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Using Helm with Red Hat OpenShift

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Helm is a package and install manager that standardizes and simplifies packaging and deployment of containerized applications with Kubernetes, anywhere in the hybrid cloud. Helm lets developers package their applications so that they can be easily shared and deployed by anyone in their organization and beyond. Helm can also be used to automate day 1 tasks like installation and basic configuration management for setting up the applications, and some day 2 operations like performing some simple upgrades and rollbacks.

Agility

Help streamline and integrate into GitOps and CI/CD efforts. Helm provides agility with automatic deployment and simple, consistent upgrades.

Simplicity

Simplify deployment by making automation generally available to developers for frequently deployed applications.

Consistency

Automate manual tasks, significantly reducing deployment time, as well as chances of error during deployment.

Both custom and ISV-supported workloads and applications can be deployed on Red Hat® OpenShift® using Helm charts. This helps with interoperability and support of cloud-native applications from ISVs, great user experience in deploying and managing ISV apps along with best practices compliance for deployment.

 

The OpenShift web console can be used to select and install a chart from the Helm charts listed in the Developer Catalog, as well as adding custom Helm chart repositories. Helm releases can be created, upgraded, rolled back, and uninstalled using these charts. The Helm CLI is integrated with the web terminal in the OpenShift web console making it easy to visualize, browse, and manage information regarding projects.

Listen to a short talk from Discover Financial Services on building an enterprise Helm chart repository and managing Helm charts on Red Hat OpenShift:

A Kubernetes Operator is a method of deploying and managing a Kubernetes-native application. It simplifies deployment and lifecycle management (e.g. scale in-out, update, upgrade, backup, restoration, and data-integrity management). Operators run in a loop, continuously checking the application's status and determining if the application is running according to the configuration defined by the software developer. They also automatically make any necessary changes to comply with defined and desired configuration.

ObjectiveRecommendation
Application requires automation of day 1 tasks (installation) and some simple day 2 tasks (e.g., straightforward updating from one version to the next).Helm
Application needs simple updates, but does not need a lot of automation for day 2 ops.Helm
Maintaining or customizing an application deployed by a Helm chart requires manual steps (outside of the Helm CLI) by the user.Operator
Application requires advanced day 2 tasks, (e.g. auto-tuning, backup and recovery in case of failure, sequenced orchestration steps for updates or reconfiguration or intelligent scaling).Operator
Tip: As a best practice, anytime an update or a reconfiguration would require manual steps using kubectl, use Operators.

Learn more about Helm and Red Hat OpenShift

Learning scenario

Learn more and try Helm 3 on Red Hat OpenShift.

Certification

If you depend on tools with Helm charts, encourage your software providers to certify with us.

Blog

Helm and Operators on OpenShift.

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Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform automates the major stages of CI/CD pipelines, becoming the activating tool of DevOps methodologies.

Resources

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Developing Cloud-Native Applications with Microservices Architectures

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Interactive labs

Learn about Red Hat® OpenShift with step-by-step interactive lessons designed for hands-on practitioners.