Fri Sep 20 07:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Red Hat Virtualization Replacement: OpenShift Virtualization Takes Center Stage on AWS

With Red Hat Virtualization reaching its end of maintenance support, many customers are seeking alternatives. This article explores how Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, leveraging OpenShift Container-Native Virtualization, can seamlessly replace Red Hat Virtualization while maintaining key features like VLAN isolation.

**Overcoming AWS Networking Challenges:**

While OpenShift Virtualization offers a compelling solution, AWS limitations pose a challenge. Due to security measures, unauthenticated ARP packets and spoofed MAC addresses are blocked, preventing virtual machines (VMs) from acquiring routable IP addresses. This necessitates an innovative approach.

**Leveraging Hosted Control Planes and BGP/EVPN:**

This article outlines a solution using a hosted control plane for Red Hat OpenShift clusters. The architecture involves Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) with VXLAN tunnels to replicate a stretched Layer 2 domain. This enables VMs to receive routable IP addresses, effectively mimicking a data center environment.

**Key Features and Implementation:**

– **Hosted Control Planes:** The article details the steps for provisioning management clusters via Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes (RHACM) or manually through openshift-installer.
– **Multicluster Engine (MCE) Operator:** The article explains how to install the MCE operator through the Operator Hub, which comes bundled with the HyperShift operator.
– **Architecture Diagram:** A detailed diagram illustrates the architecture of this solution, emphasizing the use of BGP/EVPN, VXLAN tunnels, and the hosted control plane.
– **Step-by-Step Instructions:** The article provides clear steps to implement the solution, including how to configure network interfaces and set up routing.

**Current Limitations and Future Improvements:**

The authors acknowledge current limitations including the manual configuration of certain resources, which prevents automated scaling. However, they are actively working on addressing these challenges to ensure a smooth and automated user experience. Future articles will provide updates on these enhancements.

**The article concludes by highlighting the benefits of OpenShift Virtualization for customers seeking to replace Red Hat Virtualization. The solution allows for a seamless transition, leveraging familiar networking concepts and ensuring a reliable and secure virtualized environment within the AWS ecosystem.**

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