We’ve seen a lot of interest from our customers in running containers in the software-defined data center. Containers are a hot topic in our industry as more and more enterprise customers use them to package and deploy next-gen apps. Over the last several months, VMware has released new products and features related to cloud-native applications in areas such as compute, management, security, and networking.
Now, we’re ready to add software-defined storage to that list.
As part of VMware’s Storage & Availability team, I’m proud to announce VMware’s Storage for Cloud-Native Applications initiative. Our goals are threefold:
— Provide cloud-native developers the storage they want, when they want it
— Empower IT to deliver storage for containers while maintaining reliability and manageability
— Contribute to the storage component of the cloud-native ecosystem
At VMware, we believe there is a natural extension of software-defined storage and its corresponding benefits to the world of containers. To help bridge these two worlds, we’ve collaborated with ClusterHQ to develop a vSphere driver for their open-source Flocker software. The driver allows customers to provide portable and persistent storage for Docker containers using all forms of vSphere-compatible storage, including VMware Virtual SAN and vSphere Virtual Volumes. Take a look at the demonstration below:
Here are a few reasons why the vSphere driver for Flocker helps provide “Containers without Compromise:”
Simple to use. The vSphere driver for Flocker creates Docker container volumes using vSphere vmdk files. The driver is compatible with all types of datastores on existing vSphere deployments, and has a simple installation process.
Best of both worlds. The integration between VMware and ClusterHQ combines highly resilient vSphere-based storage that IT admins know and love, with the community-tested container data management of Flocker that a growing number cloud-native developers use.
It’s free. Flocker is open-source and free to download. The VMware vSphere driver for Flocker is open-source and free to download. It doesn’t get much better than that.
We’re very excited about the integration between vSphere and Flocker. Take it for a spin today. You can find more details here:
https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-flocker-driver
But we’re only just getting started. By now, you may have heard of our recent announcements on vSphere Integrated Containers and the Photon Platform. Rest assured that we are looking at how best to bring the benefits of software-defined storage to future cloud-native products. Stay tuned!
If you want to learn more about VMware’s Storage for Cloud-Native Applications and see the vSphere driver for Flocker in action, be sure to attend our session at VMWorld (CNA 5860: “Containers without Compromise: Persistent Storage for Docker Containers with VMware”). In addition, check out the VMWare Software-Defined Storage and Cloud-Native Apps booths as well as the ClusterHQ booth for more information and demonstrations.
About the Author: Vivek Saraswat is a product manager in VMware’s Storage & Availability BU, where he oversees Storage for Cloud-Native Applications.
