How software developers can exploit the potential of Kubernetes

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Illustration showing the potential of Kubernetes for software developers

Author: Michael Dudli

Category: Kubernetes

May 12, 2020

Developed by a Google team, Kubernetes is becoming increasingly popular among software and application developers due to its stability and scalability. Kubernetes was used, for example, in the development of the game Pokémon GO. In a survey by the German IT consulting firm Avenga, Kubernetes and Docker were rated extremely positively by IT decision-makers. For 54 percent of respondents, container technologies were a hope for the future.

In order to make the best possible use of the potential of open source software, it is recommended to work with an external partner who takes care of the installation of Kubernetes. What should be considered when choosing a service provider?

Learn more in this blog about the background and advantages of Kubernetes and how an external partner can support software and application developers in their transition to Kubernetes.

This is Kubernetes

Kubernetes also referred to as K8s, is an open source software introduced in 2014 for end-to-end automation of deployment and scaling processes, as well as centralized management of Linux container clusters. Kubernetes was originally created by a Google team and today tech giants like RedHat and Microsoft swear by Kubernetes.

The K8s software is based on the dynamic allocation of management resources between pods. The cluster that takes over the container management function at a given moment has cubelet functionality, wizard components and storage space. The encapsulation of containers takes place in the pods, with pre-defined IP addresses guaranteeing external access to the containers. Such a system is highly fault-tolerant, because in case of an incorrect status, Kubelet automatically restarts the pods on a node that is functioning at that time.

A solution powered by K8s can be deployed on an elastic cloud or physical server infrastructure. Software developers can quickly and easily rent server units from a cloud service provider. The customer is provided with virtual servers, which in turn are located on physical servers in external data centers. These servers can be rented without a fixed contract term and most cloud service providers charge for their effective use. At Xelon, the IT infrastructure provider from Zug, for example, customers only pay for resources actually used, thanks to the pay-as-you-go model.

The open source software is preferably used in combination with the Docker Container Manager, which, thanks to the increase in the overall performance (CPU, RAM power) of an existing device, allows simple and fast horizontal scaling of Linux containers and lib containers as well as virtual scaling.

Kubernetes and Cloud provider

 

The advantages of Kubernetes

It is hard to imagine software development without Kubernetes. The cycle of development, test and operation - and all possible intermediate steps - is massively simplified by the automatic container orchestration. Kubernetes makes it possible to simply move containers from one stage to another, thereby automating many steps.

Kubernetes provides the necessary level of abstraction that can eliminate problems of operating system and hardware selection for running applications and sites. At the same time, the open source software opens up numerous possibilities for transfers and extensions. Containers can be placed anywhere: on physical servers, in public, hybrid or private clouds - without API reference, supported languages and other operating system features. Due to the abstraction and hardware independence, websites or web applications can be transferred from the cloud to a physical server without much effort.

Kubernetes supports the end-to-end optimization of software deployment and management processes and provides scripts for higher fault tolerance, horizontal scaling and self-repairing systems. With the ability to place containers on multiple hosts simultaneously, changes can be made to the copies without interrupting all work processes. Because Kubernetes offers end-to-end software delivery (including remote metering and security hardware), solutions can be brought to market without delay.

Xelon has included Kubernetes in its portfolio because of its high scalability. Kubernetes reduces the need for additional hardware when scaling. Horizontal scaling is much more cost-effective than dealing with server load peaks in the vertical method. Kubernetes not only solves the scaling problem, but also minimizes the probability of downtime by activating containers on different computers.

Software developers looking for a universal solution for the centralized delivery of websites and apps in PaaS format with a high degree of flexibility in terms of specific components should therefore consider Kubernetes.

Why cooperation with an external partner is advisable

Kubernetes has become extremely popular, is often praised in the tech scene in high tones and probably was selected in part simply because of the current hype about the software. We encourage software developers to compare several solutions, as Kubernetes is by far not the only option on the market for automation, deployment and scaling of container applications. An external IT infrastructure specialist can help to assess whether Kubernetes makes sense in this case.

Anyone who decides to rely on Kubernets in the future should develop a concept that meets the requirements of the IT infrastructure before changing to a service provider. The Kubernetes developers have considered all eventualities with regard to providing containers in private, hybrid or public clouds. Thanks to the high degree of abstraction, Kubernetes does not require the user to become familiar with the inner workings of the software. Nevertheless, it is not a ready-made solution and software or application developers who switch to Kubernetes are dependent on a strong partner who develops tailor-made solutions in cooperation with the customer to fully exploit the potential of the software.

The right partner for the change to Kubernetes

Well-known names Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Azure Container Service offer attractive packages at first glance. Worldwide, AWS is currently the most frequently used. However, the Hyperscaler offers are mostly aimed at large companies and offer little flexibility for adaptations. Local service providers such as Xelon, on the other hand, can respond more to the needs of smaller customers. Xelon can support software developers with managed services, allowing the development team at the customer's site to focus on their core business: developing and testing software.

Data protection should also be taken into account when choosing a provider: The majority of Hyperscaler has its headquarters in the USA and customer data is subject to US data protection laws. Access to data, as practiced for example by the American Patriot Act with US companies without judicial control, is not permitted in Switzerland. Local providers comply with Swiss data protection laws and can therefore guarantee the highest data security standards. Xelon's infrastructure is located in ISO-certified data centers in Switzerland.

Conclusion

The open source software Kubernetes is used in software and application development for the end-to-end automation of provisioning and scaling processes as well as a centralized management of Linux container clusters and is preferably used in test environments.

In order to fully exploit the potential of Kubernetes, it is advisable to cooperate with a local service provider who will work with the customer to create a Kubernetes concept and take care of the installation. The headquarters of the partner company can be centralized in data protection issues and we advise to choose a service provider from Switzerland.

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Michael Dudli

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