How multi-cluster applications can help enterprise Kubernetes benefit

There are two options for operators to expand the size of Kubernetes clusters: Scale Up and Scale Out. If you want to keep the workload and costs low, then multiple clustered applications will be an important feature. This article introduces these two options and explains why multi-clustered applications are so important.

Kubernetes has many features that users love. It provides the best way to deploy and run applications on large resource pools.

With its easy-to-use UI and out-of-the-box RBAC, monitoring, audit, logging and other functions, Rancher can easily manage enterprise Kubernetes.

Using Rancher,IT operators can connect to their cloud providers (AWS, GCP, Azure, etc.) or data centers and create clusters with just a few clicks.

With the growing demand for Kubernetes in enterprises, IT operators have two options:

Scale Up: teams work together on related projects and do not need to increase the size of existing clusters by adding more nodes.

Scale Out: teams need to be highly isolated due to security issues, resource recycling, or other reasons, and you can scale out Kubernetes the environment by adding more clusters. Both options are supported by Rancher.

How to ensure that the workload and cost of enterprise-level Kubernetes management are controlled at a relatively low level regardless of whether you choose scale up or scale out?

Supporting multi-cluster applications is one of the steps to achieve this goal. Although the name seems to indicate that this feature is only applicable to multiple clusters, it also applies to multiple projects in the same cluster.

Scale up scene

As the demand for high reliability, high availability, or larger clusters grows, cluster administrators may add more nodes to existing clusters. To achieve some degree of isolation, administrators can provide each team with their own projects. Projects in Rancher are higher-level abstractions than namespaces and can be restricted using RBAC.

Teams using the same cluster can still work on their own projects without having to look at other projects. Because of the needs of the company or different teams may use the same application, you must push a copy of the application to multiple projects. For example, a project team made up of internal developers may have to collaborate with an outsourced team. Because they have to work on the same application and need to have their own independent instance, there should be a copy of the application in both projects.

Scale out scene

With the increasing use of Kubernetes in the enterprise, we often find that customers build multiple clusters to achieve the highest level of isolation between different teams. In this case, the enterprise requirements (such as the need to deploy security tools in each cluster) require the cluster administrator to push a copy of the same application to each cluster.

In edge computing scenarios where customers may have hundreds (or even thousands) of clusters, the complexity of this problem is exponential.

Why multi-cluster applications are so important

In both cases, deploying a copy of the application to multiple targets is a minor problem. Without complex scripts and highly skilled support teams, it is almost impossible to upgrade and maintain the synchronization of these applications.

This is why support for multi-cluster applications has become so important. Imagine Helm charts for an application within multiple projects on the same (or more) cluster. We need to provide the configured values, override the project / cluster specific settings, and then click a button to deploy the application.

This feature is described in detail in the recent article on how to deploy and manage multi-Kubernetes clusters.

The ability to choose upgrade strategies (scrolling or synchronizing updates) for these applications further simplifies the way applications stay up-to-date.

It can be said that multi-cluster applications have powerful capabilities, whether they support enterprise-level Kubernetes users with multiple clusters, or those users with multiple projects and a single cluster in the workplace.

Total knot

It is better to hear than to see. Try to use it. You may find that adopting Kubernetes as your business strategy is not as complicated as some people say!

If you want to test these features in a lab or development environment, install the latest version of alpha:

Https://rancher.com/docs/rancher/v2.x/en/installation/server-tags/#helm-chart-repositories

If you have anything to feedback, please go to issue in Github, or join our forum directly or add assistant Wechat (rancher2) to the technology group to communicate with your peers.

Github:

Https://github.com/rancher/rancher/issues

Forum links:

Https://forums.cnrancher.com/