diff --git a/manifests/backend/generic.pp b/manifests/backend/generic.pp
index 667dd529..9d9cddfd 100644
--- a/manifests/backend/generic.pp
+++ b/manifests/backend/generic.pp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # ==define manila::backend::generic
 #
+# Configures Manila to use the generic share driver
+#
 # ===Parameters
 #
 # [*driver_handles_share_servers*]
diff --git a/manifests/share/generic.pp b/manifests/share/generic.pp
index c7f0ad9c..b8185cf9 100644
--- a/manifests/share/generic.pp
+++ b/manifests/share/generic.pp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # == Class: manila::share::generic
 #
+# DEPRECATED !!
 # Configures Manila to use the generic share driver
 #
 # ===Parameters
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ class manila::share::generic (
   $automatic_share_server_cleanup      = 'True',
 ) {
 
+  warning("The manila::share::generic class is deprecated. \
+Use the manila::backend::generic defined resource type.")
+
   manila::backend::generic { 'DEFAULT':
     driver_handles_share_servers        => $driver_handles_share_servers,
     smb_template_config_path            => $smb_template_config_path,
diff --git a/manifests/share/hitachi_hnas.pp b/manifests/share/hitachi_hnas.pp
index 36c028cc..7528dcda 100644
--- a/manifests/share/hitachi_hnas.pp
+++ b/manifests/share/hitachi_hnas.pp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # == Class: manila::share::hitachi_hnas
 #
+# DEPRECATED !!
 # Configures Manila to use the HITACHI NAS platform share driver
 #
 # === Parameters
@@ -52,6 +53,9 @@ class manila::share::hitachi_hnas (
   $driver_handles_share_servers = false,
 ) {
 
+  warning("The manila::share::hitachi_hnas class is deprecated. \
+Use the manila::backend::hitachi_hnas defined resource type.")
+
   manila::backend::hitachi_hnas { 'DEFAULT':
     driver_handles_share_servers  => $driver_handles_share_servers,
     hitachi_hnas_user             => $hitachi_hnas_user,
diff --git a/manifests/share/netapp.pp b/manifests/share/netapp.pp
index b11e2492..c15204ca 100644
--- a/manifests/share/netapp.pp
+++ b/manifests/share/netapp.pp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # == Class: manila::share::netapp
 #
+# DEPRECATED !!
 # Configures Manila to use the NetApp share driver
 #
 # === Parameters
@@ -108,6 +109,9 @@ class manila::share::netapp (
     $netapp_trace_flags                   = undef,
 ) {
 
+  warning("The manila::share::netapp class is deprecated. \
+Use the manila::backend::netapp defined resource type.")
+
   manila::backend::netapp { 'DEFAULT':
     driver_handles_share_servers         => $driver_handles_share_servers,
     netapp_login                         => $netapp_login,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-default-backend-2f553e0771ae4aeb.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-default-backend-2f553e0771ae4aeb.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c58cdab0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-default-backend-2f553e0771ae4aeb.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - |
+    The following classes were formally deprecated. Use
+    the ``manila::backend::*`` defined resource types instead.
+
+    - ``manila::share::generic``
+    - ``manila::share::hitachi_hnas``
+    - ``manila::share::netapp``