Containerization of applications is one of the main trends in modern IT developments. But containers have a complex scaling setting that is a significant drawback for wide use. An excellent solution was automatic containerization management systems. Kubernetes became the most popular of them. This software has gained recognition for its flexibility, security, and a lot of features.
What is Kubernetes Platform, and What are its principles
Kubernetes is a platform for automating the management of clusters that consist of application containers. Thanks to the high-level API, Kubernetes allows users to balance, scale and run containers on many machines.
Principles of Technology
The basis of Kubernetes work is the application of a declarative approach. The developer has only to specify what needs to be achieved, not how to achieve it.
Kubernetes can use imperative commands (create, edit, delete). They allow developers to create, modify and delete resources. But they are not recommended for critical tasks.
To deploy the software, Kubernetes uses Linux control groups and a description of how many containers will be needed and how many resources they will need. Containers deployment is based on working nodes (virtual or physical machines).
Main facilities of Kubernetes
Node. It is a physical or virtual machine that hosts application containers. This machine contains all the necessary components for container virtualization.
Pods. These are one or more interconnected containers.
Volume. It is a directory with files available for containers in a pod.
Kubelet. An agent monitors the pods' condition and containers' operation on each node.
Kube-proxy. It is a proxy managing network rules on nodes and balances network traffic. This proxy is responsible for allowing connections inside the cluster and outside.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Kubernetes
The high popularity of this platform among developers has the following reasons.
Portability and flexibility.
Kubernetes is hardware-independent. Developers can transfer the working platform to another server, private or public cloud. The host operating system must have a suitable version of Linux and Windows.
Profitability.
For large companies, Kubernetes helps reduce IT infrastructure costs by bundling applications. It provides many options for scaling the application and makes the process more accessible. At the same time, it reduces the burden on personnel, allows employees to direct their forces to other tasks, and increases the efficiency of using infrastructure resources.
Multi-cloud support.
Kubernetes allows users to perform work tasks in both one cloud and on-premises. They can move a system from one cloud environment to another, increasing its security.
Efficient Task Allocation.
Kubernetes microservices effectively distribute tasks between workgroups. It makes the system more flexible and increases performance.
Reliability.
Kubernetes reduces the complexity of the cloud deployment and makes it more understandable and reliable.
Deploying in different clouds or on-premises has its own features and configuration parameters. Developers describe a deployment of applications in Kubernetes, and this description is independent of where it will deploy.
Kubernetes is the most advanced container orchestration tool for today. It allows users to automate the deployment process and simplifies the further process of working with container arrays as much as possible.
Setting up Kubernetes will interest large companies with Big Data type format developments or a team of programmers who need a large production environment. The Kubernetes cluster spends a lot of resources, so running it on small projects is unprofitable.