VM Runtime on Google Distributed Cloud is the key component for running virtual machine-based workloads in Google Distributed Cloud.
What is VM Runtime on GDC?
VM Runtime on GDC is a part of Google Distributed Cloud that lets you run VMs on top of Kubernetes in the same way that you run containers. With VM Runtime on GDC, you can run existing VM-based workloads as you also develop and run new container-based applications. VM Runtime on GDC is like the hypervisor in another virtualized environment.
VM Runtime on GDC lets you view and manage the state of VMs and gather audit or console logs. VM Runtime on GDC acts like management console tools that are used in other virtualized environments.
You aren't forced to modernize or upgrade existing VM-based workloads to use VM Runtime on GDC. VMs run like they do in other virtualized environments, but benefit from a single set of workflows and processes for your applications in a Google Distributed Cloud cluster. When you're ready, you can migrate these VM-based workloads to containers and continue using the same GKE Enterprise management tools.
Benefits
The VM Runtime on GDC has the following benefits:
- Ability to use VM resources programmatically, like you use containers.
- Efficient use of resources across containers and VMs.
- Unified management and operation for VMs and containers.
- Unified visibility and control for traffic between new containerized applications and legacy VM-based apps.
- A simplified migration experience to cloud or containerized apps.
The VM Runtime on GDC helps you migrate your VMs, or build new ones, on top of Google Distributed Cloud.
How VM Runtime on GDC differs from KubeVirt
VM Runtime on GDC builds on the KubeVirt open source project. Kubevirt is built specifically for Kubernetes, and follows the declarative API model to use the Kubernetes Resource Model, custom resource definitions, or operators. VM Runtime on GDC integrates Kubevirt into your Google Distributed Cloud to give a consistent way to manage your applications. This section outlines some of the key capabilities of VM Runtime on GDC that aren't available in KubeVirt.
Lifecycle
Building on the power of the GKE Enterprise platform, VM Runtime on GDC is fully integrated with the GKE Enterprise platform. You can install, upgrade, and uninstall VM Runtime on GDC with a CLI command, through the API, or by using the Google Cloud console. When used with compatible storage, GKE Enterprise cluster upgrades include live migration of VM workloads (Preview) between hosts to minimize potential VM workload disruption.
Cloud-backed management experience
VM Runtime on GDC provides a cloud-like experience for your on-premises installation. This experience includes the following new cloud-like primitives:
VirtualMachineType
object lets administrators create predefined VM types with specific CPU and memory configurations.VirtualMachineDisk
andStorageProfile
objects add support for multiple disks and centralized management ofStorageClass
properties.Network
object enables virtual switch-like capabilities in Kubernetes.
Storage
VM Runtime on GDC automatically generates a storage profile object,
StorageProfile
, for each StorageClass
in a cluster. This new profile object
lets you
configure StorageClass
properties for VMs,
including accessMode
and volumeMode
, from a single location.
You can attach multiple disks to a VM. You can attach an existing disk or you
can create and attach new disks. The new VirtualMachineDisk
custom resource
lets you create blank disks or disks from existing images using the bundled
Containerized Data Importer (CDI). CDI even lets you pull
images from Cloud Storage secured with credentials.
Networking
VM Runtime on GDC expands on the default pod-network
offering of
KubeVirt to provide
networking options more suitable for production VM workloads.
VM Runtime on GDC extends the existing network stack that's based on
Container Network Interface (CNI) framework. VM Runtime on GDC adds
a Network
object that enables virtual switch-like capabilities in Kubernetes.
While network plugins are available for Kubernetes, they require their own
installation, lifecycle, and management. With VM Runtime on GDC, out
of the box VMs can interact with multiple Layer 2 network interfaces, including
support for VLAN tags, external DHCP, and more. VM Runtime on GDC
also introduces the interfaces object, which enables both IP and MAC address
stickiness even if VMs are restarted, migrated, or recreated. The new network
stack also integrates with NetworkPolicy
so you can use Kubernetes primitives
to control Layer 4 traffic between VMs.
Observability
VM Runtime on GDC automatically supports VM observability in the Google Cloud console. In addition to the GKE cluster and VM Runtime on GDC logging, VM serial console logs are automatically streamed to Cloud Logging. Your VM logs can be viewed in the Logs Explorer along with container logs. You can see VM CPU, memory, disk, and network metrics in the Google Cloud console. You can also implement dashboards, alerts, and integration with notifications using familiar Google Cloud services.
Management
Most VM Runtime on GDC capabilities are available from the command
line, APIs, and Google Cloud console. This flexible approach supports multiple
developer and operational styles. Applying the power of the
GKE Enterprise stack, Config Sync and
Policy Controller can also be used to implement both GitOps methodology
and granular policies. Finally, KubeVirt tools, such as virtctl
, have also
been extended to support the additional VM Runtime on GDC
capabilities.
GPU Support
VM Runtime on GDC lets you enable supported NVIDIA GPU cards in your VMs, enabling machine learning and other specialized workloads.
Get started
To start using VM Runtime on GDC, see the following documents:
- Enable or disable VM Runtime on GDC
- Quickstart: Create a VM in Google Distributed Cloud
- Manage the power state of VMs that use VM Runtime on GDC
- View console logs for VMs that use VM Runtime on GDC