IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator

Introduction

The IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver will be installed through IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator and the operator is based on libarary-go. The OpenShift library-go is a collection of functions that allow us to build OpenShift operators easily. Most of the functionality of a CSI driver operator is already available there. The IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator is installed by the cluster-storage-operator. The Cluster-storage-operator installs the IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator if the Platform type is Power Virtual Servers.

Overview

OKD can provision persistent volumes (PVs) by using the Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver for IBM Power Virtual Server Block Storage.

IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process.

For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope.

Familiarity with persistent storage and configuring CSI volumes is helpful when working with a CSI Operator and driver.

To create CSI-provisioned PVs that mount to IBM Power Virtual Server Block storage assets, OKD installs the IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator and the IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI driver by default in the openshift-cluster-csi-drivers namespace.

  • The IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator provides two storage classes named ibm-powervs-tier1 (default), and ibm-powervs-tier3 for different tiers that you can use to create persistent volume claims (PVCs). The IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI Driver Operator supports dynamic volume provisioning by allowing storage volumes to be created on demand, eliminating the need for cluster administrators to pre-provision storage.

  • The IBM Power Virtual Server Block CSI driver allows you to create and mount IBM Power Virtual Server Block PVs.

About CSI

Storage vendors have traditionally provided storage drivers as part of Kubernetes. With the implementation of the Container Storage Interface (CSI), third-party providers can instead deliver storage plugins using a standard interface without ever having to change the core Kubernetes code.

CSI Operators give OKD users storage options, such as volume snapshots, that are not possible with in-tree volume plugins.

Additional resources