OpenShift vs. Kubernetes: A Comprehensive Comparison Guide

As containerization and cloud computing continues revolutionizing, what was once the house-hold word now to run containers is indeed Kubernetes, but OpenShift, which sits atop it, has slowly caught up as the leading-edge enterprise solution. The good news is that though closely related, the two still have different purposes and add unique features to their use cases. In this article, we are going to dig deep into similarities and differences as well as proper use cases and advantages of OpenShift vs. Kubernetes, or vice versa. As you leave the end, you will know which environment among OpenShift vs. Kubernetes may be more suited to the needs of your organization.

What is Kubernetes?

While comparing OpenShift vs. Kubernetes, Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration platform that was originally developed by Google but is now governed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). This orchestration system automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, making it a backbone for modern cloud-native applications due to its deep community support and robust architecture.

Features

• Container Orchestration – Automatically schedules and manages containers across a cluster.
• Scaling – The system supports horizontal scaling. This is to ensure it can handle increased application load.
• Load Balancing – The mechanism distributes network traffic to ensure availability of the application.
• Self-Healing – It detects failed containers and replaces them. This ensures the desired state of the system is attained.
• Declarative Configuration – It uses YAML or JSON manifests for defining desired states of the system.
• Extensibility – It provides APIs and plugins to extend its functionality.

Pros

• High Community Support – Has large documentation, tutorials, and tools.
• Cloud-Neutral – Works on different cloud environments as well as on-premises environment.
• Very Scalable – Meant for managing clusters of any size.
• Open Source – Is absolutely free to use and even modify.

Cons

• Complicated – Very steep for new people to learn about it.
• Installation and Updates – This requires a huge amount of work for installation and updates.
• Minimal GUI – Generally managed via command lines or third-party applications.

What is OpenShift?

OpenShift is a family of containerization software developed by Red Hat. In essence, OpenShift utilizes Kubernetes for orchestration but further extends it to make deployment, management, and scaling of containerized applications easier. OpenShift vs. Kubernetes, OpenShift provides a PaaS solution that focuses on developer productivity and enterprise-grade security.

Features

• Built-in Kubernetes – OpenShift integrates Kubernetes as its orchestration engine.
• Developer-Friendly Tools – Offers a fully functional web console and CLI for applications.
• CI/CD Pipelines – CI/CD Pipelines are built into the platform to help develop and deploy applications seamlessly.
• Security Features – Implements strong policies along with SELinux for security within the container.
• OpenShift Container Registry (OCR) – An in-built registry to handle all the images of containers
• Multi-Cloud and Hybrid – Compatible with both public, private, and hybrid clouds.

Pros

• Enterprise Ready – Equipped with features designed specifically for businesses
• User-Friendly – Gives a fine interface along with pre-configured options.
• Integrated Ecosystem – It integrates with logging, monitoring, and CI/CD tools.
• Security – It integrates with compliance and policy enforcement built in.

Cons

• Expensive for Large Business Organizations – It incurs payment of the license.
• Less Flexible – Tied to Red Hat’s specifications and community.
• Resource-Intensive – Innatives consume more system resources than vanilla Kubernetes.

Similarity between OpenShift and Kubernetes

• Orchestration – Both have the core functionalities in Kubernetes utilized in container orchestration.
• Microservices-friendly – Especially designed for architecture that is based on microservices.
• Scalability – Native support for horizontal scaling and auto-scaling of workloads
• Cloud Native – Suitable to use from the big cloud vendors AWS, AZURE, and GCP.
• Declarative Management – Used along with the help of YAML manifests in specifying configuration.
• Open Source Roots – Kubernetes is fully open source, and OpenShift uses many open-source components.

Differences Between OpenShift and Kubernetes

1. Installation and Configuration

• Kubernetes: Requires manual setup, including configuration of nodes, networking, and storage.
• OpenShift: Offers a streamlined installer with automated configurations and enterprise-grade defaults.

2. User Interface

• Kubernetes: Relies on CLI tools like kubectl and third-party dashboards.
• OpenShift: Provides an intuitive web console and developer-centric tools out of the box.

3. Security

• Kubernetes: Modular security and needs extra tools for policies.
• OpenShift: Comes with pre-configured security policies, RBAC, and SELinux enforcement.

4. Licensing and Cost

• Kubernetes: Free and open-source.
• OpenShift: Needs a Red Hat subscription for enterprise features and support.

5. Ecosystem and Tools

• Kubernetes: Depends on third-party tools for CI/CD, monitoring, and logging.
• OpenShift: Offers an integrated suite of tools like Jenkins for CI/CD and Prometheus for monitoring.

6. Support and Documentation

• Kubernetes: Community-driven support and vast documentation.
• OpenShift: Enterprise-grade support from Red Hat with dedicated SLAs.

Use Cases

Kubernetes

• Cloud-Native Applications: Suitable for cloud-agnostic environments.
• Custom Environments: Best for organizations that have their toolchains and workflows.
• Cost-Sensitive Projects: Open-source and cost-effective.

OpenShift

• Enterprise Deployments: Suitable for businesses requiring robust support.
• Developer Productivity: Seamless CI/CD and developer tools.
• Hybrid Cloud Environments: Provides consistent experience on premises and in the cloud.

Comparison Table: OpenShift vs. Kubernetes

Pros and Cons Summary

Kubernetes Pros

• Free and open-source.
• Widely adopted in the community.
• Extremely extensible and flexible.

Kubernetes Cons

• Steeper learning curve.
• Needs extra security tools and CI/CD tooling.

OpenShift Pros

• Enterprise-grade with excellent support.
• Developer-friendly experience, streamlined.
• Pre-configured security policies.

OpenShift Cons

• Costly for small teams.
• Resource-hungry.
• Selecting Between OpenShift and Kubernetes

The choice between OpenShift vs. Kubernetes is often based on your organization’s needs, budget, and technical expertise.

• Select Kubernetes if you are a startup or developer-focused team that seeks cost-effective solutions and doesn’t mind managing its infrastructure.
• Select OpenShift if you are an enterprise requiring a fully integrated solution with extensive support and enhanced security.

Conclusion

OpenShift vs. Kubernetes are two powerful container orchestration platforms, each serving different purposes. Kubernetes offers unmatched flexibility and community-driven innovation, suitable for a variety of applications. OpenShift is an enterprise-grade tool with easy usability, so businesses with a focus on developer productivity and robust support can utilize it. Thus, after considering the special features, pros, cons, and costs associated with each of the platforms, organizations can decide what is most suitable for them.

FAQs