# 🚀 Release Notes - IM Cloud Native Virtualization v1.0.0 (im-cnv)

**Release Date:** 2025-12-01

---

## 📘 Summary
IM Cloud Native Virtualization v1.0.0 is based on SUSE Virtualization (previously known as Harvester) and offers virtualization as well as container orchestration.

Within Vanderlande this is the practical successor to Container Platform (CP2/CP3) and VI_IT_VIRTUALIZATION.

Capabilities of IM-CNV are effectively the same: running any modern Operating System in virtual machines, as well as Kubernetes orchestration of workload clusters enable all of Vanderlande's existing Modules to be run.  
There are however, key differences in underlying technology and implementation specifics, which are highlighted below:

- ### Persistent Storage location (*inside* vs *outside* Kubernetes cluster)
  - *CP2/CP3*: Persistent storage (provided through Longhorn) was stored *within* Kubernetes clusters on designated "worker-storage" nodes.  
  - *IM-CNV*: Respective volumes and replicas (still provided through Longhorn - _though_ seemingly with different `StorageClass` names) are now stored directly on the Hypervisor nodes.  

  **There are *no* dedicated storage node pools; cluster nodes can now be reprovisioned _without_ extensive wait periods for replication to finish.**  
- ### Services of type `LoadBalancer` managed by different controllers
  - *CP2/CP3*: Services of type `LoadBalancer` were managed by **MetalLB**; exposing MetalLB-specific annotations for configuration.  
  - *IM-CNV*: Services of type `LoadBalancer` are managed by **Harvester's integrated Cloud Controller Manager**.  

  **Both load balancers differ in the OSI layers they operate in (MetalLB: Layer 2 and 3, Harvester CMM: Layer 4), however feature parity is maintained for common use cases within Vanderlande.**  
  ***NOTE:** IP-address pinning is currently not supported through annotations and requires explicit administrator intervention.*  
- ### Virtual Machine templating
  - *VI_IT_VIRTUALIZATION*: Virtual machine template export & import supported in the format `ova`/`ovf`; virtual machine's disks were stored as `vmdk` files.  
  - *IM-CNV*: No virtual machine template export & import functionality; virtual machines can be created based on disk images in the formats `qcow2`, `raw`.  

  **Harvester includes an addon to connect to a vCenter instance to import virtual machines directly; negating the need to export & import with an intermediate file format.**  


## 🔗 Related Links
- ~~**Release Bundle**: [Link](#TBD)~~
- ~~**Changelog**: [Link](#TBD)~~
- **Jira Release**: [Link](https://devtrack.vanderlande.com/projects/TPINF/versions/144780)
- ~~**SBOM**: [Link](#TBD)~~
- **Test Results**: [Link](https://devtrack.vanderlande.com/secure/attachment/1179276/VI_IT_VI_IT_CNV-1_0_0.pdf)

## 🧩 Compatibility Matrix
- Supported Kubernetes Versions:
  - **RKE2**: 1.31, 1.32, 1.33
  - **K3S** _(experimental)_: 1.31, 1.32, 1.33

- Supported Guest Operating Versions:
  - **Suse Linux Enterprise Server**: 15 SP6, 15 SP7
  - **Suse Linux Enterprise Micro**: 6.0, 6.1
  - **Ubuntu**:	22.04, 24.04
  - **RHEL**: 9, 10
  - **Windows**: Windows 11, Windows Server 2025 (up to and including)

- Bundled Component Versions:
  - **Rancher**: v2.12
  - **Longhorn**: v1.9.1

## ⚠️ Breaking Changes
Refer to aforementioned key differences to understand how migration to IM-CNV might affect your workloads.

## 🔄 Migration / Upgrade Steps
_There is no upgrade path from any version of Container Platform; Kubernetes clusters and respective workloads need to be reprovisioned_

## 📦 Delivery Artifacts
- **Installation Files:**
  - [Installation Manual](https://vanderlande.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/T_Technolo-17-TeamAppStackEdgeComputing/Shared%20Documents/Team%20Application%20Stack/Cloud%20Native%20Virtualization%20Installation%20Manual.docx?d=w143df45494e7454b9c00247ac76c3dc3&csf=1&web=1&e=tnswwo)
  - [Operator Manual](https://vanderlande.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/T_Technolo-17-TeamAppStackEdgeComputing/Shared%20Documents/Team%20Application%20Stack/Cloud%20Native%20Virtualization%20Operator%20Manual.docx?d=w5b544952345b40d9ba0e5db01a3f703c&csf=1&web=1&e=XTXc4M)

---
