Kubernetes: Simplification & Efficiency Redefined

Portability is the new buzzword in the computing world these days. Not all people use the same CPU architecture – some use Intel, some use AMD. Not everyone uses the same operating system; we have Windows, Linux, Mac Os. Naturally, there comes a need where applications can run in a platform-independent manner. To achieve this, developers deploy containers and use Kubernetes to manage these containers. So, you see, the computing world never remains stagnant, new ideas keep cropping up and old ideas keep evolving!

In our previous article, we have explained what Kubernetes is and how it works. But just for brushing up, here is a quick overview of Kubernetes. Kubernetes is a container orchestration software. Now, what exactly is a container? Put simply, a container packs an application and its dependencies so that the application can run smoothly without depending on the specifications of the operating system, eliminating the need of Virtual machines and thus saving resources. These days, applications are divided into small units or microservices to manage and update them in optimal way. These micro-services are put into containers and then deployed. A reasonably successful company, that uses containers, have to manage hundreds of them. But containers are difficult to manage manually – there are many tasks related to container management, like scaling up, scaling down, restarting, stopping, deleting, replicating etc. Kubernetes automates this management of containers.

Do you need Kubernetes?

The answer is a resounding ‘yes.’ With Kubernetes, you can simplify the management of containers without too much head-scratching. From deployment to scaling, Kubernetes simplifies every aspect of container orchestration. Here are the reasons that make Kubernetes the best candidate for container orchestration –

• Made By Google But Not Closed Source – Kubernetes is the modern form of Borg – the data center management tool that Google created. So behind Kuberenetes is the technical expertise of Google engineers that makes it extremely stable and efficient. Interestingly, Google did not keep the software closed source and released the code to be used freely (free as in freedom) by any entity. Since Kubernetes now follows the ‘Bazaar’ method instead of the ‘cathedral’ method, it is getting a massive amount of community support. The contributions from the community members are further improving Kubernetes every passing day. Further, there is no danger of vendor lock-in, if you happen to find the services of a vendor sub-par.
• Cloud-Agnostic – Since Kubernetes is open source, it can be used across all cloud platforms. As a result, applications can be ported from one cloud to another or can be stored on a multi-cloud basis. There are two essential benefits of using cross-cloud deployment – stability and security. If a pod and its replica are stored in two different cloud platforms, then in case one cloud fails to be accessible, the other one can serve without a hitch. Again if your data in one cloud platform is hacked, you can isolate the pods in that cloud and use pods in another cloud to keep your application online and salvage the data in the first pod.
• Prevents Downtime – While doing critical tasks like upgrading the kernel of the system(s) where the container pods are deployed, the pods might stop working or worse, get deleted. With Kubernetes Replication Controller, you can eliminate this possibility and ensure that the application remains online. The task of Replication Controller is to deploy a replica of a pod in case it fails.
• Rolling Updates – With Kubernetes Replication Controller, an application can be updated one part at a time and not as a whole. As a result, you don’t have to schedule any downtime. The updated container pods replace the previous version of the pods one by one while the application is online.
• Auto-Scaling – Kubernetes ensures the high availability of an application by creating replicas of the pods which can be deployed in case the working ones fail to operate. However, too many replicas can eat a lot of CPU resource. To prevent that, Kubernetes uses Horizontal Pod Autoscaler with the help of which it reduces the number of replicated pods if the CPU consumption crosses the specified limit. Similarly if there is a need to scale an application, Kubernetes just need to add some more pods with the correct configuration, provided there is enough CPU resources.
• Self Correction – Kubernetes continuously tries to maintain the configured sate of an application using methods like auto-restarting the container pods, rescheduling or even replacing a malfunctioning pod with its replica.
• Service Discovery – To connect the microservices with one another, Kubernetes uses service discovery. Among the two ways to discover a microservice, DNS based service discovery is the most preferred.
• Load Balancing – With Ingress, load balancing becomes a breeze. Distributing the incoming internet traffic with Ingress helps keep the application up and running.
• Preventing Internal Sabotage – With Logical Resources Isolation, Kubernetes can limit inter-container connection thereby potentially preventing the spread of malicious code.

Today big and successful companies use Kubernetes to scale their business. Some of the notable companies that use Kubernetes are – Google, Shopify, Tinder, Reddit, Pinterest, etc. . The end result of kubernetes and containers is – increase in productivity. Today, more and more people are coming online and more and more work is being done on computers. This massive dependence on computerised services needs proper management of the resources and data by the service providers. Containers are used by companies to provide services to end users in an optimal fashion, and the management of these containers is simplified by Kubernetes. Since Kubernetes has the capability to do all the heavy-lifting, it might seem complex to use at the beginning. This is where LovesCloud comes into the picture. With our training and consulting, Kubernetes cease to appear complex to the employees and leaders of any company.

Kubernetes: The master orchestrator

The word – Kubernetes has its origin in Greek. It translates to ‘helmsman’. The system truly justifies its name. As far as container orchestration is concerned, Kubernetes does most of the heavy-lifting relieving the developer of numerous troubles and time-consuming planning. Further, Kubernetes is a perfect example where we see that making an application open-source not only helps the end users but also helps the application to be developed and improved by an enthusiastic community of programmers. So, it is a win-win for all parties concerned.

At LovesCloud, we have gained expertise in deploying and maintaining Kubernetes across different cloud providers. We have successfully managed services like AWS EKS, Azure AKS, GCP GKE, and delivered turnkey solutions like KOPS and custom HA Kubernetes deployments. To successfully deploy, monitor and scale Kubernetes on the platform of your choice, reach out to us at …..@loves.cloud.