rancher vs openshift


Containerization has been a game-changing technology, simplifying how applications are developed, tested and deployed, and enabling DevOps teams to work more efficiently. And with the proliferation of containers in IT, container orchestration platforms have become a critical component in managing and scaling containerized applications. In this article, we'll explore two popular container orchestration platforms – Rancher and OpenShift – and compare their strengths and weaknesses to help you determine which one is best suited for your needs.

Understanding Container Orchestration Platforms

What is Container Orchestration?

Container Orchestration is the process of managing and coordinating the deployment, scaling, and monitoring of containerized applications. With orchestration, infrastructure resources can be provisioned on-demand, and containers can be run in a highly resilient and scalable environment. Orchestrators provide a single point of control for resource allocation and app lifecycle management, allowing IT teams to deploy, manage, and scale applications with ease.

Container orchestration is a critical component of modern application development, providing developers with the ability to quickly deploy and manage container-based applications. Container orchestration tools automate many of the tasks involved in managing containers, including provisioning resources, configuring networks, and monitoring application performance. By automating these tasks, developers can focus on building and improving applications, rather than managing infrastructure.

The Importance of Container Orchestration in Modern Applications

Modern applications are distributed and run on an architecture comprising of a growing number of containers, and managing these containers manually can be a nightmare. Container orchestration allows application architects and developers to better abstract complex infrastructures and focus on the development of applications. A well-integrated orchestration solution comes with several benefits, including:

  • Efficient resource utilization.
  • Automated app deployment and scaling.
  • Better app availability and reliability.
  • Ease of implementation of devops practices.

Container orchestration platforms provide a range of features that enable developers to build, deploy, and manage container-based applications with ease. These platforms often include features such as automated scaling, load balancing, and service discovery, which simplify the process of managing complex container-based applications. Additionally, container orchestration platforms often integrate with other tools in the development pipeline, such as continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) tools, to provide a seamless development experience.

Some popular container orchestration platforms include Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, and Apache Mesos. Each of these platforms has its own unique set of features and capabilities, and developers should carefully evaluate each platform to determine which one best meets their needs.

In summary, container orchestration is a critical component of modern application development, providing developers with the ability to quickly deploy and manage container-based applications. By automating many of the tasks involved in managing containers, container orchestration platforms enable developers to focus on building and improving applications, rather than managing infrastructure.

Introduction to Rancher


Containerization has revolutionized the way applications are developed and deployed. Rancher is a free open-source container management platform that enables businesses to run and manage containerized applications in any environment. Rancher provides a simple and intuitive interface for managing containers, making it a popular choice among DevOps teams.

Overview of Rancher

Rancher comes with a range of tools for managing containers, including load-balancing, networking, volume management, security features, and container orchestration with Kubernetes. With Rancher, you can manage your containerized applications in any environment, whether it's on-premises, in the cloud, or at the edge. Rancher simplifies the deployment and management of containers, allowing you to focus on developing your applications.

Key Features of Rancher

Rancher has several key features that make it a popular choice among DevOps teams:

  • Multi-cluster, multi-cloud orchestration of Kubernetes and non-Kubernetes workloads: Rancher allows you to manage multiple clusters of Kubernetes and non-Kubernetes workloads across multiple clouds and data centers from a single interface. This makes it easy to deploy and manage your applications across different environments.
  • Wide range of supported Kubernetes providers: Rancher supports a wide range of Kubernetes providers, including self-hosted Kubernetes, managed Kubernetes, and cloud services like EKS, GKE, and AKS. This gives you the flexibility to choose the Kubernetes provider that best suits your needs.
  • Automatic app discovery and deployment: Rancher can automatically discover and deploy applications across clusters and environments using a GitOps workflow. This makes it easy to deploy and manage your applications without manual intervention.
  • Integrated DevOps tools: Rancher integrates with popular DevOps tools like GitLab and Jenkins, allowing you to set up seamless CI/CD pipelines for your applications.

Pros and Cons of Rancher

Pros

  • Open-source and free: Rancher is an open-source platform that is available for free. This makes it an attractive option for businesses that want to manage their containerized applications without incurring additional costs.
  • Highly customizable: Rancher is highly customizable, with extensive plugin and extension support. This allows you to tailor the platform to your specific needs.
  • Easy to use: Rancher has an intuitive web-based UI and CLI, making it easy to manage your containerized applications.
  • Scalable: Rancher is designed to be scalable, with support for multi-cloud environments. This makes it easy to manage your applications as your business grows.

Cons

  • Documentation can be sparse in some areas: While Rancher has extensive documentation, some areas may be lacking in detail. This can make it difficult for users to troubleshoot issues.
  • Limited support for non-Kubernetes workloads: While Rancher supports a wide range of Kubernetes providers, its support for non-Kubernetes workloads may be limited.
  • Community support may be limited: While Rancher has an active community, support for edge cases may be limited.

Overall, Rancher is a powerful platform for managing containerized applications in any environment. Its wide range of features and flexibility make it a popular choice among DevOps teams. While it may have some limitations, its open-source nature and ease of use make it a compelling option for businesses of all sizes.

Introduction to OpenShift


If you're looking for a powerful and scalable container application platform, OpenShift from Red Hat is a great option. OpenShift is built on Kubernetes and provides a robust infrastructure for deploying and managing containerized applications. In this article, we'll explore some of the key features of OpenShift, as well as the pros and cons of using this platform.

Overview of OpenShift

OpenShift is a container application platform from Red Hat that provides a robust and scalable infrastructure for deploying and managing containerized applications. It is built on Kubernetes and leverages the power of operators, a framework for managing complex software that extends the Kubernetes API for creating and managing stateful applications.

OpenShift provides a range of tools and features that make it easy to deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications. With OpenShift, developers can focus on writing code, while the platform takes care of the underlying infrastructure and management tasks.

Key Features of OpenShift

OpenShift has several features that make it a popular choice among DevOps teams:

  • Integrated developer tools, including source code management, build and deployment automation, and pipeline management.
  • Highly secure, with automatic patching, scanning, and CI/CD pipeline integration for zero-day attack protection.
  • Access to a range of Red Hat certified images, including popular developer tools like Node.js and Python.
  • Built-in observability and monitoring tools for efficient troubleshooting.

With these features, OpenShift provides a complete platform for developing and deploying containerized applications. Developers can focus on writing code, while the platform takes care of the underlying infrastructure and management tasks.

Pros and Cons of OpenShift

Pros

There are several advantages to using OpenShift:

  • Integrated with Red Hat's enterprise-grade support and services. This means that you can get expert help and support when you need it.
  • Highly scalable and customizable. OpenShift can scale to meet the needs of large enterprises, and can be customized to meet specific requirements.
  • Provides extensive visibility and control over container clusters. With OpenShift, you can monitor and manage container clusters with ease.
  • Flexible pricing model, with a range of plans to choose from. This makes it easy to find a plan that fits your budget and requirements.

Cons

There are also some disadvantages to using OpenShift:

  • Costs can be prohibitive for small businesses with limited budgets. OpenShift is designed for enterprise use, and may not be affordable for smaller organizations.
  • Steep learning curve for beginners. OpenShift is a complex platform, and may take some time to learn and master.
  • Documentation can be overwhelming and challenging to navigate. With so many features and tools, it can be difficult to find the information you need.

Despite these challenges, OpenShift remains a popular choice for DevOps teams looking for a powerful and scalable container application platform. With its robust infrastructure and extensive features, OpenShift provides a complete platform for developing and deploying containerized applications.

Comparing Rancher and OpenShift

Deployment and Management

Rancher and OpenShift both offer a range of deployment and management options, but with distinct differences. Rancher is designed primarily for Kubernetes orchestration and provides a simpler, more intuitive interface for Kubernetes management, while OpenShift is built on Kubernetes and extends Kubernetes through operators, which can make it more complex but also more powerful for managing complex applications.

Scalability and Performance

Both Rancher and OpenShift are highly scalable and can handle complex container environments. OpenShift provides several features specifically designed for scalability and performance, including service mesh, applicability extraction, and Istio integrations, while Rancher offers multi-location management and configurable cluster scaling.

Security and Compliance

OpenShift comes equipped with several security tools to help protect containerized applications. Red Hat OpenShift includes several built-in security features, such as SELinux, securing container image repositories, sharing and rbac provider for internal secrets, network security policy on Kubernetes, and rapid rollback through canary deployment.

Rancher, too, has strong security features, with support for Docker Content Trust, Kubernetes Role-based Access Control(RBAC) with Azure AD, Active Directory, and LDAP, Network policies, and Kubernetes security context. However, unlike Openshift, Rancher's security-certified configurations (e.g., CIS Kubernetes Benchmarks) are available only in the paid version.

Integration and Ecosystem

Both platforms have a strong ecosystem and support integrations with several third-party tools. Rancher provides integration with several popular DevOps tools, including Jenkins, GitLab, and Terraform, and supports multiple cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud. Similarly, OpenShift offers integration through support for OperatorHub, where users can build and share custom integrations with a broader community.

Pricing and Support

Rancher provides a free, open-source version, making it ideal for small businesses with limited budgets. However, for organizations requiring additional features and support from Rancher, they can choose to purchase a subscription-based model. On the other hand, OpenShift is based on a subscription-based model, with pricing options ranging from a basic self-hosted instance to full-featured enterprise-grade support.

Conclusion


Choosing the right container orchestration platform depends on a range of factors, from the size and complexity of the application you're running to your team's skill set and your organization's budget. Both Rancher and OpenShift are powerful, scalable, and customizable platforms with a broad range of features designed to help DevOps teams deploy and manage complex container environments. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your organization's specific needs and your team’s comfort level with the platform.

If you are considering Rancher, then do check out our this article on Rancher Vs. Podman too!