What is Kubernetes and Kubernetes Architecture

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Ankita Lunawat
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2 min read

Kubernetes is an open-source system that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It is a container orchestration platform that manages these applications across multiple hosts and offers features such as automated deployment, scaling, and self-healing.

Key Concepts

  • Cluster: A group of machines (nodes) that work together to run containerized applications.

  • Nodes:

    • Worker Nodes: Where your applications actually run. They host Pods.

    • Control Plane Nodes: Manage the cluster (usually a separate set of machines).

  • Pods: The smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes. A Pod can contain one or more containers.

  • Containers: The basic unit of software that packages code and its dependencies.

  • Namespaces: Isolate groups of resources within a cluster.

Kubernetes Architecture

The Kubernetes architecture revolves around a master-node structure:

  • Master Nodes:

    • kube-apiserver: The main communication point for interacting with the cluster.

    • etcd: A key-value store that stores the cluster's configuration and state.

    • kube-controller-manager: Responsible for maintaining the desired state of the cluster (e.g., ensuring the correct number of Pods are running).

    • kube-scheduler: Decides which node to place a new Pod on.

  • Worker Nodes:

    • kubelet: An agent that runs on each node and communicates with the master. It ensures that Pods are running on the node.

    • kube-proxy: A network proxy that runs on each node and enables communication between Pods and Services.

Key Benefits of Kubernetes

  • Scalability: Easily scale applications up or down by adding or removing nodes.

  • High Availability: Distribute applications across multiple nodes to prevent single points of failure.

  • Portability: Run applications consistently across different environments.

  • Resource Management: Efficiently utilize resources across the cluster.

  • Automation: Automate many aspects of application deployment and management.

Kubernetes provides a robust and scalable platform for deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications. Its key architectural components and features enable organizations to effectively manage complex and dynamic applications in a cloud-native environment.

Kubernetes