Cloud deployment environments
You can choose to deploy IBM® Cloud Pak for Data in the environment that suits your business needs.
Cloud Pak for Data can be deployed in various private cloud and public cloud environments. The following list describes each deployment environment in more detail.
On premises, private cloud
If you want to ensure that your environment is running securely behind your firewall, or you have an existing on-premises Red Hat® OpenShift® Container Platform cluster, you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data in your own private cloud.
- Red Hat OpenShift
- You must deploy an instance of Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform on your cluster.
- System requirements
- Cluster installer activities in the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform documentation.
- Cluster architecture
- Cloud Pak for Data is deployed on a multi-node cluster. Although you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on a 3-node cluster for development or proof of concept environments, it is recommended that you deploy your production environment on a larger, highly available cluster with multiple dedicated master and worker nodes. This configuration provides better performance, better cluster stability, and increased ease of scaling the cluster to support workload growth. The specific requirements for a production-level cluster are identified in System requirements. For more information, see Architecture for IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
- Services
- After you install Cloud Pak for Data, you can decide which services you want to
install. For a list of available services, see Services.
The storage that you use determines the services that you can run. For more information, see Storage requirements.
- Special requirements for services
- Some services require AVX instructions and some services require dedicated nodes. For more information, see Hardware requirements.
- Supported storage
- You can use one or more of the following types of storage in your cluster:
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Storage
- IBM Spectrum® Fusion
- IBM Spectrum Scale Container Native
- NFS
- Portworx
- Installation documentation
- See Installing IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
IBM Cloud Pak for Data System
If you don't have an existing on-premises cluster and you want to get up and running quickly, consider IBM Cloud Pak for Data System. IBM Cloud Pak for Data System is an all-in-one cloud-native data and AI platform in a box that provides a preconfigured, governed, and secure environment to collect, organize, and analyze data.
- Red Hat OpenShift
- Red Hat OpenShift is already deployed on your IBM Cloud Pak for Data System.
- Cluster architecture
- The system lets you flexibly expand or reduce storage and compute with plug-and-play nodes. For more information, see Cloud Pak for Data System overview.
- Services
- You can decide which services you want to install. For a list of available services, see Services.
The storage that you use determines the services that you can run. For more information, see Storage requirements
For information on installing service on IBM Cloud Pak for Data System, see the in the IBM Cloud Pak for Data System documentation.
- Supported storage
- OpenShift Container Storage is installed for you.
- Installation documentation
- Cloud Pak for Data is already installed on your IBM Cloud Pak for Data System hardware. However, you must install the appropriate services for your needs. For more information, see Installing services in the IBM Cloud Pak for Data System.
IBM Cloud
If you already use IBM Cloud to run business-critical applications, or if you don't want to set up and manage your own hardware, you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on IBM Cloud.
- Red Hat OpenShift
- Cloud Pak for Data includes entitlement to the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform. You can optionally apply this entitlement when you create your cluster.
- Cluster architecture
- At a minimum, your cluster must contain 3 master nodes and 3 worker nodes. You can deploy additional worker nodes to support your workload. For details, see Adding worker nodes and zones to clusters.
- Services
- After you install Cloud Pak for Data, you can decide which services you want to
install. For a list of available services, see Services.
The storage that you use determines the services that you can run. For more information, see Storage requirements.
- Supported storage
- The storage that is supported depends on your Red Hat OpenShift environment:
- Managed OpenShift
- If you are running managed OpenShift,
the following storage is supported:
- IBM Cloud File StorageFor use on the following Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform deployments:
- Classic infrastructure single zone
For information about which services support IBM Cloud File Storage, see Storage requirements.
- Portworx EnterpriseFor use on the following Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform deployments:
- Classic Infrastructure - single or multi zone
- Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Gen2 single or multi zone
Some services require Portworx Enterprise storage to run on IBM Cloud. You can install the Portworx Enterprise service on IBM Cloud.
- IBM Cloud File Storage
- Self-managed OpenShift
-
If you are running self-managed OpenShift, the following storage is supported:
- NFS
For information about which services support NFS, see Storage requirements.
- Portworx
For information about which services support Portworx, see Storage requirements.
- NFS
- Installation documentation
- See Getting started with IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
If you already use AWS and you don't want to set up and manage your own hardware, you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on AWS.
- Red Hat OpenShift
- You can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on the following
Red Hat OpenShift environments:
- Managed OpenShift
- For details, see Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA).
- Self-managed OpenShift on AWS Infrastructure as a service
- Cloud Pak for Data includes entitlement to the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform.
- Services
- After you install Cloud Pak for Data, you can decide which services you want to
install. For a list of available services, see Services.
The storage that you use determines the services that you can run. For more information, see Storage requirements.
- Supported storage
- If you are running managed OpenShift,
the following storage is supported:
- OpenShift Data Foundation as a Service
OpenShift Data Foundation as a Service is available to IBM Cloud Pak customers who want to deploy on ROSA. OpenShift Data Foundation as a Service is a limited availability offering that comes with support license agreements. Contact your IBM representative for assistance.
- OpenShift Data Foundation as a Service
- Installation documentation
- See Installing IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
Microsoft Azure infrastructure as a service
If you already use Microsoft Azure and you don't want to set up and manage your own hardware, you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on Azure.
- Red Hat OpenShift
- Cloud Pak for Data includes entitlement to the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform.
- Services
- After you install Cloud Pak for Data, you can decide which services you want to
install. For a list of available services, see Services.
The storage that you use determines the services that you can run. For more information, see Storage requirements.
- Supported storage
- If you are running self-managed OpenShift, the following storage is supported:
- OpenShift Container Storage
- NFS
- Portworx
- Installation documentation
- See Installing IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
Google Cloud
If you already use Google Cloud and you don't want to set up and manage your own hardware, you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on Google Cloud.
- Red Hat OpenShift
- Cloud Pak for Data includes entitlement to the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform.
- Cluster architecture
- Cloud Pak for Data is deployed on a multi-node cluster. Although you can deploy Cloud Pak for Data on a 3-node cluster for development or proof of concept environments, it is recommended that you deploy your production environment on a larger, highly available cluster with multiple dedicated master and worker nodes. This configuration provides better performance, better cluster stability, and increased ease of scaling the cluster to support workload growth. The specific requirements for a production-level cluster are identified in System requirements. For more information, see Architecture for IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
- Services
- After you install Cloud Pak for Data, you can decide which services you want to
install. For a list of available services, see Services.
The storage that you use determines the services that you can run. For more information, see Storage requirements.
- Supported storage
- If you are running self-managed OpenShift, the following storage is supported:
- OpenShift Container Storage
- NFS
- Portworx
- Installation documentation
- See Installing IBM Cloud Pak for Data.
In addition to Cloud Pak for Data software, IBM offers IBM Cloud Pak® for Data as a Service. IBM Cloud Pak for Data as a Service might be right for you if you already use IBM Cloud to run business-critical applications and you don't want to set up and manage your own deployment of Cloud Pak for Data. IBM Cloud Pak for Data as a Service differs from the Cloud Pak for Data software in several ways. For details, see the IBM Cloud Pak for Data as a Service documentation.