Clients utilizing Expedient Enterprise Cloud (EEC) to run virtual machines (VMs) can now leverage the same pool of compute resources to run Kubernetes environments thanks to the Container Service Extension (CSE) to vCloud Director v9.5. CSE enables custom VM templates for quick cluster deployment, which eliminates the need to manually log into servers and run individual commands when making changes to a Kubernetes cluster, such as adding or removing nodes. Without this automation, the creation, set-up and architecting of a Kubernetes cluster is very complex and time consuming.
Why Kubernetes?
From a corporate IT perspective, the great thing about this feature release is that you can provide your developers with a fully functioning Kubernetes environment that leverages the existing EEC resource pool that you’re already paying for. Tell your developers that they no longer have to go out to a third-party cloud like AWS or Azure to spin up a Kubernetes environment for development or testing because they can do it all within EEC. Here’s how:
- CSE provides the ability to deploy or scale a cluster by issuing simple commands
- New nodes, or even entire clusters, can be deployed in a few minutes
- CSE is provided as an extension to the existing vCloud Director CLI (command-line interface)
- CSE is also controllable via a python library, allowing for easy automation of common tasks
Also, with container orchestration via Kubernetes, dependency management is much easier for both developers and IT administrators than with traditional VM-based environments. By enabling application-level control, containerization provides IT admins with the ability to provision and control compute resources at a much more granular level.
As developers continue to migrate toward containerization and Kubernetes, it’s imperative for corporate IT to work with DevOps to facilitate this development approach. Developers aren’t creating with cloud-native and distributed app architectures to be difficult; these approaches enable the development of apps that are more flexible, more scalable, and thus more valuable to the business. According to a recent cloud-native report from 451 Research:
“Cloud-native technologies enable the true value of cloud by allowing applications to scale and evolve in much shorter timelines… This scalability creates new opportunities for the business in terms of revenue growth, efficiency improvements or a better customer experience.”
Optimize Kubernetes for your Team
By providing your DevOps team with the tools they need, you can reduce shadow IT, streamline operational efficiency, and eliminate unnecessary service agreements with third-party cloud providers. Plus, by building their Kubernetes environment within EEC, your development team will reap all of the default benefits of Expedient’s newest cloud platform, such as self-service provisioning, next-generation infrastructure and always-on security features like Data Encryption at Rest and Two-Factor Authentication.
All Expedient Enterprise Cloud clients have access to the Container Service Extension at no additional charge but must contact their Client Advisor to activate the functionality. If you’re not currently using the EEC platform but would like to learn more about its functionality including the automation of Kubernetes clusters, contact me for more information.
As Expedient’s Principal Technologist, AJ Kuftic is responsible for driving technology change and helping customers understand the capabilities of Expedient’s solutions. Follow him on Twitter.
