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6 May 2026Form Number
LP2432PDF size
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Abstract
This solution brief describes how Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization enables enterprises to modernize traditional VM‑based environments while establishing a foundation for cloud‑native and hybrid‑cloud operations. By running virtual machines and containers on a single OpenShift platform, organizations gain simplified lifecycle management, integrated security and governance, and a phased path to modernization without forced application refactoring.
The solution is delivered on Lenovo ThinkSystem servers (SR630 V4, SR650 V4, SR635 V3, SR655 V3, and SR665 V3) and integrated with Lenovo ThinkSystem DM5200F all‑flash storage using the Lenovo Triton CSI driver, providing enterprise‑class persistent storage services for both virtual machines and containers. Intel® Xeon® 6 and AMD EPYC™ processors support the platform by delivering the performance, scalability, and efficiency required to maximize the value of OpenShift’s node‑based subscription model.
Introduction
Enterprise IT organizations are modernizing virtualization strategies as rising licensing costs, operational complexity, and the need for consistent hybrid‑cloud operations drive reassessment of traditional hypervisor platforms. Red Hat OpenShift® provides a Kubernetes‑native application platform that enables organizations to run and manage virtual machines and containerized applications through a single, unified operational model.
This solution highlights Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization deployed on Lenovo ThinkSystem infrastructure, delivering a supported, enterprise‑ready platform for modernizing virtual machine environments without disruption. The solution is delivered on a broad portfolio of Lenovo ThinkSystem servers, SR630, SR650, SR635, SR655, and SR665 along with DM5200H Storage, allowing organizations to align infrastructure choice to workload requirements while maintaining a consistent OpenShift control plane across environments.
Business Challenges
IT organizations must continue to support mission critical virtual machines while simultaneously deploying containerized, hybrid cloud, and AI-enabled workloads. Rising hypervisor licensing costs, fragmented infrastructure stacks, and siloed operational models increase total cost of ownership and slow innovation, Common virtualization challenges include:
- Escalating Licensing Costs
Rising hypervisor licensing and subscription models are increasing operational expenses and reducing cost predictability for existing virtualized environments
- Modernization Without Disruption
Mission‑critical VM workloads must remain stable and supported even as organizations pursue cloud‑native and Kubernetes‑based modernization
- Hardware Underutilization
Legacy architectures often limit consolidation density, preventing organizations from fully leveraging modern, high‑core‑count processors
- Parallel VM and Container Platforms
Separate stacks for virtual machines and containers create infrastructure sprawl, inefficient resource utilization, and higher management overhead
- Operational Complexity
Disparate tooling, security models, and lifecycle processes across platforms slow operations and increase the risk of configuration drift.
- Hybrid‑Cloud Readiness Gaps
Inconsistent platforms across on premises and cloud environments hinder application portability, automation, and long term cloud strategy alignment
Many enterprises are forced to operate separate VM and container platforms, increasing cost, complexity, and operational risk while limiting flexibility for future modernization initiatives.
Solution Overview
The solution architecture is centered on Red Hat OpenShift, which provides a Kubernetes‑native platform for running and managing virtual machines and containerized applications through a single, unified control plane.
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization extends the platform to support traditional virtual machine workloads alongside containers, enabling consistent lifecycle management, security enforcement, and automation across infrastructure environments. OpenShift serves as the authoritative management layer, abstracting underlying hardware differences while delivering a common operational model for virtualization modernization and hybrid‑cloud adoption.
Compute Foundation
Lenovo ThinkSystem servers provide a validated, high-performance compute foundation:
- ThinkSystem SR630 V4 / SR650 V4 (Intel-based) - Balanced platforms optimized for general-purpose virtualization and mixed workloads.
- ThinkSystem SR635 V3 / SR655 V3 (AMD-based) - Efficient single-socket systems designed for high VM density and optimal price-performance.
- ThinkSystem SR665 V3 - High-density, dual-socket platform for large-scale and performance-intensive environments. Persistent storage services are delivered by Lenovo
Storage Integration
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM5200F all-flash storage provides enterprise-grade persistent storage for both virtual machines and containers. Integration through the Lenovo Triton CSI driver enables:
- Kubernetes-native storage provisioning
- Snapshots, cloning, and replication
- Consistent data management across workloads
Management and Operations
The solution integrates:
- Red Hat OpenShift for cluster lifecycle, workload orchestration, and automation
- Lenovo XClarity for hardware management, monitoring, and firmware lifecycle
Together, these components deliver a cohesive solution architecture that supports virtualization modernization today while providing a scalable, future‑ready foundation for hybrid‑cloud and application modernization initiatives.
| SR630 V4 | High‑density performance in a 1U footprint for scalable virtualization and efficient workload consolidation |
| SR635 V3 | Balanced performance and density for general‑purpose virtualization and consolidation |
| SR650 V4 | Flexible 2U performance and expansion optimized for large‑scale virtualization, hybrid cloud, and future‑ready workloads |
| SR655 V3 | High memory capacity and expansion for core data center virtualization workloads |
| SR665 V3 | Maximum compute density, I/O scalability, and performance for large‑scale and mission‑critical virtualization |
| DM5200F | Enterprise all‑flash storage delivering shared persistent storage for virtual machines and containers via Triton CSI |
Simplified Deployment and Management
This solution is designed to streamline deployment and simplify ongoing operations through validated Lenovo infrastructure and integrated Red Hat tooling. Some of the capabilities that this enable include:
- Standardized cluster deployment and lifecycle management
- Integrated storage provisioning within OpenShift
- Unified management for VMs and containers
- Automated infrastructure and workload operations
Storage provisioning and lifecycle operations are integrated directly into OpenShift using the Lenovo Triton CSI driver, enabling consistent storage management workflows across both virtual machines and containers.
Key Benefits
Key benefits of the solution include the following:
- Unified Virtualization Platform
Run and manage virtual machines and containers together using Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization.
- Modernization Without Disruption
Preserve existing VM workloads while adopting Kubernetes and cloud‑native practices at your own pace.
- Operational Consistency
Standardize operations using OpenShift APIs, security, and lifecycle tooling across environments.
- Efficient Infrastructure Utilization
Intel Xeon 6 and AMD EPYC–powered ThinkSystem platforms enable high consolidation density aligned with OpenShift’s node‑based subscriptions.
- Operational Consistency
A unified Kubernetes‑based operating model simplifies management, automation, and security.
- Enterprise Storage Integration
Persistent storage services delivered through DM5200F and Triton CSI provide snapshots, cloning, and data protection using Kubernetes‑native workflows.
- Hybrid‑Cloud Readiness
Consistent OpenShift operations across on‑premises and public cloud environments.
Use Cases
These solutions address a wide range of enterprise deployment scenarios:
- Enterprise Virtualization Consolidation
Optimize and consolidate large-scale VM environments.
- Virtualization modernization and VMware alternative
Transition from traditional hypervisors to a modern Kubernetes-based platform.
- Mixed VM and container environments
Run virtual machines and containers side-by-side.
- Dev/Test and CI/CD platforms
Support modern application development pipelines.
- Edge and ROBO deployments
Extend consistent infrastructure to distributed environments.
- Infrastructure consolidation
Power your most performance‑sensitive enterprise workloads easily.
Conclusion
Lenovo ThinkSystem servers, combined with DM5200F storage and Red Hat OpenShift, provide a modern, enterprise-ready platform for virtualization transformation. By unifying virtual machines and containers on a single platform, organizations can reduce complexity, improve infrastructure efficiency, and regain cost control, while preparing for hybrid-cloud and AI-driven use cases. Backed by Lenovo’s global support and close collaboration with Red Hat, this solution delivers a scalable, low-risk path to modernization and long-term innovation.
Bill of Materials
Bill of Materials configurations may vary based on selected ThinkSystem Server platform (SR630, SR635, SR650, SR655, or SR665), and the ThinkSystem Storage platform (DM5200H) workload requirements, and target scale.
The following tables list the components of the solution.
Why Lenovo
Lenovo delivers a proven, enterprise‑class foundation for virtualization modernization with a broad portfolio of ThinkSystem servers and storage platforms validated for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization. Lenovo’s open ecosystem approach, combined with deep collaboration with Red Hat and silicon partners, ensures a jointly tested, supported, and optimized solution that reduces deployment risk and operational complexity. With industry‑leading reliability, flexible platform choices aligned to workload requirements, and global lifecycle services, Lenovo enables organizations to confidently modernize virtual machine environments while establishing a scalable foundation for hybrid‑cloud and future application modernization initiatives.
For More Information
To learn more about this Lenovo solution contact your Lenovo Business Partner.
https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/c/servers-storage/servers/racks/
References:
Reference Architecture: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform on Lenovo ThinkSystem, ThinkEdge and ThinkAgile HX Servers
https://lenovopress.lenovo.com/lp0968-red-hat-openshift-container-platform-reference-architecture
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization
https://www.redhat.com/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/virtualization
Authors
Jessie Lacome is a Platform Solutions Product Manager at Lenovo with extensive experience in enterprise virtualization and modern infrastructure platforms. He brings a strong consulting and solutions architecture background, supporting customers across on‑premises and hybrid environments. Jessie has previously held roles at Salesforce, Citrix, and Dell, where he focused on virtualization and infrastructure solutions.
Trademarks
Lenovo and the Lenovo logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lenovo in the United States, other countries, or both. A current list of Lenovo trademarks is available on the Web at https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/legal/copytrade/.
The following terms are trademarks of Lenovo in the United States, other countries, or both:
Lenovo®
AnyBay®
Neptune®
ThinkAgile®
ThinkEdge®
ThinkSystem®
XClarity®
The following terms are trademarks of other companies:
AMD and AMD EPYC™ are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Intel®, the Intel logo and Xeon® are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
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