Automatic updates to your computer are inconvenient, especially if you need to get something done quickly. But picture doing that on a company-wide scale: it would be a total disaster. It means people are unable to work when the system is down.
Developers must be able to upgrade and upkeep their company's systems without disrupting normal operations. And, as containers grow more widespread, development teams will want more effective ways to manage their systems. That’s where Kubernetes comes in.
Kubernetes has expanded considerably and is regarded as one of today's biggest orchestration tools. Behemoths like Google, Airbnb, Spotify, and Pinterest have used Kubernetes for years.
In this blog, MarsDevs introduces Kubernetes, starting with the very basics. So, let’s dig in!
Before we delve into the ins & outs of Kubernetes, let’s first know what container orchestration means.
Containers allow virtual machine-like separation of concerns but with significantly less overhead and far greater flexibility. As a result, containers have changed people's perspectives on designing, deploying, and maintaining software.
The various services that comprise an application are bundled into independent containers and deployed across a cluster of real or virtual servers in a containerized architecture. However, this necessitates container orchestration, a technology that automates container-based applications' deployment, management, scaling, networking, and availability.
Stacksale writes, “Container orchestration consists in the automation of most of the necessary operations to run containerized workloads and services.” And that’s where tools like Docker and Kubernetes come in.
Kubernetes, or k8s, is an open-source project that has become one of the most popular container orchestration solutions available; it enables the deployment and management of multi-container applications at scale.
While Kubernetes is most commonly associated with Docker, the most popular containerization technology, it can also be used with any container system that adheres to the Open Container Initiative (OCI) specifications for container image formats and runtimes.
And because Kubernetes is open source and has few limits on its usage, it can be used freely by anyone who wants to run containers almost anywhere—on-premises, in the public cloud, or both.
According to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation's 2022 annual survey, approximately half of all container-using enterprises use Kubernetes to deploy and manage at least some of those containers. Also, enterprises adopting Kubernetes security technologies climbed from 22% in 2021 to 34% in 2022, a 55% annual increase.
As Anita Schreiner says, “Kubernetes effectively has emerged as the operating system for the cloud.”
Kubernetes started as a Google project. It is a successor to, but not a direct descendant of, Google Borg, an older container management platform used internally by Google. Today, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, part of the Linux Foundation, controls Kubernetes.
Although Kubernetes has emerged as the most popular and well-supported option for managing containers at scale, other options exist because Docker exists. So, how do both differ? Docker is a containerization platform that creates containers, whereas Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform (which handles multi-container applications).
Your containerization journey begins with a platform like Docker, where things are quite straightforward. On a system, you construct and deploy application containers. However, keeping up with each layer's resource requirements may become challenging when your application evolves into a layered design. Enters Kubernetes!
Kubernetes manages containers built by platforms such as Docker. It ensures a system's health and failure management, automating the entire process. The Kubernetes framework is designed to manage, scale, and move containers from one environment to another.
Kubernetes is modeled to function across a cluster. On the other hand, Docker is made to run on a sole node. As Avi Meir says, “The basic difference between Docker & Kubernetes is that of an apple to apple pie, the second one being a more elaborative framework.”
Do you know the symbolism behind the logo of the Docker and Kubernetes designs - container imagery in Docker's logo & the ship's wheel in Kubernetes' logo?
Docker's logo can create software containers, the sole executable packages with everything needed to run an app. On the other hand, Kubernetes' logo features a ship's wheel called a helm. The wheel has 8 spokes, a nod to the "8" in K8s, an acronym for Kubernetes. It depicts Kubernetes' role in steering & managing these containers, much like a ship's captain would navigate a vessel.
Kubernetes can be utilized in a variety of settings. It also works with a wide range of third-party and open-source software. Kubernetes' features can help you take full advantage of the new IT landscape. Let’s go over a few.
IT teams can bring updates directly to Clusters using Kubernetes, often improving deployment schedules and reducing code conflicts in production situations.
It releases the latest versions of an app with no downtime or user disruption. If a problem arises, Kubernetes can instantly revert to an earlier version, ensuring an uninterrupted user experience. It also means easy rollout changes & quick rollback if errors arise.
Container deployments enable developers to delegate manual application management. Kubernetes will analyze container performance and scale resources to meet demand.
When implementing microservices using Kubernetes, it’s vital to remember about storage substitutes for your application data. Kubernetes includes various storage options like persistent volumes & volume claims that can offer dependable & scalable storage for your application data.
Because Kubernetes prefers decoupled architectures, you can scale your software and the teams working on it as your system grows. As it was developed to serve vast systems, it can handle rapid development.
Kubernetes continuously monitors clusters and containers to ensure they are fully operating. If a malfunction or failure occurs, the system will restart or spin down non-responsive containers to restore stability.
These are much needed for managing sensitive information in a Kubernetes cluster. These are Kubernetes objects for storing & monitoring confidential data like passcodes, API keys & TLS certificates. They are kept in a cluster more securely & can be accessed by approved apps/containers.
Kubernetes automatic bin packing works by sensibly arranging containers onto cluster nodes while considering resource demands, usage & availability. It guarantees that resources are used efficiently & that specific nodes aren’t overloaded.
Organizations can develop applications in one place and deploy them on any infrastructure by using Kubernetes. The apps created are not reliant on a certain environment.
But how does Kubernetes tie into the whole IT ecosystem? More specifically, how does Kubernetes work? Kubernetes' architecture leverages several concepts and abstractions. Some are variations on existing, well-known concepts, while others are unique to Kubernetes.
The cluster is the highest-level Kubernetes abstraction, referring to the group of servers executing Kubernetes (a clustered application) and the containers controlled by it.
A Kubernetes cluster must have a master, the system that commands and controls all of the cluster's Kubernetes machines. The master's facilities are replicated across numerous servers in a highly available Kubernetes cluster. However, only one master can execute the job scheduler and controller manager at the same time.
Each cluster comprises Kubernetes nodes. They can be both physical machines or virtual machines. Again, the concept is abstraction: whatever the app is running on, Kubernetes manages deployment on that substrate. Kubernetes even lets you define whether specific containers should run on virtual machines or bare metal.
Nodes run pods, the most basic Kubernetes objects that may be produced/controlled. In Kubernetes, each pod represents a single instance of an application or operating process and comprises one or more containers.
Kubernetes launches, stops, and duplicates all containers in a pod as a group. Pods focus the user's attention on the application rather than the containers. Etcd, a distributed key-value store, stores information about how Kubernetes should be set up from the state of pods.
Pods are created and destroyed on nodes when necessary to adhere to the desired state provided in the pod description by the user. For logistical working of the way pods are rotated up/down & rolled out, Kubernetes provides an abstraction called a controller.
Controllers are available in various types based on the type of application being managed. The StatefulSet controller, for example, is used to deal with applications that require a persistent state.
If there is an issue, the Deployment controller is employed to scale an app up or down, update an app to a new version, or roll back an app to a known-good version.
Then comes Kubernetes services. In Kubernetes, a service explains how a certain collection of pods (or other Kubernetes objects) can be accessible over the network.
According to the Kubernetes documentation, the pods that comprise an application's back end may change, but the front end should not have to know or track this. It is made possible by services. On the other hand, Kubernetes policies ensure that pods adhere to specific rules of conduct. Policies, for example, prohibit pods from utilizing excessive CPU, RAM, process IDs, or disk space.
Such "limit ranges" are expressed in terms of the CPU (e.g., 50% of a hardware thread) and memory (e.g., 200MB). These constraints can be used with resource quotas to ensure that various teams of Kubernetes users have equitable access to resources.
Kubernetes offers various components that help with this with varied degrees of simplicity and robustness, such as NodePort and LoadBalancer, but Ingress is the most flexible. Ingress is an API that manages external HTTP access to a cluster's services.
Dashboard, a web-based UI for deploying and troubleshooting apps and managing cluster resources, is another Kubernetes component that helps you stay on top of everything else.
Now that we have covered the basics of Kubernetes, we come to the last part - What can you do with Kubernetes? As Red Hat explains, “Kubernetes orchestration enables you to create app services that span various containers, schedule them across a cluster, scale & manage containers health over time. With Kubernetes, you can move towards better IT security.”
The key advantage of implementing Kubernetes in your environment, particularly if you optimize app development for the cloud, is that it provides a framework for scheduling and running containers on clusters of physical or virtual machines (VMs).
In a nutshell, it allows you to deploy and rely completely on container-based infrastructure in production. Also, because Kubernetes primarily automates operational tasks, you can do similar things with your containers that other application platforms or management tools allow.
Developers can implement Kubernetes models to build cloud-native applications with Kubernetes as a runtime platform. Yet, Kubernetes depends on other projects to deliver these orchestrated services properly. You can leverage Kubernetes' full potential by adding open-source projects like Docker Registry, OpenvSwitch, Kibana, LDAP, etc.
Kubernetes is only sometimes the best choice for smaller applications. Still, it's a strong, versatile option for massive enterprises, budding startups, or businesses that transform a legacy app.
It’s always challenging to adopt new processes and technologies. However, the more adaptable and user-friendly you can make this notoriously complex technology, the happier and more collaborative your team will be.
The ideal way to get started is to offer dev teams access to the tool as soon as possible & they can test their code and avoid costly mistakes later on. This way, you can scale quickly with an automation plan! Need help starting with Kubernetes? We can help. Book a slot with Marsdevs to get started!
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In practically every industry worldwide, nearly 80% of enterprises use Kubernetes in production environments for simpler application deployment and management of distributed services.
Kubernetes is free, open-source software that is regularly updated and shared by thousands of developers worldwide. Anyone can use it without acquiring a license.
Kubernetes services balance load and ease container management across several hosts. They make it possible for enterprise software to be more scalable, flexible, portable, and productive.
The 8 originates from substituting Kubernetes' "ubernete" with. Therefore, a common spelling for Kubernetes is used to shorten it for simpler writing or mentioning while discussing containers.
You can use Kubernetes anywhere from deployment to Service discovery. It can automate any container-based task like rollouts, storage provisioning, Load balancing, autoscaling & self-healing.
