This blog explains the different ways to set up and run Kubernetes. The best installation method depends on factors like how easy it is to maintain, your security needs, how much control you need, the resources you have, and your expertise in managing Kubernetes.
You can deploy Kubernetes on a local machine, in an on-premises data center, or in the cloud. Another option is to use a managed Kubernetes service from cloud providers. A Kubernetes cluster has two main parts: a control plane (master node) that manages the cluster and worker nodes that run your applications.
In this blog, I’ve Covered:
Before starting the installation, it’s important to learn about Kubernetes Architecture. Understanding components like the API server, etcd, scheduler, controller manager, kubelet, and container runtime will help you set up and manage your cluster effectively.
Everything from Scratch (Kubernetes The Hard Way) ^
Kubernetes The Hard Way is a learning-focused guide that walks you through the manual steps to understand how each component of a Kubernetes cluster works. It’s perfect for those who plan to manage production Kubernetes clusters and want a deeper understanding of how everything fits together. However, it’s not ideal for users looking for an automated setup.
In this guide, you will configure a stacked etcd setup and generate separate certificates and keys for an external etcd cluster. You will place the etcd cluster behind a load balancer, which provides several benefits:
- Handles Ephemeral IPs: The load balancer manages IP changes for etcd nodes.
- Adds Flexibility: You can easily add or remove nodes as needed.
- Ensures Health Checks: NGINX performs automatic health checks and prevents traffic from reaching unhealthy etcd nodes.
- Simplifies Configuration: You don’t need to update the control plane when making changes to the etcd cluster.
To secure the cluster, you will allow only the required traffic and block unauthorized access. You will also encrypt secrets at rest on etcd, following best practices for protecting sensitive data.
Note: Check our blog to learn Kubernetes the Hard Way
Unmanaged Kubernetes Installation (Installer Based) ^
In unmanaged Kuberenets installation, everything has to be managed by ourselves, which means that both the master node and worker node are managed by us. It is not managed by a cloud vendor hence, known as unmanaged or installer-based.
- kubeadm
- Kops
- Kubespray
Create a Kubernetes Cluster using Kubeadm
It is a tool built to provide kubeadm init and kubeadm join as best-practice “fast paths” for creating Kubernetes clusters. It performs the actions necessary to get a minimum viable cluster up and running. By design, it cares only about bootstrapping, not about provisioning machines. We can use kubeadm for creating a production-grade Kubernetes environment. Check out our Three Node Kubernetes Cluster blog for the same.
This is the first step to learn Kubernetes. We will cover all this in detail in our CKA Training Program.
Create a Kubernetes Cluster using Kops
Kubernetes Operations, or Kops, is an open-source project used to set up Kubernetes clusters easily and swiftly. It’s considered the “kubectl” way of creating clusters. Kops allows deployment of highly available Kubernetes clusters on AWS.
Check out: Docker & Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA). A Kubernetes certification makes your resume look good and stand out from the competition. As companies rely more and more on Kubernetes, your expertise will be an immediate asset.
Create a Kubernetes Cluster Using Kubespray
Kubernetes clusters can be created using various automation tools. Kubespray is a combination of Kubernetes and Ansible. That means we can install Kubernetes using Ansible. We can also deploy clusters using kubespray
cloud compute services like EC2 (AWS). Kubespray provides deployment flexibility. It allows you to deploy a cluster quickly and customize all aspects of the implementation.
Kubernetes for Development ^
This is used for the single node or a quick setup for Kubernetes. For the development purpose, we put everything on a single node. This is limited to one node.
- Kubernetes using Minikube
- Kubernetes using Docker for Desktop
Also read: Container (Docker) vs Virtual Machines (VM) to understand what is their difference.
Kubernetes using Minikube (Single Host)
It is the name of a go program and is a lightweight Kubernetes implementation that builds a Kubernetes cluster in a single host with a set of small resources to run a small Kubernetes deployment. It is meant for testing scenarios of Kubernetes (creating pods, services, managing storage, network ingress rules, etc) but in the local environment for the developer or administrator to test. It’s not meant for production use, since it runs a virtual box, installs Docker, and then deploys the essential Kubernetes containers. It is used to learn Kubernetes. Production systems should use Kubernetes clusters with 3 master nodes to achieve high availability.
Minikube is local Kubernetes, focusing on making it easy to learn and develop for Kubernetes. All you need is Docker (or similarly compatible) container or a Virtual Machine environment, and Kubernetes is a single command away: minikube start.
Note: Know more about Minikube
Kubernetes Using Docker for Desktop
Kubernetes with Docker Desktop is for a single node. It is available for Windows, Mac. We use this locally on our systems. We do it as a developer sandbox. This is convenient and easy to install and is primarily used for testing purposes. But docker desktop can’t be used for the production.
Check out this blog to install Docker Desktop on Windows
Kubernetes in Production ^
When developers start experimenting with Kubernetes, they typically deploy it on a set of servers. However, for a production-ready Kubernetes environment—one that can handle traffic reliably—you need more than a single-node cluster. At a minimum, a production setup requires one master node and two worker nodes.
Kubernetes is widely used in production for various purposes, including:
- Managed Kubernetes Services: These simplify operations and ensure Service Level Agreements (SLA) for high availability and reliability.
- Cluster Monitoring and Logging: Kubernetes integrates with tools to monitor performance and track logs for troubleshooting.
- Registry and Package Management: Tools like Helm and Terraform help manage application configurations and deployment packages.
- CI/CD Toolchains: Kubernetes is integral to DevOps workflows, automating continuous integration and delivery pipelines.
- Cluster Provisioning and Load Balancing: It ensures optimal resource allocation and traffic distribution across nodes.
- Security: Kubernetes secures applications through features like RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) and network policies.
- Governance: It provides control and compliance for managing resources and policies in large-scale deployments.
Kubernetes offers a robust, scalable, and secure platform that supports modern application development and delivery in production environments.
Managed Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, GKE, OKE) ^
In Managed Kubernetes, the cloud vendor or managed Kubernetes platform handles the nodes and infrastructure setup, simplifying cluster management. This approach offloads some or all of the operational tasks, such as provisioning, scaling, and maintaining Kubernetes clusters, to a third-party provider. These services provide pre-configured Kubernetes environments, allowing users to focus on deploying and managing applications rather than infrastructure.
Popular managed Kubernetes providers include:
- Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) by AWS
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) by Microsoft
- Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) by Google Cloud
- Oracle Kubernetes Engine (OKE) by Oracle
Managed Kubernetes services ensure high availability, scalability, and operational efficiency while reducing the complexities of managing Kubernetes manually.
Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
EKS runs Kubernetes on multiple AWS availability zones for high-availability, and AWS manages complete infrastructure. EKS is the best place to run Kubernetes for several reasons. First, you can choose to run your EKS clusters using AWS Fargate, which is a serverless compute for containers. EKS automatically applies the latest security patches to your cluster control plane.
Some of the great EKS features are:
- Manage through web UI or CLI.
- Optimized AMI with NVIDIA drivers for advanced computational power.
- Run a cluster behind AWS load balancer.
Note: know more about Elastic Kubernetes Service
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
Azure offers multiple ways to provision a cluster – web console, command line, Azure resource manager, Terraform. You can take advantage of Azure traffic manager to route the application requests to the nearest data centers for a fast response. Deploy and manage containerized applications more easily with a fully-managed Kubernetes service. Unite your development and operations teams on a single platform to rapidly build, deliver, and scale applications with confidence.
Note: know more about Azure Kubernetes Service
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
Since K8s was created by Google engineers for in-house container orchestration, it makes sense that GKE is one of the most advanced managed platforms available. Designed for use on Google Cloud, it includes functionality for operation in hybrid environments as well. It allows you to transfer microservices with minimal configuration changes, create private image repositories via an integrated image builder, and manage authentication and access rights through an integrated console.
Note: know more about Google Kubernetes Engine
Oracle Kubernetes Engine (OKE)
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Container Engine for Kubernetes is a fully-managed, scalable, and highly available service that you can use to deploy your containerized applications to the cloud. Use Container Engine for Kubernetes (OKE) when your development team wants to reliably build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications.
Note: know more about Oracle Kubernetes Engine
We cover Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Oracle Kubernetes Engine (OKE) in our Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer training program.
Minikube vs kubeadm vs Managed Kubernetes Services
Feature | Minikube | kubeadm | Managed Kubernetes Services (EKS, AKS, GKE, OKE) |
---|---|---|---|
Purpose | Local development and testing | Tool for bootstrapping Kubernetes clusters | Fully managed Kubernetes for production workloads |
Setup Complexity | Easy to set up with minimal configuration | Moderate complexity; requires manual cluster setup | Very easy; managed by the cloud provider |
Use Case | Learning and experimenting with Kubernetes locally | Deploying production-grade Kubernetes clusters | Enterprise-grade Kubernetes with minimal operational overhead |
Cluster Size | Single-node clusters | Multi-node clusters | Multi-node clusters with auto-scaling and high availability |
Supported Platforms | Local machines (Linux, macOS, Windows) | Bare-metal servers or virtual machines | Cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud) |
Maintenance | Minimal; suitable for temporary clusters | Requires manual upgrades and maintenance | Fully managed by the cloud provider (automatic upgrades and patches) |
Scalability | Limited to local machine resources | Scalable but requires manual configuration | Highly scalable with auto-scaling features |
Cost | Free (local resources only) | Infrastructure cost only | Pay-as-you-go pricing based on cloud usage |
Security | Minimal; not suitable for production | Requires manual security configuration | Enterprise-grade security managed by the provider |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different ways to install Kubernetes?
Kubernetes can be installed in several ways, including (The Hard Way) for manual, in-depth learning, Kubeadm for automated setups, Minikube for local testing, and Managed Kubernetes services like EKS, AKS, GKE, and OKE for production-grade deployments.
Who should use Kubernetes, The Hard Way?
Kubernetes, The Hard Way is for advanced users who want a deep understanding of Kubernetes components and their configurations. It’s an educational method and not practical for production environments due to its complexity.
What is Kubeadm, and why is it popular?
Kubeadm is a command-line tool that simplifies Kubernetes cluster setup by automating complex steps. It’s popular because it’s easy to use, supports custom configurations, and is suitable for both learning and production, with some additional setup for high availability.
What are Managed Kubernetes services, and why are they useful?
Managed Kubernetes services like EKS (AWS), AKS (Azure), and GKE (Google Cloud) take care of cluster management tasks such as scaling, upgrades, and maintenance. They are great for production environments where minimal operational effort is required.
What are the system requirements for Kubernetes installation?
Minikube needs at least 2 CPUs and 2GB RAM for a single-node setup. Kubeadm requires 2GB RAM and 2 CPUs per node for multi-node clusters. Managed Kubernetes has flexible requirements depending on the cloud provider and workload.
Related/References
- Visit our YouTube channel on “Docker & Kubernetes”
- Kubernetes Architecture: An Introduction to Kubernetes Components
- How To Setup A Three Node Kubernetes Cluster For CKA: Step By Step
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Certification Exam
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA): Step-by-Step Activity Guide (Hands-on Lab)
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