Kubernetes in the cloud: from concept to implementation

OneCloudPlanet — the first cloud service in Ukraine to implement the Managed Kubernetes feature, simplifying the administration of Kubernetes clusters and their infrastructure.

Effective management of cloud resources becomes critically important in a modern era where a vast amount of data and applications are stored in the cloud. In this context, Kubernetes or K8s*, an open-source system for automatic deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, becomes an indispensable tool.

What problems does the service solve?

Managed Kubernetes can be used to run high-load IT systems. It allows for efficient traffic distribution and automatic scaling, ensuring that your website or application remains accessible even during peak loads.

Creating Kubernetes in a cloud environment

When creating K8s in a cloud environment, important steps include choosing a reliable cloud platform, creating a cluster, and setting up network access. It's worth noting that OneCloudPlanet's professional approach to IT solutions doesn't end with data placement in high-tech data centers; we provide quality service at every stage of customer cooperation, daily affirming our status as a reliable business partner in the European market.

After selecting the platform, it's necessary to create a cluster that includes one or more instances (virtual machines) working together to execute programs and services. You will then be able to manage your clusters using familiar tools. Network access setup ensures the availability of services from outside and interaction between them within the cluster.

Deployment

The next step is deploying the application in the cluster. Entities are described using a YAML file. This includes pods, which are the smallest and simplest units in this model, and services that define the interaction between applications. Thus, the number of replicas ensures uninterrupted application operation.

These files are uploaded to the cluster using the `kubectl apply` command. Kubernetes automatically creates and updates resources according to these specifications.

Using Kubernetes in cloud architecture

Once the application is deployed, the software ensures its scalability and resilience. Services can automatically scale both vertically and horizontally (Horizontal Pod Autoscaler, HPA), depending on load, using a load-based scaling mechanism. Moreover, this ensures the resilience of applications, automatically restarting containers in case of failure. This helps to ensure continuous service provision, a crucial factor for business operation stability.

To facilitate monitoring and management of applications, K8s offers tools for tracking resources, performance, logs, and debugging. One such tool is the Kubernetes Dashboard — a web interface that allows you to manage the cluster and its applications.

Let's consider some key advantages of Managed Kubernetes by OneCloudPlanet.

Rapid deployment and scaling process

Gone are the days of spending hours on manual cluster configuration. Managed Kubernetes allows you to create a cluster with the required configuration in just a few clicks. And as your application grows, our service automatically adds new nodes to ensure reliability and performance.

Automatic scaling

Managed Kubernetes from OneCloudPlanet enables you to create applications that scale automatically with load. This means that even during peak demand periods, your application remains accessible, and during standard operation, the Kubernetes cluster automatically downsizes to save resources.

Microservices

The microservices architecture is designed to break applications into small, independent services. Containers are ideally suited for running small applications, and Managed Kubernetes helps you deploy them easily.

Deploy applications in a few clicks and manage your clusters using a personal dashboard interface, API, or kubectl.

Key features

• Automatic scaling and resilience: when load increases, K8s automatically adds resources, ensuring continuous operation;
• Efficient traffic distribution: dedicated load balancers ensure effective traffic distribution, enhancing system performance;
• Maximum disk performance with cloud-based SSD storage systems;
• CI/CD process automation: an important aspect is the automation of Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) processes, facilitating rapid and reliable software development;
• Standardization of development and facilitation of collaboration: Managed Kubernetes promotes development standardization even in distributed teams, easing collaboration with outsourcing partners;
• Free Kubernetes maintenance: pay only for cloud resources used during your cluster's operation;
• Cluster-centric system: the user's core is located right on the cluster, allowing direct management from it;
• Rapid deployment;
• Choice of pre-configured configurations (OneCloudPlanet templates);
• Creation of numerous testing environments: the service allows creating multiple test environments, aiding efficient development and testing of applications. Deploy development and testing stages on our resources thanks to a profitable Dev/Test environment;
• Simple configuration: Setting up features in OneCloudPlanet is a quick and easy process thanks to an intuitive interface. Detailed tutorials with explanations are available if questions arise.

With K8s containers, you can quickly create test environments and manage them easily. This allows automating and simplifying the development and testing processes.

Overall advantages of the service

1. Automation: Kubernetes automates the processes of deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications, reducing manual labor and the likelihood of errors;
2. Scalability: allows horizontal and vertical scaling of applications depending on load, ensuring responsiveness and reliability;
3. High availability: ensures resilience, guaranteeing that the application remains accessible, even if one or more nodes fail;
4. Declarative management: you describe the desired state of the application, and Kubernetes takes care of achieving and maintaining that state;
5. Versatility: not tied to specific cloud or physical infrastructures, allowing development of applications for different environments and their seamless transfer;
6. Efficient resource use: manages resources to maximize their usage and save costs;
7. Extensive ecosystem: numerous tools and extensions facilitate the development, deployment, and management of applications in Kubernetes;
8. Self-healing: automatically restores the operation of applications in case of failures or malfunctions;
9. Security: provides means for managing the security of applications and containers, including access control and data encryption;
10. Community support: has a large and active developer community, offering access to experts and problem-solving;
11. CI/CD process automation: enables the automation of compilation, testing, and deployment of applications, reducing the time to deliver new versions and ensuring the reliability of the development process.

These advantages make Kubernetes a powerful tool for deploying and managing modern, scalable applications.

Hence

Thanks to the new cloud solution — Managed Kubernetes from OneCloudPlanet, deploying clusters and containers becomes a fast and painless process. You get the ability to create a cluster with the necessary configuration in just a few clicks, and when the load increases, Managed Kubernetes automatically scales resources to ensure reliability and performance.

This tool simplifies and accelerates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications in a cloud environment. Its capabilities for automation, free use, and monitoring make it a valuable resource for developers and administrators looking to optimize their cloud infrastructure.

* K8s is a numeronym commonly used, referring to the eight letters between "k" and "s" in the Greek word "κυβερνήτης", meaning "helmsman" or "pilot", reflecting a navigation system for working with containers in Kubernetes cloud infrastructure. (This is similar to other abbreviations in the tech industry, such as i18n for "internationalization" and a11y for "accessibility").

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