Google Identifies Kubernetes-Ready Storage for Anthos
This week, Google Cloud has broadened the Anthos Managed Kubernetes feature set adding Anthos Ready Storage, a qualification to identify storage partners that meet a certain set of standards for the Anthos on-premises. Thus far, the partners approved include Dell EMC, HPE, NetApp, Portworx, Pure Storage, and Robin.io.
“Anthos provides customers with a ‘write once run anywhere’ cloud platform that allows them to build apps in a consistent way, and this includes their preference for storage solutions,” wrote Google product manager Manu Batra.
In the blog post, Batra identifies three primary criteria that each storage package must meet to work with Anthos on-prem:
- Demonstrated core Kubernetes functionality including dynamic provisioning of volumes via open and portable Kubernetes-native storage APIs.
- A proven ability to automatically manage storage across cluster scale-up and scale-down scenarios.
- A simplified deployment experience following Kubernetes practices.
Batra further explained in an email that the first point speaks to Anthos’ core promise of portability, writing that “application portability is a cornerstone for Anthos,” which is enabled via Kubernetes Storage API and the Container Storage Interface (CSI). It allows for developers to “write the deployment YAML for their application once and deploy it on any compatible Kubernetes cluster.” As for scalability, Anthos GKE On-premises clusters are able to scale up dynamically, and the qualification also ensures that the storage system handles that gracefully.
With these certified storage packages, workloads deployed on the Anthos Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) can easily provision new storage, and have that storage available to the workload regardless of where the workload is scheduled, Batra said. Anthos Storage Ready Container Storage Interface (CSI) drivers will enable this seamless integration. Deployment of CSI drivers is as simple as deploying a new Kubernetes workload (CSI drivers are packaged as Kubernetes workloads).
Last September, Google Cloud added serverless and service mesh to its Anthos offering,
Since then, the company has seen adoption across highly regulated industries like financial services, with customers like Keybank, and within the manufacturing industry with customers like Kaeser Kompressoren, a provider of compressed air products and services, Batra explained by e-mail. The company has also seen an interest in the retail sector.
Dell, NetApp and Portworx are sponsors of The New Stack.
Feature image by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
