Home > Storage > PowerFlex > White Papers > Reference Architecture: Google Cloud Anthos and GDC Virtual on Dell PowerFlex > PowerFlex consumption options
PowerFlex rack is a software-defined infrastructure platform that delivers flexibility, elasticity, and simplicity with predictable performance and resiliency at scale by combining compute as well as high-performance storage resources in a managed unified network. This rack-based engineered system, with integrated networking, enables customers to achieve the scalability and management requirements of a modern data center.
PowerFlex appliance is a PowerEdge server that has been configured to be a node in a software-defined infrastructure deployment that runs PowerFlex software components. This offering allows customers the flexibility and savings to bring their own compatible networking.
PowerFlex Custom Nodes are validated server building-blocks configured for use with PowerFlex. They are available with thousands of configuration options and are available for customers who prefer to build their own environments.
An important component outside of PowerFlex that enables a flexible consumption model for Kubernetes is the PowerFlex CSI driver, developed as a part of the Dell Kubernetes strategy. After loading the CSI driver for PowerFlex into Kubernetes, it can be used to provision persistent volumes from the underlying PowerFlex storage resource. If the Kubernetes deployment is running low on PowerFlex storage resources, you can add PowerFlex storage nodes to increase the system capacity and performance.
The CSI driver connects the PowerFlex system and Kubernetes deployments. It is a storage broker which dynamically provisions volumes from PowerFlex through the PowerFlex API gateway to the Kubernetes cluster. Once the volume is available on PowerFlex, it is immediately mapped to the requesting pod. If a pod is destroyed or rescheduled, the CSI plug-in ensures that the volumes are remapped upon rescheduling of that pod.
These modules include snapshot, observability, authorization, application mobility, and resiliency.
Kubernetes natively offers local storage volumes, however, these options present challenges with the pod portability and data availability. The Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver solves such challenges by providing an interface between Kubernetes and external storage solutions. It is a community driven standard for persistent storage on container orchestrators (COs) and enables storage providers to develop CSI driver for Kubernetes CO systems. It also allows users to provision storage for pods through a Kubernetes PVC.
For more information about CSI Overview, see Container Storage Interface (CSI) for Kubernetes GA.