Organizations around the world are looking for alternatives to their current virtualization provider. Driven by rapidly escalating license costs, many are turning to Kubevirt-based solutions which enable VMs to be managed using Kubernetes APIs and run inside Kubernetes pods, leveraging QEMU/KVM for virtualization. Portworx Enterprise 3.3 is engineered to support organizations in modernizing their virtualization estates—most notably with the introduction of Shared Raw Block for Portworx volumes. This release also includes significant advancements in high-availability, troubleshooting automation, and security, ensuring Kubernetes operators and SRE teams can confidently modernize their storage stack.
Below, we dive into the most impactful features of Portworx Enterprise 3.3 and explain how each benefits your enterprise.
What is Shared Raw Block and why is it a Must-Have for KubeVirt
Shared Raw Block enables multiple Kubernetes nodes to concurrently access the same block device. This architecture, sometimes called block-level ReadWriteMany (RWX), is uniquely suited to workloads like KubeVirt, where virtual machines (VMs) must be able to live-migrate across nodes with uninterrupted storage access. Key benefits are:
- Enables Live VM Migration: Customers running KubeVirt or similar virtualization platforms (e.g. OpenShift Virtualization, Spectro Cloud, Kubermatic, SUSE – coming soon) can move VMs across nodes seamlessly, with zero downtime. The shared block eliminates single-point file system bottlenecks, making migrations and HA operations far more reliable.
- Delivers Outstanding Performance vs. Shared File Storage: Compared to traditional shared file/NFS storage, PX Shared Raw Block improves IOPS and throughput dramatically reducing I/O latency for mission-critical stateful workloads.
- Simplifies Complex Virtualization: By offering direct block access and removing the need for file-level access protocols (like NFS), setup is easier and performance tuning is more predictable.
Additional New Features in Portworx Enterprise 3.3
FADA ActiveCluster
Enables synchronous data replication across two flash arrays, ensuring that applications remain available even if a storage array fails. This dramatically improves resilience for enterprise Kubernetes deployments, supporting regulatory and uptime requirements.
Better performance and higher resiliency when using multiple NICs
Aggregates multiple network interfaces to increase bandwidth and add redundancy. Customers can support larger-scale applications, gain higher throughput, and eliminate single NIC points of failure in critical environments.
Application I/O Control with cgroups v2
Using Linux control groups v2, PXE can now limit IOPS or bandwidth per workload to prevent “noisy neighbor” issues. Multi-tenant operators gain predictable performance and new levers to guarantee SLA compliance.
Automated Support Bundle Collection
Automates the diagnostic data collection process with a cluster-wide CRD, capturing necessary logs and even core dumps. This removes time-consuming manual steps, accelerates troubleshooting, and minimizes downtime during enterprise escalations.
Secure vSphere Credential Storage
Credentials can now be stored in Hashicorp Vault, enhancing security by managing secrets in one centralized location, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and simplifying credential management for admins.
TLS for Internal KVDB Traffic
All internal KVDB (Key-Value Database) communications are now encrypted, closing off attack vectors and strengthening the overall security posture of your Kubernetes storage layer.
Ready to Experience the Power of Portworx Enterprise 3.3?
With these features, Portworx continues to deliver the features and functionality that enterprises require to run modern applications on Kubernetes. Whether in support of VMs, containers, or a mix of both, the Portworx platform remains an industry leader for enterprises looking for a modern storage & data management solution for their business.
Hands-on labs and free trials are available for those who want to see Shared Raw Block and other features in action.
Explore what’s possible with Portworx Enterprise 3.3 and keep your applications—and your business—running at enterprise speed.
For more detailed technical guidance, reach out to your Portworx representative or join our community for in-depth discussions and support.
