Written by Mike Bernaiche, January 10th, 2023
If you own Planning Analytics and use Planning Analytics Workspace (PAw) on Microsoft servers, you most likely have Docker installed. Docker is required to run PAw in windows server environments. Recently Microsoft sold Docker to Mirantis and Docker is now called Mirantis Runtime Engine. This change has brought some potential issues for Planning Analytics clients. Please read below for all the information you need regarding this change and potential ways to overcome this change.
History
Previously when you installed Paw, the IBM install executable simply checked for a version of Docker and called the MS install script if Docker wasn't found. This was based on installing in a windows environment.
Currently, if you are installing PAw for the first time you need to get the Docker install files directly from Mirantis. This started with PAw 2.0.78, released in July 2022.
If you are running PAw in a Linux environment, Docker is not required, and this doesn’t apply to your environment.
What the Future Holds
Starting on April 30, 2023, Mirantis will assume support for Mirantis Runtime Engine (formerly Docker Engine) from Microsoft. Mirantis will then directly provide all support, defect fixes, and security patches. While you have a couple of months before this change takes place, you should start the planning process today.
This change impacts the ability of IBM Planning Analytics on-premises customers to download Mirantis Runtime Engine. Mirantis Runtime Engine is required to deploy Planning Analytics Workspace on Windows Server 2016 and 2019.
Environments
Microsoft Server Environments
As mentioned above, if you are running Microsoft Server 2016 or 2019 you may want to plan for support of Docker (Mirantis Runtime Engine) through Mirantis.
Existing customers would need to purchase if they want updated versions or support from Mirantis. Security (future vulnerabilities being identified in Docker) will likely be the motivating factor for updates. You can find more information at the here. In short, there will be an annual cost to keep support.
Linux Environments
Linux environments do not require Docker or Mirantis Runtime Engine.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 deployments do not require Mirantis Runtime Engine as Podman is used as the container runtime.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 continues to support the version of Docker Engine that it packages with the RHEL7 extras package.
Other environments such as Ubuntu do not require Docker or Mirantis Runtime Engine.
IBM Planning Analytics SaaS Environments
This change does not impact Planning Analytics on Cloud customers, or Red Hat OpenShift based deployments of Planning Analytics Workspace on-premises.
Solutions
- Take the risk and not purchase support and continue to run PAw as you have. You would not have access to any updates or security patches, if needed. This would be my least favorable option.
- Contact Mirantis to purchase support if you are required to stay on Microsoft servers.
- Consider moving your PAw deployment to a Linux based server like Red Hat or Ubuntu.
- Consider moving your licensing to IBM PA on cloud (PA SaaS).
Lodestar solutions is here to help you through this process. Please reach out to us at services@lodestarsolutions.com to schedule a brief call to discuss your situation and allow us to help you will the best path forward. We can help move Paw to Linux servers or can discuss your current licensing to see if a move to the PA cloud makes sense for you. Whatever your situation and each client will be different, and we are here and ready to help!
For the latest on Planning Analytics Workspace, you can check out some of our recent blog posts here.