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Over the years, we have published a lot of content on Kubernetes-related topics. The aim of this omnibus is to bring you all of those valuable, informational content together so that you can access it all from a one-stop solution. Each section is linked to a detailed blog where you can find more information about the said topic. Here’s what you need to know about Kubernetes. Let’s start from the basics. 

What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes (also known as K8s) is a powerful system that is developed by Google for the management of containerized applications in a clustered environment. It is basically a cluster management tool for Docker containers. Kubernetes aids in scheduling and deploying a large number of container replicas onto a node cluster. 

Since it’s an open-source model, Kubernetes can run almost anywhere, and all the major players in public cloud providers offer easy ways to utilize this technology. Private clouds based on OpenStack or Mesos can also run on Kubernetes, and bare metal servers can be leveraged as worker nodes for it.

The major benefits of Kubernetes include:

  • Open source nature
  • Portability
  • Scalability
  • Easy upgrades and updates

Important Units of Kubernetes

Kubernetes, as a container orchestration platform, is built from a few core concepts merged to form greater functionalities. They are:

API Server – the essential function is to expose the Kubernetes API, and the primary implementation is kube-apiserver. The implementation is designed to scale horizontally by deploying more instances. The system allows running several instances and thereby balancing traffic between the instances.

Controllers – the core abstraction layer used in building Kubernetes. When the user declares the API server’s desired state, controllers make sure that the current and desired states match. They work on a loop, ensuring the desired state is maintained. 

Pods – Pods are the smallest building block within a Kubernetes cluster, able to build applications. Each pod has a unique IP address, and its contents are always run in a shared manner.

Nodes – the machines that operate/run the Kubernetes cluster. It can be a virtual machine (VM) or a physical machine. Nodes are managed by control planes and include services that are needed to run pods. 

Networking in Kubernetes

If you understand the Kubernetes networking model correctly, it will allow you to run, monitor, and troubleshoot applications efficiently. Kubernetes has specific choices and requirements on how networking happens between the units. It allows communication between pods and among pods and nodes without using any Network Address Translation (NAT). Another feature is that the individual pods see their own IP address the same as the other pods in the cluster. The major networking methods used by Kubernetes components are:

  • Container-to-container communication
  • Pod-to-pod communication
  • Pod-to-service communication
  • Internet-to-service communication

Kubernetes vs. Docker Swarm vs. Mesos

Kubernetes, Docker Swarm & Apache Mesos are the three big players in container orchestration. All three all fall into a class of DevOps infrastructure management tools that are also known as Container Orchestration Engines (COEs). All three platforms have carved respectable niches for themselves, cementing their places in the Docker ecosystem. Although the orchestration tools offer much of the same functionalities, there are fundamental differences in how they operate. Below listed are some of the most notable points:

  • Application definition
  • Installation and set-up
  • Working on two systems
  • Logging and monitoring
  • Scalability and availability
  • Networking and storage

VEXXHOST’s Certified Kubernetes-as-a-Service

Kubernetes combines into logical units the containers from which applications are made for easy management and discovery. This Software-as-a-Service model eliminates the costs of hiring and training technical staff to run the Kubernetes clusters. Instead, VEXXHOST’s experts will help businesses accelerate their growth and innovation by managing their clusters and monitoring their instances 24/7/365 for them in order to ensure a seamless experience for their users.

Our comprehensive Kubernetes services are certified by the CNCF. We offer you tools that work with, automate, and manage most components of your infrastructure. The varied features include:

  • Managed and ready-to-use service
  • OpenStack & Kubernetes combination
  • Agnostic hosting model
  • Ability to take over control anytime
  • Open source nature
  • Constant health monitoring
  • Auto-scaling capabilities

Kubernetes is evolving in terms of networking practices and better container orchestration. VEXXHOST is Kubernetes certified and offers fully managed deployments with seamless integration, constant monitoring, and security. Additionally, our cloud services are based on OpenStack, making the environments free from licensing fees or vendor lock-ins. For many of our clients, private clouds are the preferred choice because of their highly scalable and secure nature.  

Speaking of private clouds, you can now run on a fully agile and customized cloud from VEXXHOST, with no licensing fees and smooth 2-week migration. In fact, we’re ready to put our money where our mouth is. We’re so confident in being able to save you at least 20% or more on your current cloud infrastructure expenditure that if proven wrong- we’ll give you $1,000 credit to our public cloud.   

Excited? Find out more.