May 10, 2021
Alex Hisaka
D2iQ
4 min read
In a relatively short amount of time, Kubernetes has evolved from an internal container orchestration tool at Google to the most important cloud-native technology across the world. Its rise in popularity has made Kubernetes the preferred way to build new software experiences and modernize existing applications at scale and across clouds. With Kubernetes, companies can host workloads running on a single cloud, as well as workloads across multiple clouds. These capabilities lends itself well to the public cloud, hybrid-cloud, and multi-cloud strategies that enterprises are pursuing today.
Today’s enterprises are increasingly going cloud-first and leveraging cloud Kubernetes services, such as Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS), and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), to help them build, deploy, and manage their containerized environments. The benefits include:
Low barrier to entry
Getting up and running on a cloud Kubernetes service is easy to get started because you don’t need to know much about Kubernetes initially. Kubernetes cluster deployment is automated by the cloud provider, so you don’t need to install open source tools or write complex automation. The cloud provider manages the Kubernetes cluster for you and it comes with a simple pay-as-you-go model.
A broad catalog of cloud services
In addition to Kubernetes, enterprises will often choose to use cloud databases, developer tools, or other services for new application development needs. Finding the right services for a project may even dictate which cloud provider is selected for a new project. Cloud providers can accelerate new projects by offering developers self service access to a broad catalog so they can quickly start prototyping, building, and deploying new digital services.
Outsource operational tasks
Managing Day 2 operations is no easy feat and requires a lot of time and effort without the right technical expertise. With a cloud Kubernetes service, you’re able to outsource some of the operational tasks that are very time-intensive. Less work to do tedious, manual tasks means more time for teams to dedicate towards other important projects that matter.
Management and support capabilities
Setting up a monitoring solution for Kubernetes can be notoriously difficult, and troubleshooting issues that are is even more so. This can result in a huge time sink for operators. Cloud Kubernetes services provide some level of lifecycle management and support for patching, updates, fixes, and node management, reducing the operational burden for your team.
It’s no wonder why 64% of enterprises are running Kubernetes on at least one public cloud.
However, enterprises are hitting roadblocks when it comes to running Kubernetes in production at scale. To stay ahead of the curve, organizations need solutions that are built to keep up with the continued innovation of the open source ecosystem and cloud-native market. Kubernetes on the public cloud has a lot to offer, but can leave a ton of value on the table for the enterprise. How can efficiencies be made to Kubernetes and the public cloud be so you can reap the benefits of both tools? And how do you unify that experience so you can build, deploy, and manage Kubernetes and cloud native applications seamlessly across different infrastructures?
Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing a variety of content to help you get the most out of public cloud Kubernetes (AKS, EKS, or GKE) investment. Here’s a partial rundown of the upcoming topics and best practices we’ll be addressing:
- Multi-tenant management and user access controls
- Financial management and Kubernetes cost optimization
- Governance and policy administration
- Multi-cluster observability and lifecycle management
- Open-source components, standards, and tools
To kick things off, we created the ebook, “The Art of Winning: Leverage Kubernetes in the Public Cloud to Deliver a Unified DevOps Experience” to help you get started on the right track. In it, you’ll learn the benefits and challenges of a cloud Kubernetes service and the key capabilities to run enterprise Kubernetes in production at scale.
Whether you are new to Kubernetes in the public cloud or a seasoned vet, download the ebook to learn how to reap the combined benefits of both tools.
