Unifying Virtualization and Containers with VSP One
Enterprise-grade storage for a Kubernetes-first virtualization stack
As a product manager at Hitachi Vantara, I love when our engineers turn complex into effortless. Subhash just did exactly that with a crisp walkthrough of Hitachi VSP One Block Storage certified for SUSE Virtualization (the enterprise evolution of the open-source Harvester HCI). If you want the nuts and bolts—validated versions, the operator flow, and test results—start with his post and come back here for the strategy view. (community.hitachivantara.com)
Why this pairing lands so well right now
Two big currents are reshaping platforms:
- teams are running VMs and containers side by side under a Kubernetes-first operating model; and
- storage delivery is standardizing on CSI so platform teams get predictable, self-service data services without bespoke plumbing. SUSE Virtualization leans into this reality—Kubernetes-native HCI with Rancher on top—while Hitachi brings decades of enterprise-grade resiliency to the data path. Together, you get cloud-native agility and Hitachi-grade reliability. (Harvester)
A (very) short history, and why it matters
For decades, Hitachi storage has been a reliable choice for mission-critical workloads. Today, the VSP One Platform family is designed with consistency, integrity, and durability in mind—qualities that become increasingly important when Kubernetes orchestrates your virtualization stack across both core and edge environments. In short: modern platforms can deliver both speed and reliability.
What the integration delivers in plain terms
This solution uses the Hitachi Storage Plug-in for Containers (HSPC)—our CSI driver—to bring VSP One Block into SUSE Virtualization. You provision persistent volumes natively, gain multipath I/O for path redundancy and failover, and use Kubernetes-native snapshots for protection and cloning—managed the Kubernetes way. Deployment is streamlined with the HSPC Operator for install and lifecycle management. Subhash’s post documents the certified stack (SUSE Virtualization 1.5.x / Harvester 1.5.2 + HSPC 3.16.1) and the operational flow. (community.hitachivantara.com)
The business upside (a Hitachi-centric take)
- Reliability where it counts. Bring Hitachi’s data integrity, predictable low latency, and non-disruptive ops to a Kubernetes-native HCI platform. Your critical workloads keep their footing even as teams move faster.
- One operating model for VMs and containers. With SUSE Virtualization + Rancher, platform teams manage mixed workloads under a single control plane, while CSI makes storage consumption repeatable, policy-driven, and simplified.
- Operational simplicity at scale. The HSPC Operator reduces grind for installs and upgrades, keeping your clusters current without weekend heroics.
Trend check: where platforms are headed
Platform engineering is consolidating around Kubernetes as the control plane—with virtualization as a feature (via KubeVirt) instead of a parallel universe. SUSE’s Harvester lineage fits that direction, offering a pragmatic bridge from VM-centric estates to cloud-native practices without forcing overnight rewrites. If you’re rationalizing tooling, this path aligns architecture with reality: teams run both VMs and containers—so the platform should, too. (Harvester)
A word about CSI and our ecosystem friends
CSI is an open industry spec designed for broad interoperability across many Kubernetes distributions and many storage systems. That openness is good for customers and partners. Our HSPC is one implementation—engineered to unlock the full value of Hitachi VSP One—and it’s validated on multiple enterprise platforms. So while we’re proud of the SUSE Virtualization certification, it’s not exclusive: Hitachi CSI supports a range of platforms, and we remain committed to customer choice and partner success. (See our compatibility guide for the growing matrix.) (Product Compatibility Guide)
What to do next
- Read Subhash’s blog for the version matrix, operator steps, and test coverage. It’s your blueprint for a clean rollout. (community.hitachivantara.com)
- Skim the HSPC Quick Reference to align prerequisites and Day-2 operations. (Hitachi Vantara Documentation)
- Plan a pilot on a representative SUSE Virtualization cluster and validate against your SLAs—throughput, failover behavior, snapshot/clone workflows, and upgrade cadence. Or contact Hitachi Vantara for a conversation.
Bottom line: Hitachi CSI + SUSE Virtualization is a powerful combination: Kubernetes-native simplicity paired with Hitachi’s “unbreakable” storage DNA. It helps platform teams consolidate tooling, protect critical workloads, and move faster—without locking out the broader CSI ecosystem. Start with Subhash’s post, then let’s design a pilot that turns this certification into real-world velocity. (community.hitachivantara.com)
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