private cloud environments to on-premises infrastructure.
Kubernetes' complexity and high cost of operation make it best suited for large organizations with extensive container orchestration and scaling capabilities. However, for smaller organizations or those just starting with the cloud, other orchestration tools may be a better fit.
Docker vs Kubernetes
Docker and Kubernetes are two powerful tools that have revolutionized the way we deploy and manage applications. Docker is a light-weight virtualization solution that allows multiple isolated applications to run on the same physical server, while Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration system that automates deployment, scaling, and management of containers.
Docker images are the building blocks of Docker containers, and Kubernetes resources are the building blocks of Kubernetes deployments. A Kubernetes Deployment specifies how your containers should be deployed, including the number of instances, the port to be exposed, and the amount of RAM per Pod.
Kubernetes is highly scalable, self-healing, and portable, making it an ideal choice for large organizations that need extensive container orchestration and scaling capabilities. However, setting up Kubernetes environments is extremely difficult and requires extensive knowledge of numerous components.
Here are the key differences between Docker and Kubernetes:
Kubernetes is best suited for large organizations that need extensive container orchestration and scaling capabilities, while Docker is a good choice for smaller organizations or those just starting with containerization.
What Is Dedicated?
Dedicated environments offer a single-tenant setup, where a company runs its own instance on a public cloud.
This can be beneficial for organizations that require a high level of control and customization.
OpenShift Dedicated is a single-tenant environment that runs on a public cloud managed by Red Hat.
It incorporates Docker and Kubernetes orchestration technologies.
At launch in December 2015, OpenShift Dedicated only supported AWS.
Support for Google Cloud Platform was added in December 2016.
As of 2023, it still doesn't support Microsoft Azure.
DevOps
DevOps is a crucial aspect of containerization, and Docker and Kubernetes play a significant role in it. Organizations strive for DevOps culture, and tools like OpenShift and DuploCloud help them achieve that.
OpenShift is a key player in the DevOps process, enabling CI/CD pipelines and reducing friction between Development and Operations teams. It helps find and prevent bugs and defects early, streamlining the software delivery process.
Manual configuration of containers is a time-consuming and error-prone process, especially when scaling with Kubernetes. DuploCloud's DevOps Automation Platform solves this problem with a centralized no-code/low-code platform.
DuploCloud's platform speeds up deployment times by 10x and provides 24/7 monitoring and reporting, ensuring secure and compliant cloud infrastructure. This is a game-changer for organizations looking to streamline their container configuration process.
Kubernetes, on the other hand, is a complex and resource-intensive platform that requires extensive knowledge and investment. However, it's ideal for large organizations with cloud-native applications that need extensive container orchestration and scaling capabilities.
Here are some key benefits of using OpenShift and DuploCloud for DevOps:
- Reduced friction between Development and Operations teams
- Early bug detection and prevention
- Streamlined software delivery process
- 10x faster deployment times
- 24/7 monitoring and reporting
Docker
Docker is a popular containerization platform that has been around since 2013. It's widely used in software development for building, testing, deploying, and managing containerized applications.
Docker's ease of use is one of its greatest strengths. Installing Docker Desktop takes just a few minutes, and you can start using the command line interface (CLI) right away. Docker APIs provide simplified access and control of the daemon, enabling commands or scripts to automate containerization.
Docker also provides software development kits (SDKs) for programming languages like Go or Python, making it even easier to use. You can create a single Dockerfile with the required configuration, build an image with the application, and then push this image to the cloud. This ensures that the application runs as intended within a Docker container, no matter which device you're running on.
One of the key benefits of Docker is its ability to share containers easily. You can create a Dockerfile, build an image, and then share it with others, who can run it on their own devices. This makes it a great tool for collaboration and deployment.
However, Docker does have its limitations. It can be difficult to scale, especially when compared to Kubernetes. While Docker includes a swarm mode for managing clusters of containers, it doesn't offer the same level of automation and orchestration capabilities as Kubernetes.
Here are some key pros and cons of using Docker:
- Easy to use: Installing Docker Desktop takes just a few minutes, and you can start using the CLI right away.
- Easy to share: Dockerfiles make it easy to share containers with others.
- Open source and enterprise options: Docker has options available to fit your needs, whether you're a startup or an enterprise.
- Additional software available: Docker provides a suite of products to facilitate development, including Docker Scout, Docker Buildx, and Docker Extensions.
- Difficult to scale: Docker can be challenging to manage large volumes of containers without other tools.
- Limited automation and orchestration capabilities: Docker's swarm mode doesn't offer the same level of automation and orchestration capabilities as Kubernetes.
Continue Reading About
If you're already familiar with Docker, you might be wondering about Kubernetes. Simplify Kubernetes with Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS is a great way to get started.
Red Hat OpenShift lays the foundation for hybrid cloud services, making it a popular choice for businesses looking to expand their cloud presence.
If you're not sure what the differences are between OpenShift and Kubernetes, you're not alone. Red Hat sharpens OpenShift tools for hybrid cloud ubiquity, but what does that mean exactly?
Here are some key differences between OpenShift and Kubernetes:
What are the differences between OpenShift and Kubernetes? This is a question that many developers are asking, and the answer is not always straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between OpenShift and Docker hub?
OpenShift is a container orchestration platform that automates deployment and scaling of applications, whereas Docker Hub is a cloud-based registry for storing and sharing container images. While Docker Hub is essential for building and sharing containers, OpenShift takes it to the next level by managing the entire container lifecycle.
What is the difference between OpenShift Podman and Docker?
The main difference between OpenShift Podman and Docker is that Docker uses a daemon-based architecture, while Podman uses a daemon-less architecture, allowing for more user control and flexibility. This difference impacts how containers are created and run, with Docker relying on a background process and Podman running containers directly under the user's control.
What is the difference between Docker image and OpenShift image?
Docker images are standalone containers, while OpenShift images are containerized applications managed by Kubernetes, offering additional features like scalability and deployment automation
Sources
- https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/Red-Hat-OpenShift
- https://duplocloud.com/blog/docker-vs-kubernetes-vs-openshift/
- https://k21academy.com/openshift/everything-you-need-to-know/
- https://dev.to/pmgysel/from-a-docker-image-to-a-deployment-on-openshift-1oj1
- https://www.tutorialworks.com/openshift-dockerfile/
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