PowerFlex: 4.X Component Breakdown

Summary: This article explains each component in the 4.x PowerFlex system.

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Instructions

Kubernetes

What is Kubernetes?

  • Kubernetes is an open source container orchestration tool that can have hundreds or thousands of containers from docker or other technologies.
  • Kubernetes automates deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.

What is PFMC and PFMP?

  • PowerFlex Management Controller (PFMC) is the infrastructure underlying the PowerFlex Management Platform (PFMP) in a dedicated multinode configuration. It could be a 3 - 5 node cluster.
  • PFMP is the Management Software stack that runs on physical or virtual Linux instances, which are containers that provide services.

Components of Kubernetes

Containers

  • A ready-to-run software package containing everything required to run an application, micro services, or even lightweight container operating systems.

Pods

  • Pods host one or more containers and provide shared storage and networking to those containers.
  • You can view pods on the Management Virtual Machines (MVMs) in the PFMC.
Example:

Screenshot of an example of Pods

Services

  • Services offer a consistent stable IP address and Domain Name System (DNS) name that clients can use to access the application running within Pods.
Example:
Screenshot example of Services listing

Namespaces

  • In Kubernetes, namespaces provide a mechanism for isolating groups of resources within a single cluster. It can help with user access control and to organize between different environments, projects, or teams.
Example:
Screenshot example of Namespace

Controllers

  • Controllers are responsible for monitoring the current state of Kubernetes resources. They make any adjustments necessary to ensure that the actual state matches the required state.
  • Controllers that are used in Kubernetes Cluster for PFMP:
    • Deployment
    • ReplicaSet
    • StatefulSet
    • DeamonSet
    • Job
    • Service

Screenshot example of Controller listings

Affected Products

PowerFlex Appliance, ScaleIO, PowerFlex Software
Article Properties
Article Number: 000372260
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 23 Oct 2025
Version:  2
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