Kubernetes is the entire fad recently, and there’s no shortage of recommendation out there from IT analysts telling you once to use Kubernetes. But, the actual fact is that Kubernetes, like several software system platform, isn’t the proper resolution for everybody. In fact, I tend to assume that Kubernetes is usually over-hyped to the purpose that several IT groups assume they can’t live while not Kubernetes once, in fact, it’s to a fault difficult for his or her wants.
Toward that finish, here’s a glance at a way to decide whether or not it is smart to adopt Kubernetes.
What Kubernetes will:
As you seemingly recognize if you follow the instrumentation scene, Kubernetes is Associate in Nursing open supply tool for orchestrating containers. It automates tasks like beginning and stopping containers, and reconciliation load between completely different instances of an equivalent instrumentation.
In short, Kubernetes’ main purpose is to form it attainable to run advanced pack applications on an outsized scale by minimizing the number of management that human engineers got to perform manually.
When to Use Kubernetes–and once to not:
So, if you like automation and hate having to perform repetitive tasks manually, Kubernetes is also an honest tool for you.
But you shouldn’t depart and install Kubernetes supported these factors alone. There area unit some necessary further issues to weigh once deciding whether or not and once to use Kubernetes.
1. Kubernetes infrastructure size:
One necessary issue that influences whether or not Kubernetes can work well for you is however giant your infrastructure is.
Kubernetes is intended to orchestrate containers that area unit unfold across really huge environments–meaning several dozens of host servers. As a rule of thumb, if you’ve got fewer than fifty servers in your infrastructure, you almost certainly don’t have enough to leverage the total edges of Kubernetes.
This isn’t to mention that Kubernetes won’t work on smaller infrastructures. Indeed, you’ll be able to run Kubernetes on simply one host machine if you wish. however since a part of the purpose of Kubernetes is to supply high accessibility by spreading pack applications across terribly giant clusters, you miss out on a number of its price if you’ve got solely a couple of servers. And, given however advanced it’s to line up and maintain Kubernetes, it’s most likely not definitely worth the effort if your infrastructure isn’t giant enough to deliver absolutely on Kubernets’ high-availability promise.
On smaller infrastructures, stick to a less advanced arranger, like Swarm, or use a cloud-based instrumentation service with intrinsical orchestration, like AWS ECS.
2. Kubernetes OS surroundings:
Kubernetes is primarily a UNIX operating system technology. though it is accustomed manage pack applications hosted on Windows servers that run as supposed employee nodes among a Kubernetes server cluster, the most servers (in alternative words, the “master” nodes) that host Kubernetes’ core services got to be UNIX operating system.
So, if you’re a Windows-centric look, Kubernetes isn’t an honest tool for you. You’re comfortable victimization an alternate instrumentation arranger, like longshoreman Swarm, that’s a lot of Windows-friendly.
3. Putting in and fixing Kubernetes:
Before deciding to use Kubernetes, it’s necessary to assess the number of your time you’ll be able to devote to setting it up.
Kubernetes itself (meaning the plain, open supply version) doesn’t have a intrinsical installer, nor will it supply abundant within the approach of one-size-fits-all default configurations. You’ll seemingly got to tweak (or write from scratch) a great deal of configuration files before you get your cluster up and running swimmingly. Thus, the method of putting in and configuring Kubernetes is an awfully discouraging one that consumes several days of labor.
Some Kubernetes distributions supply interactive installer scripts that facilitate change abundant of the setup method. If you employ one amongst these, setup and installation is simpler to accomplish in an exceedingly day or 2. However it’s still by no suggests that a prison guard method.
A third choice is to run Kubernetes as a managed service within the cloud employing a resolution like Google Kubernetes Engine. therein case, installation and setup area unit handled for you. The exchange is that you just have less selection in crucial a way to tack together your Kubernetes surroundings.
The bottom line: Don’t underestimate however laborious it’ll be to tack together Kubernetes. Ensure the trouble is worthwhile before you begin down the rabbit burrow. (Pro tip: If you’re unsure simply however laborious it’ll be to line up Kubernetes for your team on a production cluster, you’ll be able to experiment with a miniaturized Kubernetes distribution, like k3s or minikube, to induce a way of what quantity effort setup and configuration entail.)
4. Kubernetes and declarative configuration management:
Kubernetes adopts what’s referred to as a declarative approach to management configuration. What this suggests is that you just write configuration files to inform Kubernetes however Associate in nursing application ought to behave, and Kubernetes mechanically figures out a way to create the applying change.
Declarative configuration management is that the opposite of imperative configuration management, during which you tack together every part of your app yourself to induce it to behave the approach you wish.
Declarative configurations area unit a part of what makes Kubernetes thus powerful and ascendible for several use cases. you’ll be able to originated a configuration once and apply it as over and over as you wish.
But what if your configuration wants modification perpetually, or vary among completely different elements of your employment or environment? therein case, declarative configuration management will become a hindrance as a result of you’ll end up perpetually tweaking configuration files that area unit alleged to a lot of or less be a set-it-and-forget-it affair.
So, suppose your application’s configuration wants. Kubernetes may be a good selection on condition that your required configurations area unit comparatively universal and static.
5. Kubernetes and multicloud:
One of the most commercialism points of bound Kubernetes distributions, like sodbuster, is that one Kubernetes readying will orchestrate multiple clusters–even clusters that area unit unfold across completely different public or personal clouds. This makes Kubernetes a good tool for serving to to tame the quality of a multicloud design.
This isn’t to mention that you just would like Kubernetes to try and do multicloud effectively. Kubernetes on multicloud solely is smart if you’re deploying pack apps across multiple clouds (as opposition, say, victimization multiple clouds for storage, during which case managing the clouds with Kubernetes wouldn’t be terribly logical) and if the Kubernetes setup and configuration effort is definitely worth the payoff.
The takeaway here is that your current multicloud strategy and/or plans for multicloud enlargement ought to be a thought once pondering whether or not and once to use Kubernetes.
Conclusion:
Kubernetes may be a fantastic tool that provides tremendous price once utilized in the proper settings. However it falls wanting killer-app standing as a result of it doesn’t deliver price all told use cases. Before being consumed by the packaging and turning into convinced that you just can’t live while not Kubernetes perform a sobered assessment of your wants and confirm whether or not Kubernetes can really assist you run apps a lot of expeditiously and faithfully.
