Kubernetes is fantastic. But complex software that can present “day two” challenges when it goes into production.
Developers who are new to Kubernetes – and most are – face a huge knowledge gap when looking to maintain and improve Kubernetes clusters.
In this section, I will share several ways to solve problems.
Grow your Kubernetes cluster for a price
As the adoption of Kubernetes increases, so does the need for applications and engineers to access clusters. However, it is neither efficient nor cost-effective to always use whole organ collections to achieve this goal.
Virtual collections are a great way to cut costs. In the case of 100 developers, we calculated savings of up to 78% using open source virtual clusters.
Using virtual clustering with open source software such as VirtualCluster or vcluster allows Kubernetes operators to run multiple virtual clusters in a single physical cluster, thereby increasing the tenancy of each. By leveraging computing resources in this more shared manner, organizations can save on computing costs as opposed to running entirely separate Kubernetes clusters.
Add tenant isolation
Using policy engines, software security measures can be implemented across your cloud-native Kubernetes infrastructure.
Another great advantage of virtual clusters is that they are isolated from other users in the cluster. This gives each user their own workspace that looks and feels just like a physical Kubernetes cluster.
Additionally, virtual clusters enable a stronger level of diversity compared to namespace-based diversity. One of the main concerns with namespace-based multitenancy is that it cannot handle cluster-wide resources. Many applications must create or at least access cluster-wide resources such as nodes, cluster roles, fixed volumes, and storage units.
Virtual clusters also provide security benefits by increasing the isolation of multi-tenant clusters through:
- Full control – aircraft isolation.
- Domain Name System (DNS) isolation.
- Resources created in a namespace.
Organizations looking for a solution for multi-tenant applications should consider virtual clusters as an option that provide greater isolation for shared resources between their clusters. Because they save costs and are easy to deploy, they are easier to manage than physical clusters.
