Description:

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the storage solutions for Kubernetes environments, we are embarking on a mission to create a cutting-edge Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver. This driver will serve as an alternative to TopoLVM, designed to seamlessly integrate with Storage Area Network (SAN) infrastructures. The goal is to provide a robust, high-performance, and scalable storage solution that leverages the capabilities of SAN systems to meet the growing demands of modern applications.

The alternative in consideration is a Red Hat Inhouse Solution: https://gitlab.com/kubesan/kubesan

Objectives:

1. Seamless SAN Integration: Integrate a CSI driver that fully supports SAN infrastructures, ensuring compatibility with various SAN vendors and technologies.
2. Enhanced Performance: Optimize the driver for high I/O performance and low latency, leveraging the inherent advantages of SAN systems.
3. Scalability: Ensure the solution can scale efficiently with increasing storage demands, supporting dynamic provisioning and management of storage resources.
4. High Availability: Incorporate features that promote high availability and reliability, minimizing downtime and ensuring data integrity.
5. User-Friendly Management: Create intuitive management interfaces and tools for easy configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting of the CSI driver in Kubernetes environments.

Acceptance Criteria:

1. The CSI driver must be able to detect and integrate with SAN storage systems from multiple vendors.
2. It should support dynamic provisioning, resizing, and deletion of persistent volumes.
3. The driver must handle high I/O workloads with minimal performance degradation.
4. Implement robust failover mechanisms to ensure continuous operation during hardware or software failures.
5. Provide comprehensive documentation and user guides for installation, configuration, and management.
6. Include detailed monitoring and logging capabilities to assist with performance tuning and issue resolution.

User Stories:

1. As a Kubernetes Administrator, I want to deploy a CSI driver that integrates with my existing SAN infrastructure so that I can utilize high-performance storage for my applications.
2. As a DevOps Engineer, I need the driver to support dynamic provisioning of storage resources so that I can automate scaling based on application demands.
3. As a System Architect, I require high availability features in the CSI driver to ensure my critical applications remain operational even during storage failures.
4. As a Storage Manager, I want detailed monitoring and logging capabilities so that I can maintain optimal performance and quickly troubleshoot any issues.

Dependencies:

• Collaboration with SAN hardware vendors and QE where necessary for integration and testing.
• Access to diverse SAN environments for performance benchmarking and validation.
• Coordination with Kubernetes SIG Storage for alignment with CSI standards and best practices. Coordination with LVMS contributors and KubeSAN contributors where necessary

Timeline:

• Phase 1: Research and Design
• Phase 2: Development and Initial Testing (Dev Preview)
• Phase 3: Integration and Performance Tuning
• Phase 4: Beta Release and User Feedback (Tech Preview)
• Phase 5: Final Release and Documentation (GA)

By integrating this SAN-Integrated CSI driver, we aim to provide a powerful and flexible storage solution that meets the needs of enterprise-grade Kubernetes deployments, ensuring superior performance, scalability, and reliability.