Modernizing database workloads on Red Hat OpenShift

As organizations continue to modernize their workloads, one of the most important questions is how to support the full range of database workloads, including SQL, NoSQL, vector, and in-memory databases. Modernizing database infrastructure requires a thoughtful strategy that considers vendor guidance while recognizing the value of a consistent enterprise platform that can support both existing and future application architectures.

Red Hat offers multiple options for running database workloads across hybrid cloud environments. Red Hat OpenShift provides a unified application platform for the entire data tier, helping organizations improve consistency, scalability, and operational efficiency whether they’re adopting containers, modernizing applications, or migrating existing virtual machines (VMs). Within this broader set of options, Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, a feature of the broader OpenShift platform, offers a particularly flexible path forward by letting teams run VM-based database workloads alongside containerized applications on the same trusted OpenShift foundation.

The foundation: RHEL and KVM

Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization uses the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), the same enterprise virtualization technology that has successfully run critical database workloads for more than 17 years.

Because OpenShift supports RHEL-based VMs among other guest operating systems, it allows organizations to migrate existing database workloads. This alignment with the broad ecosystem of databases already certified on RHEL ensures sustained confidence in the performance, stability, and support for the entire environment.

3 ways to run databases on Red Hat OpenShift

Red Hat offers varied integration and support models depending on your use case.

Bring your own database to Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization

Red Hat’s existing support model extends to any workload already supported on RHEL. The approach is straightforward: When a database vendor certifies or validates its product on RHEL, Red Hat supports that workload running on OpenShift Virtualization. This extends the value of your existing vendor relationships and certifications, making sure solutions run with the same reliability and support you expect. You’re empowered to begin your platform modernization while preserving crucial investments in existing database technology and expertise.

• Microsoft SQL Server: supported via the Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP). Since it’s certified on RHEL, it’s supported in the virtualized environment.
• Oracle Database (DB) and Real Application Clusters (RAC): extensively tested by Red Hat with a reference architecture. It runs exactly as it would on any other RHEL-based KVM host. Get more information on tested and supported configurations in the Oracle database master index. 
• IBM Db2: runs exactly as it would on any other RHEL-based KVM host as a VM. 
• Enterprise clusters: Solutions like Percona XtraDB and DataStax (Apache Cassandra) use RHEL certification to ensure production readiness.

Red Hat packaged databases (via application streams)

Red Hat offers dependable support for a wide array of popular database workloads, supporting stability and security for critical applications. This support is delivered directly through application streams, a mechanism detailed further in the RHEL application streams lifecycle policy.

A significant advantage of this delivery method is that databases provided via application streams are automatically covered by your existing RHEL subscription. This integrated coverage provides vital assurance that the databases are fully supported, including access to essential security patches, bug fixes, and critical updates throughout their supported lifecycle.

This support and patching guarantee delivers exceptional value to deployments on OpenShift Virtualization. By integrating the database support directly into the RHEL subscription model, Red Hat simplifies compliance, reduces operational overhead, and provides a security-focused and high-performing platform for all database-driven applications.

• Example databases: PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and MySQL
• The benefit: Full "out-of-the-box" support from Red Hat for common application environments.

Container-native databases with Red Hat OpenShift Operators

For teams planning to embrace Kubernetes-native management in containers, these databases provide Kubernetes operators that automate day-to-day tasks like backups, patching, and scaling.

• Example partners: Crunchy Postgres, CockroachDB, EnterpriseDB (EDB), and MongoDB
• The benefit: These are fully validated to run as containers, providing the highest level of automation available on the platform.

Infrastructure for the future

Modernizing your infrastructure doesn't mean you have to wait for every vendor to update a support website or matrix. By taking advantage of RHEL’s maturity and the virtualization capabilities via the KVM hypervisor within OpenShift, you can consolidate your virtualized databases and containerized applications onto a single, consistent platform today.

Ready to see how your database workloads perform on OpenShift Virtualization? Check out our migration toolkit for virtualization or start a 60-day trial.

Further reading

• Running database workloads on Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization
• iSCSI vs. NVMe/TCP: The ultimate storage showdown for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization
• Scalable database performance with OpenShift Virtualization, out-of-the-box
• Improving performance of multiple I/O threads for OpenShift Virtualization
• Boost OpenShift database VM density with memory overcommit
• Virtualized database I/O performance improvements in RHEL 9.4

Appendix: Deployment options

As of publication, these example deployment options are available from their respective vendors. 

For a complete list with version numbers, please refer to the catalog listing for databases.