// Module included in the following assemblies:
// * osd-whats-new.adoc

:_mod-docs-content-type: REFERENCE
[id="osd-q1-2026_{context}"]
= Q1 2026

[role="_abstract"]
The following items were added during the first quarter of 2026.

Virtualization support for {product-title} on {GCP}::
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{product-title} on {GCP} version 4.21.5 supports running virtualized workloads using the {VirtProductName} Operator version 4.21.1, leveraging {GCP} C3 bare-metal instances and {GCP} Hyperdisk. This enables you to migrate and modernize virtual machines (VMs) from existing platforms directly onto {product-title}, managing them alongside containerized workloads on a single, unified application platform.
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For more information about using {VirtProductName} on {product-title} on {gcp}, see:

* link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_dedicated/4/html/virtualization/index[Virtualization]
* link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_container_platform/4.21/html/virtualization/release-notes[OpenShift Virtualization release notes]

{product-title} is available in {GCP} console::
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{product-title} is available directly within the link:https://console.cloud.google.com/redhat-openshift/landing[{GCP} console], making it easier to find and deploy alongside native {GCP} services. This integration simplifies the initial setup by allowing you to validate environment prerequisites for {product-title} cluster deployment.
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**Key improvements:**

* Improved discoverability: Locate {product-title} quickly within the {GCP} console alongside Google's native compute and container offerings, allowing you to start creating clusters immediately.
* Streamlined onboarding: Validate your {GCP} configuration directly in the console before transitioning to a guided deployment flow in the {hybrid-console}.
* Unified billing and procurement: Use the {GCP} Marketplace to simplify setup and apply your existing {GCP} committed spend, negotiated discounts, or pay-as-you-go pricing.

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For more information about deploying {product-title} on {GCP}, see link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_dedicated/4/html/planning_your_environment/gcp-ccs#ccs-gcp-understand_gcp-ccs[Understanding Customer Cloud Subscriptions on Google Cloud].

Cluster admins can create multiple users with htpasswd identity providers::
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Cluster administrators can add multiple users to an htpasswd identity providers (IDPs) for {product-title} clusters using the command-line interface (CLI). You can add multiple users to a single htpasswd IDP, streamlining managing user identities. Using the CLI, administrators can add multiple users interactively and noninteractively. For more information, see link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_dedicated/4/html/authentication_and_authorization/sd-configuring-identity-providers#config-htpasswd-idp_sd-configuring-identity-providers[Configuring an htpasswd identity provider].

New version of {product-title} available::
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{product-title} on {gcp} and {product-title} on {aws} versions 4.21 are available for new clusters.
