Red Hat OpenShift is a leading container application platform that simplifies the development, deployment, and management of applications. This guide explores the features and benefits of OpenShift, including its support for Kubernetes, scalability, and developer-friendly tools.
Learn how OpenShift enhances application performance and streamlines workflows. Understanding Red Hat OpenShift is essential for organizations looking to leverage containerization and cloud-native technologies effectively.
What is OpenShift?
OpenShift is a cloud-native application platform that provides developers with a consistent and secure way to build, deploy, and manage applications across different environments. It is based on Kubernetes and provides developers with a set of tools and features to build, deploy, and manage containerized applications. OpenShift provides a comprehensive set of features and tools for developers, including:
- Source-to-image (S2I) builds – OpenShift provides an easy way to build container images directly from application source code. It automates the build process, making it faster and more reliable.
- Docker support – OpenShift fully supports Docker images, making it easy to deploy and manage Docker-based applications.
- Operator framework – OpenShift provides an operator framework, a powerful tool for managing complex applications and services on Kubernetes.
- Service mesh – OpenShift provides a service mesh for managing microservices-based applications. It provides advanced traffic management and security features.
- Multi-tenancy – OpenShift supports multi-tenancy, making managing multiple applications and environments easy on the same platform.
- CI/CD integration – OpenShift integrates with popular CI/CD tools, making it easy to automate the deployment process.
Why Use OpenShift?
OpenShift provides several benefits for developers and organizations. Here are some of the main reasons to use OpenShift:
1. Simplified Application Development
OpenShift provides tools and features that make it easier for developers to build, test, and deploy applications. It provides developers an integrated development environment (IDE), including support for popular programming languages, frameworks, and tools.
2. Consistent Deployment & Management
OpenShift provides a consistent way to deploy and manage applications across different environments, including public, private, and hybrid clouds. It automates the deployment process, making it faster and more reliable.
3. Security & Compliance
OpenShift provides a secure and compliant platform for running containerized applications. It includes advanced security features, such as role-based access control (RBAC) and network policies, to ensure that applications are secure and compliant.
4. Scalability & Performance
OpenShift provides a scalable and high-performance platform for running containerized applications. It includes horizontal pod autoscaling (HPA) and cluster autoscaling, making it easy to scale applications as needed.
5. Cost Savings
OpenShift can help organizations save money by reducing infrastructure costs and increasing efficiency. It provides a unified platform for managing applications, which can reduce the need for multiple tools and platforms.
Getting started with OpenShift
If you’re interested in using OpenShift, several resources are available to help you get started. Red Hat provides a comprehensive documentation site, which includes tutorials, guides, and reference materials.
Additionally, Red Hat provides a free trial of OpenShift, which allows you to try out the platform without any cost or commitment. The trial provides access to a fully functional OpenShift cluster, which you can use to deploy and test your applications.
Red Hat OpenShift Competitors
Red Hat OpenShift has become popular for businesses looking for a complete solution for building, deploying, and managing containerized applications. As with any technology, OpenShift has its competitors. Here are the top alternatives to OpenShift and compare their features, benefits, and drawbacks to help you make an informed decision.
- Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) – Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) is one of the most popular AKS alternatives on the market. It’s a fully-managed Kubernetes service that runs on AWS and provides users with a secure, reliable, and scalable platform for container orchestration. Like AKS, EKS simplifies the process of deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications. However, EKS is designed specifically for AWS users and may not be the best choice for those who use other cloud providers.
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) – Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is another leading GKE competitor. It’s a managed Kubernetes service that runs on Microsoft Azure and provides users with a powerful and easy-to-use platform for container orchestration. AKS boasts many of the same features as GKE, including automatic scaling, self-healing, and efficient resource utilization. However, AKS is explicitly designed for Azure users and may not be the best choice for those who use other cloud providers.
- Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) – Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) is another leading AKS competitor. It’s a managed Kubernetes service that runs on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and provides users with a powerful and easy-to-use platform for container orchestration. GKE boasts many of the same features as AKS, including automatic scaling, self-healing, and efficient resource utilization. However, GKE is explicitly designed for GCP users and may not be the best choice for those who use other cloud providers.
- Docker Enterprise – Docker Enterprise is a comprehensive container platform that provides users with a complete solution for building, deploying, and managing containerized applications. It includes Docker Swarm, a native clustering and orchestration solution, and Kubernetes, which can be used as an alternative orchestration platform. Docker Enterprise is an excellent choice for businesses that already use Docker and want to consolidate their container-related workflows.
- Rancher – Rancher is a complete container management platform that provides users with a user-friendly interface for managing and deploying containers across multiple cloud providers. Rancher includes built-in Kubernetes and Docker Swarm support and is an excellent choice for businesses needing a more flexible and scalable solution than AKS.
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Get a DemoConclusion
In conclusion, Red Hat OpenShift is a powerful and flexible container application platform that provides developers with everything they need to build, deploy, and manage containerized applications. With its support for multiple programming languages and frameworks, built-in automation tools, and enterprise-grade security and scalability, OpenShift is an ideal platform for modern application development.
While Red Hat OpenShift is a powerful platform for container application development, ensuring that your environment is adequately protected from cyber threats is essential. Using SentinelOne Singularity Cloud, you can achieve comprehensive security for your OpenShift workloads without adding complexity or compromising performance. With its AI-powered threat detection and response capabilities and easy integration with OpenShift, Singularity Cloud is an ideal solution for organizations looking to protect their containerized applications in the cloud.
Red Hat Openshift FAQs
Red Hat OpenShift is an enterprise Kubernetes platform built on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It automates deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications across on-premises, public cloud, or hybrid environments.
OpenShift bundles developer tools, CI/CD pipelines, and integrated services—like Serverless, Service Mesh, and Pipelines—to help you build, run, and update applications securely at scale.
An OpenShift cluster has master and worker nodes. Masters host etcd (the key-value store), the API server, controller manager, and scheduler. Workers run the kubelet, CRI-O container runtime, and SDN proxy.
OpenShift adds build configs, deployment configs, image streams, and routes to manage build pipelines, rollout strategies, and external access. Operators automate lifecycle, and the internal registry stores images.
OpenShift gives you a consistent Kubernetes stack across on-premises and cloud. You can deploy the same container images, CI/CD pipelines, and security policies wherever you run—on AWS, Azure, IBM Cloud, or your datacenter. Its built-in multi-tenancy, integrated networking, and lifecycle operators ensure you manage one platform instead of dozens, so you avoid drift and speed up rollouts.
Yes. SentinelOne’s agent can install as a Kubernetes DaemonSet on OpenShift Container Platform. It runs on infra and worker nodes (not on managed control plane nodes), providing runtime prevention, detection, and response for containers. The agent integrates with Singularity Cloud for unified visibility across endpoints and workloads in OpenShift.
Yes, it can. SentinelOne’s Kubernetes Sentinel and OpenShift support share the same agent model. Whether you run self-managed K8s or OpenShift on AWS, AKS, or GKE, a DaemonSet deploys one agent per node. It delivers real-time AI-driven protection, EDR telemetry, and automated responses for both Kubernetes and OpenShift workloads.
