DevOps Shack

Kubernetes vs OpenShift: A Comprehensive Analysis

Kubernetes and OpenShift are both powerful platforms for container orchestration, but they cater to
different needs and audiences. Below is a detailed comparison covering their architecture,
installation, management, features, and real-world usage.

1. Overview

Kubernetes

Kubernetes is an open-source platform initially developed by Google and now managed by the Cloud
Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). It automates deployment, scaling, and management of
containerized applications.

OpenShift

OpenShift, by Red Hat, is a Kubernetes distribution enhanced with enterprise features like security, a
developer-friendly web console, CI/CD tools, and streamlined workflows. Its open-source
counterpart is OKD (Origin Kubernetes Distribution).

2. Core Architecture

Feature Kubernetes OpenShift

Includes kube-apiserver, etcd, kube-

Similar to Kubernetes with additional
Control Plane scheduler, and kube-controller-
OpenShift-specific controllers.
manager.

Run kubelet, kube-proxy, and

Similar to Kubernetes with integrated
Worker Nodes container runtime (e.g., Docker,
support for CRI-O as the container runtime.
containerd).

Requires third-party tools for Built-in SDN (Software-Defined Networking)

Networking advanced networking (e.g., Flannel, for seamless integration and advanced
Calico). features.

Cluster Must configure tools like Prometheus, Pre-integrated monitoring with Prometheus
Monitoring Grafana manually. and Grafana.

3. Installation and Setup

Kubernetes

• Complexity: Setting up a Kubernetes cluster from scratch requires installing multiple

components and choosing networking and storage solutions.
 • Tools for Simplification: Tools like kubeadm, Minikube, and K3s simplify installation.

• Example: Installing Kubernetes using kubeadm

kubeadm init --pod-network-cidr=10.244.0.0/16

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/coreos/flannel/master/Documentation/kube-

flannel.yml

OpenShift

• Ease of Installation: OpenShift provides a more streamlined installation process with its
installer for both cloud and on-premises environments.

• Example: Installing OpenShift

o OpenShift uses an openshift-install CLI to set up clusters in platforms like AWS,

Azure, or local environments.

openshift-install create cluster --dir=my-cluster

4. Deployment of Applications

Kubernetes Example

Deploying an application involves creating resources like Deployments, Services, and Ingress.

1. Deployment YAML:

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: example-app
spec:
replicas: 2
selector:
matchLabels:
app: example-app
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: example-app
spec:
containers:
- name: example-container
image: nginx:1.20
ports:
- containerPort: 80
 2. Expose Deployment:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
name: example-service
spec:
selector:
app: example-app
ports:
- protocol: TCP
port: 80
targetPort: 80
type: LoadBalancer
3. Commands:

kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml

kubectl apply -f service.yaml

OpenShift Example

Deploying applications is simplified with commands like oc new-app or using the web console.

1. CLI Deployment:

oc new-app nginx:1.20 --name=example-app

oc expose svc/example-app

2. Web Console Deployment:

o OpenShift’s user-friendly web interface allows users to deploy and scale applications
with just a few clicks.

5. Security

Feature Kubernetes OpenShift

RBAC (Role-Based
Custom configuration required. Pre-configured with stricter defaults.
Access Control)

Relies on external registries like Built-in OpenShift Container Registry (OCR)

Container Registry
Docker Hub or Harbor. with secure authentication.

Requires manual setup or third- Enhanced by integrating SELinux and Pod

Pod Security Policies
party tools. Security Admission Controllers.
6. Networking

Feature Kubernetes OpenShift

Default CNI Requires third-party plugins like Flannel, Comes with a built-in SDN solution for
Plugin Calico, or Weave. seamless networking.

Requires configuring Ingress resources for Offers an integrated Route object for
Ingress
exposing services. exposing services.

Example

• Kubernetes:

apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Ingress
metadata:
name: example-ingress
spec:
rules:
- host: example.com
http:
paths:
- path: /
pathType: Prefix
backend:
service:
name: example-service
port:
number: 80

• OpenShift:

oc expose svc/example-service --hostname=example.com

7. Built-in CI/CD

Feature Kubernetes OpenShift

Requires manual setup of tools like Includes Jenkins pipelines and Tekton
CI/CD Tools
Jenkins or Tekton. out-of-the-box.

Pipeline Offers a web interface for managing

No native web interface for pipelines.
Management pipelines.
8. Ecosystem and Tooling

• Kubernetes:

o Highly extensible ecosystem.

o Integrates with tools like Prometheus, Istio, and Helm.

o Requires more effort for full-fledged integrations.

• OpenShift:

o Provides pre-configured tools for monitoring, logging, and security.

o Includes features like OpenShift Service Mesh and Operators.

9. Use Cases

Kubernetes Use Cases

• Custom microservices architecture with specific tools.

• Projects requiring flexibility and full control.

• Example: A startup building a cloud-native application with custom integrations.

OpenShift Use Cases

• Enterprise environments requiring security and compliance.

• Large-scale deployments with minimal operational overhead.

• Example: A financial institution deploying secure, regulatory-compliant applications.

10. Cost

• Kubernetes: Open-source and free to use. Costs are incurred for infrastructure and third-
party tools.

• OpenShift: Paid for enterprise features, with pricing based on the number of cores or nodes.

11. Summary Table

Aspect Kubernetes OpenShift

Flexibility Highly flexible but requires expertise. Less flexible but highly integrated.

Security Requires configuration. Enterprise-grade security features.

Ease of Use Steep learning curve. User-friendly for beginners.

Aspect Kubernetes OpenShift

Cost Free (self-managed). Paid for enterprise features.

Target Audience DevOps teams seeking full control. Enterprises seeking an integrated solution.

Conclusion

• Choose Kubernetes if you need a customizable, open-source solution and have the expertise
to manage integrations and configurations.

• Choose OpenShift if you need an enterprise-ready platform with built-in security,

streamlined CI/CD, and strong vendor support.