In this post we going to write about what is Rancher Server and we going to discuss what advantages about the 2.5 version.
Rancher is a complete software stack for teams adopting containers. It addresses the operational and security challenges of managing multiple Kubernetes clusters across any infrastructure, while providing DevOps teams with integrated tools for running containerized workloads.
Configuration
A typical installation of Kubernetes cluster, as I have say before, depending of the complexity, it can be a challenge and add work in security, configuration and maintenance.
To understand better the differences between a typical installation and a Rancher installation, lets see the components
Kubernetes components VS Rancher Server components
Kubernetes components
- kube-api-server (control plane)
- etcd (database)
- kube-scheduler (control plane)
- kube-controller-manager (control plane)
- cloud-control-manager (control plane)
- kubelet (node)
- kube-proxy (node)
- container runtime (node)
Rancher Server components
- Control plane (all except etcd)
- etc (database)
- worker
As you can see, Rancher groups the components for a easy installation using a graphical interface with a few clicks.
Rancher also offers
Centralized Cluster Provisioning
It’s easy to provision Kubernetes clusters on-premises, in the cloud or at the edge. Import existing clusters with ease or define your cluster configuration as code
Streamlined Kubernetes Operations
Once you’ve provisioned a Kubernetes cluster with Rancher, operations are centralized and administrators can deal with all aspects of Day 2 Kubernetes operations
Centralized Kubernetes Security
Rancher admins can work with their security team to centrally define how users should interact with managed Kubernetes clusters and how containerized workloads should operate
Intuitive Workload Management
DevOps teams using Rancher have full access to manage workloads using the native Kubernetes API or KubeCTL CLI. Rancher also includes an intuitive web UI that makes it easy to deploy workloads, export configuration files and troubleshoot existing deployments.
Global Application Catalog
Give your users a visual way to configure the applications and a reliable way to upgrade them to future versions using Rancher’s Application Catalog.
Integrated Prometheus Monitoring and Logging
Get out-of-the-box monitoring for all Rancher-managed clusters with inbuilt Prometheus, Fluentd and Grafana dashboards to visualize cluster metrics in a beautiful layout.
Full lifecycle management for Amazon EKS clusters
Import, provision, upgrade, and configure and secure clusters on Amazon EKS directly using the Rancher’s new unified, intuitive user experience. Additionally, Rancher managed Amazon EKS deployments support CIS templating and scanning to minimize configuration drift between clusters.
GitOps at Scale for Edge Clusters
Rancher Continuous Delivery allows for maximum cluster consistency from core to cloud to edge. Rancher supports from 1 to 1,000,000 clusters from a single console with built-in security capabilities, running any CNCF-certified Kubernetes distribution. By streamlining application delivery across any infrastructure in any location, enterprises can use Rancher to accelerate their journey towards true digital transformation.
In the next post we going to learn how install a Rancher production cluster.