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IBM PowerVM vs Red Hat OpenShift comparison

IBM and Red Hat are both solutions in the Server Virtualization Software category. IBM is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.5, while Red Hat is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.6. IBM holds a 1.3% mindshare in SVS, compared to Red Hat’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.
IBM PowerVM
Read 36 IBM PowerVM reviews
  • 1,834 Views
  • 1,548 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Red Hat OpenShift
Read 61 Red Hat OpenShift reviews
  • 648 Views
  • 498 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between IBM PowerVM and Red Hat OpenShift based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Server Virtualization Software solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

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To learn more, read our detailed IBM PowerVM vs. Red Hat OpenShift Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
IBM PowerVM vs. Red Hat OpenShift
April 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.7
IBM PowerVM offers higher ROI and cost savings, especially for Oracle users, with scalability, easy administration, and enhanced efficiency.
Sentiment score
7.8
Organizations using OpenShift gain ROI from increased productivity, scalability, reduced onboarding time, enhanced efficiency, and minimized resources.
The return on investment is substantial, though other platforms may offer a better ROI, primarily due to lower costs involved in setup and maintenance.
If calculated over a five-year period, IBM PowerVM is 30 to 40% more cost-effective than physical servers despite initial costs seeming high.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
With OpenShift combined with IBM Cloud App integration, I can spin an integration server in a second as compared to traditional methods, which could take days or weeks.
Moving to OpenShift resulted in increased system stability and reduced downtime, which contributed to operational efficiency.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
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MR
Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewer
JU
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.5
IBM PowerVM is praised for strong support, though TSM support and hardware support subscription issues need improvement.
Sentiment score
6.8
Red Hat OpenShift customer service is mixed, with some praising and others critiquing support responsiveness, documentation, and issue handling.
IBM provides strong support.
IBM offers excellent customer support.
IBM has an established technical support team and partners who provide extended support to end customers.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
Red Hat's technical support is responsive and effective.
I have been pretty happy in the past with getting support from Red Hat.
Red Hat's technical support is good, and I would rate it a nine out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
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AS
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Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
IBM PowerVM excels in scalability and flexibility, supporting large enterprises with superior performance and integration capabilities despite pricing concerns.
Sentiment score
7.6
Red Hat OpenShift excels in scalable, flexible deployment, effectively managing demand surges, with some preferring enterprise edition for support.
An IBM server can handle up to sixty-four terabytes of RAM.
I think IBM PowerVM uses a 'pay as you grow' model, allowing customers to scale their resources as needed.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
The on-demand provisioning of pods and auto-scaling, whether horizontal or vertical, is the best part.
OpenShift's horizontal pod scaling is more effective and efficient than that used in Kubernetes, making it a superior choice for scalability.
Red Hat OpenShift scales excellently, with a rating of ten out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
AS
MR
UM
Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewer
SA
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
IBM PowerVM offers superior stability and security with excellent uptime, efficiency, and resilience, outperforming alternatives like Nutanix and VMware.
Sentiment score
7.7
Red Hat OpenShift is highly stable, consistently performing well in production with users rating reliability between eight to ten.
The stability of IBM PowerVM is exceptional, as industry reports have named IBM Power and Z as the most stable platforms globally for 15 consecutive years.
Our clients in India using Power Servers have been running their servers for the last four to five years without any reboot.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
It provides better performance yet requires more resources compared to vanilla Kubernetes.
I've had my cluster running for over four years.
It performs well under load, providing the desired output.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
AS
MR
Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewer
JU
SA
 

Room For Improvement

IBM PowerVM users seek better management, interface, performance, and cost-effectiveness, with enhanced automation, virtualization, and cloud integration features.
Red Hat OpenShift needs better documentation, UI, cloud support, and improved performance in security, integration, and installation processes.
We have a strong relationship with IBM, which aids decision-making in transitioning clients from mainframe to other platforms.
PowerVM should integrate some capabilities of VMware vCenter to improve its management features.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
Learning OpenShift requires complex infrastructure, needing vCenter integration, more advanced answers, active directory, and more expensive hardware.
We should aim to include VMware-like capabilities to be competitive, especially considering cost factors.
The removal of Grafana and HPA from monitoring caused some issues.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
MB
AS
Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewer
SA
JU
 

Setup Cost

IBM PowerVM offers flexible payment options, though initial high costs require negotiation but may yield long-term savings.
Red Hat OpenShift's pricing is costly yet competitive for enterprises, with flexibility and negotiation opportunities available.
Pricing is a concern in Argentina due to the higher cost of mainframe solutions.
PowerVM itself is free with the purchase of an IBM server.
While initially costly, the ROI over five years proves IBM PowerVM is cost-effective, resulting in a 30 to 40% reduction in costs compared to a physical setup.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
Initially, licensing was per CPU, with a memory cap, but the price has doubled, making it difficult to justify for clients with smaller compute needs.
Red Hat can improve on the pricing part by making it more flexible and possibly on the lower side.
The cost of OpenShift is very high, particularly with the OpenShift Plus package, which includes many products and services.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
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Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

IBM PowerVM provides flexible resource management, high availability, and smooth cloud transitions, supporting various operating systems and complex workloads.
Red Hat OpenShift excels in security, automation, scalability, multi-cloud management, user-friendly interface, and Kubernetes compatibility.
PowerVM excels in efficiently managing all systems and environments, including development, UI, and production.
It supports specific workloads, like Oracle and SAP HANA, much better due to its shared processor pool feature which reduces licensing costs.
IBM PowerVM supports multiple operating systems such as IBM i, AIX, and Linux, allowing users to run various applications seamlessly in a cloud environment.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM PowerVM report
The concept of containers and scaling on demand is a feature I appreciate the most about Red Hat OpenShift.
A valuable feature of Red Hat OpenShift is its ability to handle increased loads by automatically adding nodes.
It has features that enhance security, ease of deployment, and service exposure compared to Kubernetes.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat OpenShift report
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JU
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM PowerVM
Ranking in Server Virtualization Software
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
36
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Red Hat OpenShift
Ranking in Server Virtualization Software
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
61
Ranking in other categories
PaaS Clouds (3rd), Container Management (12th), Hybrid Cloud Computing Platforms (7th), Agile and DevOps Services (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Server Virtualization Software category, the mindshare of IBM PowerVM is 1.3%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Red Hat OpenShift is 1.3%. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Server Virtualization Software
 

Featured Reviews

Atif Najam - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable system for high-end data processing with a great support structure
The only problem with the IBM system is improving its hardware licensing model. For example, when you procure a server with 40 physical codes, you must also procure licenses to activate the codes. In Dell or any system, you procure the hardware and have the full right to use the hardware. For IBM, it's different because when you procure a 40-code processor and have 40 physical codes, you only have a license to use 20. As a result, the 20 alert codes will always be in activated mode. Hence, the hardware licensing model could be improved because the licensing model is a bit different from the standard hardware procured.
Read full review
Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewer
Seamlessly monitor microservices with streamlined DevOps capabilities
Most benefit from it, however, I work with Kubernetes, and installing Vanilla Kubernetes is easy. That said, it introduces many tools that need to be set up individually. OpenShift comes ready out of the box, with all tools installed and configured. Red Hat certifies and confirms that all the components are compatible with each other. OpenShift's superior dashboard is a notable strength, especially when compared to Kubernetes. The integrated DevOps capabilities, such as pipelines and the container registry, are extremely beneficial. Additionally, its capability to monitor microservices and containers with integrated tools like Prometheus is a major advantage. The horizontal pod scaling exceeds the scalability features I found in Kubernetes.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
20%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
32%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Insurance Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM PowerVM?
Managing other operating systems is also straightforward with IBM PowerVM.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM PowerVM?
While initially costly, the ROI over five years proves IBM PowerVM is cost-effective, resulting in a 30 to 40% reduction in costs compared to a physical setup.
See all answers
What needs improvement with IBM PowerVM?
I have not encountered any issues or dissatisfaction with IBM PowerVM so far. Clients using it have been satisfied, and there have been no glitches since its introduction.
See all answers
How does OpenShift compare with Amazon AWS?
Open Shift makes managing infrastructure easy because of self-healing and automatic scaling. There is also a wonderful dashboard mechanism to alert us in case the application is over-committing or ...
See all answers
Which would you recommend - Pivotal Cloud Foundry or OpenShift?
Pivotal Cloud Foundry is a cloud-native application platform to simplify app delivery. It is efficient and effective. The best feature is how easy it is to handle external services such as database...
See all answers
What do you like most about OpenShift?
OpenShift facilitates DevOps practices and improves CI/CD workflows in terms of stability compared to Jenkins.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

VMware vSphere vs IBM PowerVM Logo
VMware vSphere vs IBM PowerVM
Compared 63% of the time
KVM vs IBM PowerVM Logo
KVM vs IBM PowerVM
Compared 11% of the time
Hyper-V vs IBM PowerVM Logo
Hyper-V vs IBM PowerVM
Compared 9% of the time
Proxmox VE vs IBM PowerVM Logo
Proxmox VE vs IBM PowerVM
Compared 9% of the time
Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs IBM PowerVM Logo
Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs IBM PowerVM
Compared 3% of the time
More IBM PowerVM Competitors
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) vs Red Hat OpenShift Logo
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) vs Red Hat OpenShift
Compared 17% of the time
Pivotal Cloud Foundry vs Red Hat OpenShift Logo
Pivotal Cloud Foundry vs Red Hat OpenShift
Compared 17% of the time
Microsoft Azure vs Red Hat OpenShift Logo
Microsoft Azure vs Red Hat OpenShift
Compared 14% of the time
Amazon AWS vs Red Hat OpenShift Logo
Amazon AWS vs Red Hat OpenShift
Compared 9% of the time
Google Cloud vs Red Hat OpenShift Logo
Google Cloud vs Red Hat OpenShift
Compared 8% of the time
More Red Hat OpenShift Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
IBM PowerVM
April 2025
IBM PowerVM reportDownload IBM PowerVM product report
Buyer's Guide
Red Hat OpenShift
April 2025
Red Hat OpenShift reportDownload Red Hat OpenShift product report
 

Also Known As

PowerVM
No data available
 

Overview

Power is server virtualization without limits. Businesses are turning to PowerVM server virtualization to consolidate multiple workloads onto fewer systems, increasing server utilization and reducing cost. PowerVM provides a secure and scalable server virtualization environment for AIX, IBM i and Linux applications built upon the advanced RAS features and leading performance of the Power Systems platform.
IBM

Red Hat OpenShift offers a robust, scalable platform with strong security and automation, suitable for container orchestration, application deployment, and microservices architecture.

Designed to modernize applications by transitioning from legacy systems to cloud-native environments, Red Hat OpenShift provides powerful CI/CD integration and Kubernetes compatibility. Its security features, multi-cloud support, and source-to-image functionality enhance deployment flexibility. While the GUI offers user-friendly navigation, users benefit from its cloud-agnostic nature and efficient lifecycle management. However, improvements are needed in documentation, configuration complexity, and integration with third-party platforms. Pricing and high resource demands can also be challenging for wider adoption.

What are the key features of Red Hat OpenShift?
  • Security: Comprehensive security features ensure safe deployments and operations.
  • Scalability: Auto-scaling and monitoring capabilities cater to high-demand environments.
  • CI/CD Integration: Seamless integration for efficient continuous deployment processes.
  • Cloud Compatibility: Supports multi-cloud and on-premise solutions with ease.
  • GUI: Simplifies platform management and enhances usability.
What benefits and ROI should users look for?
  • Improved Efficiency: Streamlined operations reduce time and resource investments.
  • Enhanced Flexibility: Adapt quickly to changing demands and environments.
  • Quick Deployment: Fast application deployment supports agile project timelines.
  • Robust Support: Access to dependable customer support services.

Red Hat OpenShift is strategically implemented for diverse industries focusing on container orchestration and application modernization. Organizations leverage it for migrating applications to cloud-native environments and managing CI/CD pipelines. Its functionality facilitates efficient resource management and microservices architecture adoption, supporting enterprise-level DevOps practices. Users employ it across cloud and on-premises platforms to drive performance improvements.

Red Hat
 

Sample Customers

Sto, Soitec, SNO, Bundesrechenzentrum GmbH, Al Mansour Holding, Baptist Health of Northeast Florida, Huhtamaki, ELK Group, IT-Informatik, Arkansas Tech University, Pneuhage
UPS, Cathay Pacific, Hilton
Buyer's Guide
IBM PowerVM vs. Red Hat OpenShift
April 2025
Free Report: IBM PowerVM vs. Red Hat OpenShift
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