Chapter 2. New features
This section describes new features introduced in Red Hat OpenShift Container Storage 4.8.
Compact deployment general availability support
OpenShift Container Storage can now be installed on a three-node OpenShift compact bare metal cluster, where all the workloads run on three strong master nodes. There are no worker or storage nodes.
For information on how to configure OpenShift Container Platform on a compact bare metal cluster, see Configuring a three-node cluster and Delivering a Three-node Architecture for Edge Deployments.
Caching policy for object buckets
In Red Hat OpenShift Container Storage’s Multicloud Object Gateway, you can now create a cache bucket. A cache bucket is a namespace bucket with a hub target and a cache target. For more information, see Caching policy for object buckets.
Persistent volume encryption through storage class general availability support
You can encrypt persistent volumes (block only) with storage class encryption using an external Key Management System (KMS) to store device encryption keys. Persistent volume encryption is only available for RBD persistent volumes. Storage class encryption is supported in OpenShift Container Storage 4.7 or higher. For more information, see how to create a storage class with persistent volume encryption.
Persistent Volume encryption now also supports snapshots and clones.
Thick provisioned storage for VMware platform
You can now use thick-provisioned storage, in addition to the thin-provisioned storage for VMware-hosted OpenShift Container Platform for better performance and security. When you need the flexibility to use the thick-provisioned storage in OpenShift Container storage, you must create a storage class with the zeroedthick or eagerzeroedthick disk format in OpenShift Container Platform. You get the option to select the storage class that is created in addition to the default thin storage class while you create the OpenShift Container Storage cluster service.
For more information, see Creating an OpenShift Container Storage Cluster Service
New pool management user interface
The new management capability provides you with a simple, easy to use interface to create a storage class or delete the pool that was automatically attached to it; or, if you want to update the characteristics of an existing pool (such as compression, replica). This feature is not a replacement for the existing storage class configuration. For more information, see Block pools chapter in Managing and Allocating Storage Resources guide.
Support for an air-gap disconnected environment on IBM Power Systems and IBM Z infrastructure
Deployment of OpenShift Container Storage 4.8 is now possible in air-gapped environment, which does not have internet connectivity.
Multicloud Object Gateway on IBM Power Systems and IBM Z infrastructure
Red Hat OpenShift Container Storage 4.8 on IBM Power Systems and IBM Z infrastructure adds support for Noobaa’s multicloud object service which provides multicloud and hybrid capabilities for object workloads. By default, Multicloud Object Gateway uses a default backing store which is cloud native or RGW.
Encrypted storage data on IBM Power Systems
Administrators can now choose to encrypt all data in the OpenShift Container Storage 4.8 cluster as part of the deployment process. See Data encryption options for more information.
Support for DASD on IBM Z infrastructure
DASD is now supported for storage nodes on IBM Z infrastructure.
