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Topic – Storage Backend
Overview
A dedicated ceph platform integrated via red-hat-openshift-data-foundation (external mode) provides the platform’s persistent storage layer (RBD/CephFS) for management and application clusters.
Context
The storage backend is shared across core OpenShift clusters. In ODF external mode, the ODF operator manages the in-cluster integration components, while the external Red Hat Ceph Storage (Ceph) cluster lifecycle is operated separately; the Ceph dashboard is used for storage-side visibility. It anchors stateful workloads and provides the baseline for backup and DR planning. (See: ODF troubleshooting: log collection in external mode, and ODF update process: external mode considerations)
Detailed Ceph design baseline, topology, isolation model, and scaling caveats are documented in Ceph Architecture.
Applicable Principles
- Data Protection — backend choices support protection tiers.
- Reliability and Resilience — backend architecture prioritizes availability.
- Security by Design — data access and encryption are enforced.
- Automation First — lifecycle and provisioning are automated.
Decisions
- adr-001-storage-backend – Dedicated Ceph platform selected (ODF external mode).
- ADR-009 ODF structure
- ADR-014 Encryption at rest strategy
Current State
Operational with ODF integration; Ceph dashboard is used for monitoring and day-2 operations.
Future Work
- Define tiered pools for performance vs. capacity.
- Investigate RBD snapshot integration with OpenShift Container Platform.
Open Questions
None.