Running virtual machines and containers side by side typically means managing two separate infrastructure stacks with different tools and workflows. OpenShift Virtualization Engine solves this by letting VMs run as native Kubernetes resources within Red Hat OpenShift. You get one platform, one interface, and consistent policies across your entire environment.
Red Hat’s dedicated Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Engine edition focuses specifically on virtualization workloads without unnecessary complexity. This guide covers what sets it apart from traditional hypervisors, how licensing stacks up against other options, and how to implement reliable data protection for these environments.
Understanding OpenShift Virtualization Engine
For years, enterprises separated their infrastructure into distinct operational zones: Containers ran in one environment while virtual machines operated in another. OpenShift Virtualization Engine eliminates this division by treating VMs as native Kubernetes resources that run alongside containerized workloads. This section explains what the OpenShift Virtualization Engine is, how KubeVirt enables VM management, and why consolidating these previously separate environments benefits your infrastructure strategy.
What Is OpenShift Virtualization Engine?
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Engine is a purpose-built edition of the OpenShift platform designed specifically for organizations that need robust virtualization capabilities without the full scope of a complete container orchestration platform. Unlike traditional hypervisors that require separate management interfaces and workflows, this edition uses OpenShift’s Kubernetes foundation to deploy, manage, and scale virtual machines using the same tools you’d apply to containers.
The key difference is scope. While Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform includes both containerization and virtualization features, OpenShift Virtualization Engine removes non-virtualization components. You get a focused solution that concentrates on VM workloads while retaining the option to expand into broader OpenShift capabilities later. This approach means you’re not paying for features you don’t currently need, yet you maintain a clear path forward when your requirements change.
The platform runs on bare metal infrastructure and includes enterprise-grade storage and networking capabilities that connect VMs exactly as you’d expect from traditional virtualization solutions. You can use VLANs, Linux bridges, and OVS virtual switches for network connectivity. Storage integration works through the Container Storage Interface (CSI), with support from major vendors like Dell/EMC, HPE, IBM, NetApp, Portworx, Hitachi, and Infinidat.
OpenShift Virtualization Engine provides the same proven virtualization functionality as OpenShift Container Platform but with a licensing model optimized for organizations prioritizing VM workloads over immediate containerization needs.
How KubeVirt Powers VM Management in Kubernetes
At the core of OpenShift Virtualization sits KubeVirt, an open-source Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) project that extends Kubernetes to handle VM workloads. KubeVirt provides the APIs and runtime components necessary to run VMs as Kubernetes pods, using the same scheduling, scaling, and lifecycle management mechanisms that govern containers.
When you deploy a VM through OpenShift Virtualization Engine, KubeVirt creates a pod that wraps the VM process. Inside this pod, a virtualization runtime based on the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) executes the actual VM. This design means your VMs benefit from Kubernetes features like automated failover, namespace-based isolation, and declarative configuration management without requiring you to completely rewrite your workloads.
The platform includes a dedicated virtualization administrator view within the web-based management UI, giving you an interface tailored specifically for VM operations. You can monitor performance, manage VM lifecycles, and handle routine administration tasks through this console. Behind the scenes, Kubernetes operators handle the complex orchestration work, including node remediation during failures and automated VM rescheduling to healthy nodes.
Breaking Down Container and VM Silos
Traditional data centers maintain separate infrastructure for containers and VMs, each with distinct management tools, networking configurations, and operational procedures. This separation creates overhead: You need specialized skills for each environment, duplicate monitoring systems, and complex workflows to move workloads between platforms.
OpenShift Virtualization Engine eliminates these silos by providing a single platform where VMs run as Kubernetes resources. Your network policies, storage classes, and access controls apply consistently across both VM and container workloads. If you decide to modernize a VM-based application into containers later, you can do so incrementally within the same platform without migrating to different infrastructure or retraining your team on new tools.
This unified approach delivers practical benefits for day-to-day operations. You manage updates through the same over-the-air mechanism for both VMs and Kubernetes components, triggered with a single CLI command or a few clicks in the console. The Machine Configuration Operator and NMstate Operator handle node-level configuration automatically, reducing manual intervention. When you need to scale capacity, machine sets allow you to add or remove nodes programmatically rather than manually provisioning servers.
Learn How To Best Backup & Restore Virtual Machines Running on OpenShift
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Engine vs. Traditional Licensing
Choosing the right virtualization platform comes down to one fundamental question: Which licensing model gives you the capabilities you need without paying for features you won’t use? Red Hat’s OpenShift Virtualization Engine offers a fresh approach to this challenge, particularly for organizations reassessing their virtualization strategies. Let’s break down what sets this offering apart, how it compares to other licensing structures, and why it deserves your attention if you’re evaluating alternatives.
The Game-Changing Solution from Red Hat
Red Hat created OpenShift Virtualization Engine to solve a specific problem: Many IT teams need robust virtualization capabilities but don’t require the full suite of containerization features that come with a complete platform. This edition strips away those components and focuses exclusively on running virtual machine workloads. The result is a more accessible entry point into the OpenShift ecosystem that delivers proven virtualization functionality for mission-critical environments.
With enterprises exploring VMware alternatives following Broadcom’s acquisition and the subsequent pricing restructuring, organizations need cost-effective options that don’t compromise on enterprise-grade performance or support. OpenShift Virtualization Engine delivers exactly that: a streamlined platform backed by Red Hat’s technical expertise and support organization, with built-in flexibility to expand into containerization and application modernization when your business needs change.
You’ll find the same OpenShift experience across all editions, including the web-based management UI with its dedicated virtualization administrator view. This consistency eliminates the learning curve associated with switching to entirely new interfaces or workflows. When you decide to add containerization capabilities, upgrading to broader OpenShift editions doesn’t require reinstalling or redeploying your infrastructure.
Licensing Models Compared
The comparison below highlights how OpenShift Virtualization Engine stacks up against traditional OpenShift Container Platform and typical standalone hypervisor licensing across several key dimensions.
Feature | OpenShift Virtualization Engine | OpenShift Container Platform | Traditional Hypervisor |
Primary Focus | VM workloads only | VMs and containers | VM workloads only |
Containerization Included | No (upgrade available) | Yes | No (separate platform needed) |
Kubernetes Foundation | Yes | Yes | No |
Unified Management | Single interface for VMs | Single interface for VMs and containers | Separate tools for containers |
Cost Structure | Pay only for virtualization features | Comprehensive platform pricing | Per-socket or per-VM licensing |
Future Modernization Path | Seamless upgrade to full platform | Already included | Requires new platform deployment |
RHEL Node Licenses | Not included | Included | Varies by vendor |
RHEL Guest VM Licenses | Must purchase separately | Unlimited VMs included | Varies by vendor |
OpenShift Virtualization Engine’s licensing structure removes components like developer-focused container orchestration features and advanced application modernization tools that virtualization-focused teams typically don’t need right away. All the essential virtualization capabilities remain intact: bare metal deployment and management, enterprise storage and networking, user workload monitoring by namespaces, enhanced platform logging for VMs, and the ability to automate VM provisioning using OpenShift GitOps. You invest in capabilities that directly support your current infrastructure requirements.
Critical Licensing Difference: RHEL Guest OS
One of the most important (and frequently overlooked) licensing differences between OpenShift Virtualization Engine and OpenShift Container Platform is how each edition handles Red Hat Enterprise Linux guest VM licensing. This distinction can significantly affect your total cost of ownership calculations.
With OpenShift Container Platform, RHEL licenses for both cluster nodes and an unlimited number of RHEL guest VMs are included in the subscription price. OpenShift Virtualization Engine does not include these licenses. If you plan to run RHEL guest VMs, you must purchase either:
- A Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Virtual Datacenters subscription, which covers unlimited RHEL VMs on licensed hosts, or
- Individual per-VM RHEL subscriptions for each Red Hat guest VM in your environment
To illustrate the cost impact: an organization running 100 RHEL VMs on OpenShift Virtualization Engine pays the OVE subscription cost plus the additional RHEL licensing on top. Depending on the scale of your environment, this can represent a substantial budget line item that does not exist when licensing OpenShift Container Platform. Before selecting OpenShift Virtualization Engine based on its lower entry price, calculate your full RHEL guest licensing requirements to get an accurate total cost of ownership.
Critical Licensing Difference: Windows Server Guest VMs
Many VMware environments include a significant number of Windows Server VMs, and migrating those workloads to OpenShift Virtualization Engine introduces Windows licensing considerations that are absent from traditional hypervisor migrations.
The good news is that OpenShift Virtualization is certified under Microsoft’s Server Virtualization Validation Program (SVVP), which means Windows Server guests are officially supported. However, the licensing requirements are complex and have direct budget implications:
- Recommended approach: License Windows Server Datacenter Edition per physical core across your cluster nodes. This model permits unlimited Windows Server VMs on properly licensed hosts and typically offers the most cost-effective path for dense Windows VM environments.
- Volume Licensing is required: OEM or retail Windows Server licenses tied to physical hardware cannot be transferred from your VMware or Nutanix environment to OpenShift Virtualization. You will need new Volume Licensing agreements.
- Existing VMware Windows licenses cannot be reused: If your organization is migrating from VMware, you cannot carry your existing Windows Server licenses over to OpenShift Virtualization. Budget for new licensing as part of your migration cost planning.
Work with your Microsoft licensing advisor before beginning a Windows VM migration to OpenShift Virtualization Engine to avoid unexpected compliance gaps or mid-project budget surprises.
Cost-Effective Pathways for VMware Alternatives
Enterprises exploring VMware alternatives require a migration path that doesn’t disrupt operations, preserves existing investments, and provides confidence that the new platform can handle production workloads. OpenShift Virtualization Engine addresses these requirements through several practical mechanisms.
The platform runs on bare metal infrastructure using standard x86 servers, which eliminates vendor lock-in at the hardware level. According to IBM’s announcement of OpenShift 4.20 on Power systems, Red Hat continues expanding architecture support, giving you flexibility in hardware selection. You can use existing server investments or choose from multiple hardware vendors based on your performance requirements and budget constraints.
The migration process benefits from integration with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, which accelerates at-scale migration of VM groups and automates related infrastructure changes. You can migrate networks, storage configurations, and groups of VMs programmatically rather than manually rebuilding each component. This automation reduces migration time and minimizes the risk of configuration errors that could impact production workloads.
The reduced licensing complexity means simpler budget planning. Instead of calculating costs based on per-socket licensing with complex add-on features, you get a straightforward virtualization-focused edition. When your requirements expand to include containerization, the upgrade path to OpenShift Container Platform doesn’t require forklift migrations or infrastructure replacement. You simply enable additional capabilities on your existing deployment, protecting your initial investment while adding new functionality as your needs evolve.
However, a complete cost comparison between OpenShift Virtualization Engine and OpenShift Container Platform must account for RHEL guest licensing and Windows Server licensing requirements described above. In some scenarios (particularly for environments with large numbers of RHEL or Windows guest VMs), OpenShift Container Platform’s all-inclusive licensing model may deliver lower total cost of ownership despite its higher entry price. Run the numbers for your specific workload mix before committing to either edition.
Key Capabilities and Implementation Best Practices
Deploying OpenShift Virtualization Engine successfully means understanding which features align with your virtualization requirements and how to implement them without disrupting existing operations. This section covers the core capabilities available in this edition, explains how storage and networking integrate with your current infrastructure, and outlines a practical roadmap that minimizes risk while delivering measurable value.
Core Features for Virtualization-Focused Deployments
OpenShift Virtualization Engine provides capabilities specifically designed for VM-centric environments. User workload monitoring operates at the namespace level, providing multi-tenant visibility across your virtualization infrastructure. This feature enables automated failover and host remediation through fencing agent integration, which speeds up recovery during node failures and reduces the need for manual intervention.
Enhanced platform logging provides VM administrators with centralized visibility into logs from all virtual machines under their management. You can visualize this data through Grafana or integrate with Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Virtualization to aggregate logs across multiple clusters. This centralized approach removes the need to SSH into individual VMs or maintain separate logging infrastructure for your virtualization platform.
The platform supports automated VM provisioning through OpenShift GitOps, bringing infrastructure-as-code workflows to virtualized applications. You define VM configurations in Git repositories and deploy them declaratively, maintaining consistency across environments and simplifying audit trails for compliance requirements.
Feature Maturity and Parity Considerations
OpenShift Virtualization Engine delivers enterprise-grade virtualization capabilities, but organizations migrating from VMware should understand where the platform currently stands relative to vSphere’s decades of refinement. Setting accurate expectations upfront prevents mid-migration surprises and helps you plan appropriate workarounds where gaps exist.
The table below summarizes key feature comparisons:
Feature | VMware vSphere | OpenShift Virtualization |
Live Migration | Mature, seamless; decades of refinement | Supported but less mature; requires careful storage and network tuning |
Resource Scheduling | Automatic workload balancing via DRS | Kubernetes-based scheduling with affinity rules; less sophisticated than DRS |
Third-Party Ecosystem | Extensive: backup, monitoring, automation, security | Growing but more limited; may require custom solutions for some tools |
Overall Maturity | 20+ years of enterprise virtualization refinement | Rapidly improving but not yet feature-for-feature equivalent to VMware |
Live Migration: OpenShift Virtualization supports live migration of running VMs between nodes, comparable in concept to VMware vMotion. In practice, achieving seamless live migration requires careful attention to storage configuration (RWX volumes with consistent performance across nodes) and network tuning. Environments that rely heavily on frequent live migrations for workload balancing should validate performance under realistic conditions during a pilot deployment before committing production workloads.
Resource Scheduling: VMware’s Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) automatically balances workloads across hosts based on real-time resource utilization. OpenShift Virtualization uses Kubernetes scheduling with affinity and anti-affinity rules to influence VM placement, but this system requires more manual configuration to achieve comparable workload distribution behavior. Teams accustomed to DRS handling resource balancing automatically should plan for additional configuration work to replicate that behavior.
Third-Party Ecosystem: VMware’s ecosystem includes decades of integrations across backup, monitoring, security, and automation tooling. OpenShift Virtualization’s ecosystem is growing rapidly but remains more limited. Before finalizing your migration plan, audit your existing VMware-integrated tools and confirm whether OpenShift-compatible equivalents exist or whether you’ll need to build custom integrations.
None of these gaps should be read as disqualifying. OpenShift Virtualization is a production-ready platform in active use at large enterprises. The important point is to evaluate it against your specific workload requirements rather than assuming feature-for-feature equivalence with VMware from day one.
Storage, Networking, and Bare Metal Management
OpenShift Virtualization Engine runs on bare metal infrastructure and includes management capabilities that streamline physical server deployment. You can choose from multiple installation methods: the automated installer experience (IPI), assisted installer, or agent-based installer. Each option accommodates different environment constraints and automation preferences.
Storage integration relies on the Container Storage Interface (CSI) standard, supported by enterprise vendors like Dell/EMC, HPE, IBM, NetApp, Hitachi, and Infinidat. The platform requires ReadWriteMany (RWX) volumes (either file or block protocol) to provide disks for virtual machines. Your storage vendor’s CSI implementation exposes native storage system functionality through this standardized interface, maintaining compatibility without vendor lock-in.
Networking uses proven Linux technologies, including bridges and OVS virtual switches, to connect VMs with VLANs and other network constructs. The platform adds Kubernetes-native network policies that provide microsegmentation at the platform level, regardless of whether VMs connect directly to external networks via VLAN or through software-defined networking. This approach preserves the L2-L7 network stack familiar to network engineers while adding container-native policy enforcement.
Implementing OpenShift Virtualization Successfully
Successful implementation follows a structured approach that balances technical requirements with operational readiness. The following steps provide a practical framework for deploying OpenShift Virtualization Engine in production environments:
- Evaluate application requirements: Catalog your existing VM workloads and identify which applications need to remain virtualized and candidates for eventual containerization. Document performance requirements, dependencies, and compliance constraints for each workload category.
- Validate infrastructure prerequisites: Confirm that your bare metal servers meet minimum specifications for CPU virtualization extensions, memory, and storage performance. Verify that network connectivity supports your VLAN requirements and storage integration uses compatible CSI providers.
- Review capacity limits and scaling boundaries: Red Hat publishes tested maximum configurations for OpenShift Virtualization (documented in KCS article 6571671). Review these limits before designing your cluster topology. Approaching tested maximum values can reduce performance and increase latency, so build headroom into your initial deployment. For environments that may exceed 100 nodes, Red Hat recommends managing multiple smaller clusters through Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management (RHACM) rather than scaling a single control plane indefinitely. Also note that each VM requires a minimum of 512 MB of memory. Account for this floor when planning VM density.
- Deploy a pilot cluster: Install OpenShift Virtualization Engine on a small subset of nodes using your chosen installation method. Migrate non-critical VMs to validate network connectivity, storage performance, and management workflows before expanding to production workloads.
- Establish operational procedures: Document backup and recovery processes, update schedules, and monitoring configurations. Train your team on the virtualization administrator view and GitOps workflows for automated provisioning.
- Plan your migration strategy: Use Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform to orchestrate VM migrations in batches, starting with development environments before moving to production. Test failover scenarios and validate that automated remediation works as expected.
Automated Red Hat OpenShift Data Protection & Intelligent Recovery
Perform secure application-centric backups of containers, VMs, helm & operators
Use pre-staged snapshots to instantly test, transform, and restore during recovery
Scale with fully automated policy-driven backup-and-restore workflows
Protecting Your Virtual Machines with Backup and Recovery
Running VMs in OpenShift Virtualization Engine introduces operational challenges that traditional backup strategies weren’t built to address. Your virtual machines function as Kubernetes resources, which means standard hypervisor-level snapshots and agent-based backups won’t capture everything you need.
This section walks you through why data protection demands a different approach for virtualized workloads on Kubernetes, what native backup solutions can do for you, and how to build disaster recovery plans that work with the hybrid nature of OpenShift environments.
Why Data Protection Matters for Virtualized Workloads
Virtual machines running on OpenShift Virtualization Engine encounter the same threats as VMs on traditional hypervisors: hardware failures, configuration mistakes, ransomware attacks, and accidental deletions. Protecting these workloads, however, means capturing more than VM disk images. You need to preserve Kubernetes-specific components like persistent volume claims, ConfigMaps, Secrets, and custom resource definitions that determine how your VMs connect to networks, access storage, and integrate with the broader platform.
Standard VM backup tools designed for traditional hypervisors can’t reach these Kubernetes resources. They might capture the VM’s virtual disk, but they miss the metadata that defines how OpenShift schedules, networks, and manages that workload. When you try to recover, you’re left with a disk image but no automated way to recreate the VM’s operational context within the cluster.
Effective data protection for OpenShift Virtualization requires capturing both VM data and the Kubernetes resources that define how those VMs operate within the cluster.
Organizations running mission-critical applications on OpenShift Virtualization Engine need point-in-time recovery capabilities that restore both the application data and the infrastructure configuration. This becomes especially important during cluster migrations, disaster recovery scenarios, or when rolling back changes that caused application failures. Without thorough backup coverage, you risk extended downtime while manually reconstructing VM configurations or losing critical metadata that affects application functionality.
Native Backup Solutions for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization
Trilio offers specialized data protection designed specifically for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization and KubeVirt environments. Its OpenShift Backup and Recovery solution captures complete snapshots of VM workloads, including all Kubernetes objects, metadata, and configurations required for accurate restoration. Native integration means backups understand the relationship between persistent volumes, network policies, and the VMs they support.
The platform supports incremental backups that only capture changes since the last backup operation, reducing storage consumption and backup windows for large VM environments. You can schedule automated backups across namespaces or apply custom retention policies that meet compliance requirements without manual intervention. Role-based access control integrates with OpenShift’s existing RBAC framework, letting you delegate backup responsibilities while maintaining security boundaries between teams.
Recovery operations provide flexibility at multiple levels. You can restore individual files from VM disk images, recover specific applications without restoring entire VMs, or rebuild complete VMs including their Kubernetes configurations. This granularity reduces recovery time objectives by enabling targeted restoration instead of full VM rebuilds. The solution also supports cross-cluster recovery, allowing you to restore VMs to different OpenShift clusters for testing, migration, or disaster recovery purposes.
Monitoring and reporting features provide visibility into backup operations across your entire OpenShift environment. You can track backup status, verify successful completion, and identify VMs that lack adequate protection.
If you’re ready to implement data protection for your OpenShift Virtualization environment, schedule a demo to see how these capabilities work with your specific infrastructure.
Disaster Recovery Strategies for Hybrid Environments
Building disaster recovery plans for OpenShift Virtualization Engine requires accounting for dependencies between VMs, containerized applications, and the underlying Kubernetes infrastructure. Your strategy should define recovery priorities based on application criticality, establish recovery time objectives for different workload categories, and test failover procedures regularly to validate your assumptions.
The following comparison shows different disaster recovery approaches and their trade-offs for OpenShift Virtualization environments.
Strategy | Recovery Time | Data Loss Risk | Cost Impact | Best For |
Scheduled Backups Only | Hours to days | High (up to last backup) | Low | Non-critical development and test environments |
Continuous Data Protection | Minutes to hours | Low (near real time) | Medium | Production applications with moderate RTO requirements |
Active-Passive Cluster | Minutes | Minimal (replication lag only) | High | Business-critical systems requiring rapid failover |
Multi-Cluster Active-Active | Seconds to minutes | Minimal | Very high | Mission-critical applications with zero-downtime requirements |
Your disaster recovery testing should include scenarios beyond simple VM restoration. Validate that network connectivity works after recovery, confirm that storage performance meets application requirements, and verify that dependencies between VMs and containerized services function correctly. Document the actual time required for each recovery operation so you can set realistic expectations with stakeholders and identify opportunities to improve your recovery procedures.
Moving Forward with OpenShift Virtualization Engine
OpenShift Virtualization Engine provides a streamlined platform for running VM workloads without unnecessary features cluttering your environment. The solution offers Kubernetes-native management, enterprise-grade storage and networking, plus a straightforward upgrade path when your needs grow. The licensing model works well for organizations focused on virtualization while keeping doors open for future containerization projects.
Before finalizing your platform decision, revisit two licensing factors that significantly affect total cost of ownership. First, OpenShift Virtualization Engine does not include RHEL guest VM licenses. If your environment runs RHEL VMs at scale, add the cost of either RHEL for Virtual Datacenters or per-VM RHEL subscriptions to your budget calculations. Second, if you run Windows Server VMs, your existing VMware Windows licenses cannot transfer to OpenShift Virtualization. You will need new Volume Licensing agreements, and licensing Windows Server Datacenter Edition per physical core is typically the most cost-effective approach for dense Windows VM environments. In some cases, these additional licensing costs may make OpenShift Container Platform’s all-inclusive model the more economical choice, so run the full numbers for your specific workload mix.
FAQs
What is OpenShift Virtualization used for?
OpenShift Virtualization enables organizations to run traditional virtual machines alongside containerized applications on a single Kubernetes-based platform, eliminating the need for separate infrastructure and management tools. It’s particularly useful for enterprises that want to consolidate their VM workloads while maintaining a path to eventual application modernization.
Can you run VMs and containers together in OpenShift?
OpenShift treats virtual machines as native Kubernetes resources that run in pods alongside container workloads, allowing both to share the same infrastructure, networking policies, and management interfaces. This unified approach eliminates operational silos and enables consistent governance across your entire environment.
How does the OpenShift Virtualization Engine differ from VMware vSphere?
Unlike VMware vSphere, which requires separate platforms for containers, the OpenShift Virtualization Engine provides VM management through Kubernetes with built-in containerization capabilities available through simple upgrades. It also uses open standards like KubeVirt and CSI for storage, avoiding vendor lock-in while offering comparable enterprise features like automated failover and centralized management.
Can I migrate existing VMware VMs to OpenShift Virtualization?
You can migrate VMware VMs using Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, which automates the migration of VM groups, networks, and storage configurations at scale. The process preserves your VM workloads while transitioning them to run as Kubernetes resources without requiring application rewrites.
Does OpenShift Virtualization Engine require special hardware?
The platform runs on standard x86 bare metal servers with CPU virtualization extensions and works with enterprise storage from vendors like Dell/EMC, NetApp, HPE, and IBM through the Container Storage Interface. You can use existing server investments or select hardware from multiple vendors based on your performance and budget requirements.
