Deployment Platform

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Discussion

A Deployment Platform is a Platform that provides the technical capabilities required to receive, host, configure, operate, and manage deployed software, Machine Images, services, or infrastructure components.

A Deployment Platform can provide capabilities for:

ComputeStorageNetworkingIdentity and access managementSecurity enforcementConfiguration managementMonitoring and observabilityOrchestrationDeployment ValidationDeployment RollbackOperational lifecycle managementA Deployment Platform identifies a technology or platform category. It does not identify a specific configured destination.

A Deployment Target identifies a specific destination that uses a Deployment Platform. Multiple Deployment Targets can use the same Deployment Platform.

Examples include:

A Deployment Platform can operate within a:

The connectivity classification describes the operating conditions of a Deployment Target or Target Environment. It does not define the Deployment Platform itself.

A Deployment Platform forms part of a Target Environment. The Target Environment identifies the broader destination and operating context, including its organizational, operational, security, compliance, connectivity, and resource boundaries.

A Deployment Platform can host one or more Execution Environments. An Execution Environment provides the runtime conditions in which deployed software or services execute.

Within the Crucible architecture:

A Deployment Description identifies the requirements for a DeploymentA Deployment Target Catalog identifies the available Deployment TargetsA Deployment Target identifies a specific configured destinationThe Deployment Target identifies the Deployment Platform that provides its platform capabilitiesA Provider Implementation maps provider-independent deployment requirements to the interfaces and resource model of the Deployment Platform

Definition

platform that provides the technical capabilities required to receive, host, configure, operate, and manage deployed software, Machine Images, services, or infrastructure components

Source

Generalized from software deployment, platform engineering, infrastructure automation, virtualization, container orchestration, and cloud-computing usage and specialized for the Crucible architecture and operational model.

Note

A Deployment Platform identifies a platform type or technology. A Deployment Target identifies a specific configured destination that uses the Deployment Platform.

For example:

Amazon Web Services is a Deployment PlatformAn identified AWS account, region, virtual private cloud, and resource boundary form a Deployment TargetVMware vSphere is a Deployment PlatformAn identified vCenter instance, data center, cluster, resource pool, datastore, and network form a Deployment TargetRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform is a Deployment PlatformAn identified OpenShift cluster and its deployment boundary form a Deployment TargetA Deployment Platform can itself operate on another Deployment Platform.

For example, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform can operate on:

Amazon Web ServicesMicrosoft AzureGoogle Cloud PlatformVMware vSphereBare-Metal InfrastructureIn this case, OpenShift provides the container platform, while the underlying platform provides the compute, storage, and networking infrastructure.

The Deployment Platform does not identify:

A specific account, tenant, subscription, project, cluster, or siteA specific geographic region or facilityA specific network or resource boundaryA specific security or compliance authorizationA specific set of deployment credentialsA deployed Infrastructure EnvironmentThose characteristics belong to the Deployment Target, Target Environment, or Infrastructure Environment.

Example

VMware vSphere acts as a Deployment Platform.

A Deployment Target based on VMware vSphere identifies:

A specific vCenter instanceA data centerA clusterA resource poolOne or more datastoresOne or more networksThe authorized identity used for DeploymentThe security and compliance constraintsThe operational and connectivity environmentCrucible uses a Provider Implementation to translate a Deployment Description into the platform-specific operations required to create an Infrastructure Environment on that Deployment Target.

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