[Guide] Arch Linux Kubernetes cluster on Unraid

[SpaceAce]

Hello, all. I'm only a few days into using Unraid, but I've already given the virtual machine functionality a pretty good thumping. I have written a comprehensive guide to creating a Kubernetes cluster on top of Arch Linux inside Unraid. After I'd gotten it all together and published it to Github, I realized there was probably an official forum for this sort of thing, and it turns out there is, so here I am.

 

The guide is here: https://github.com/SpaceAceMonkey/spaceace-arch-kubernetes-unraid

 

Please let me know if you have any problems following the instructions, or notice anything missing. It probably needs a little cosmetic cleanup, but I am mostly concerned with making sure the content is accurate and easy to follow.

[gvkhna]

Hey OP, I saw this result when searching for kubernetes on unraid. I was wondering why unraid didn't have maybe a kubernetes plugin or easy way to install it. I didn't have much issue just manually installing kubectl and setting up a simple minikube cluster on my unraid machine. I have a simple need to run an app that is a container image and I plan to use helm to facilitate CI/CD with gitlab. 

 

It looks like you chose to use a VM for kubernetes, but that overhead isn't really needed. I'm new to kubernetes but experienced with docker. So I thought I would follow up on the discussion of k8s on unraid, seems like a good fit. But at the same time the more I learn about it, the more I realize perhaps k8s is superior and the entire ecosystem of docker templates is really just a clone of helm charts.

[CaptaiNiveau]

Yeah I think I'll try it with minikube first as well, but that guide is really great!
If I have some spare time left some day, I might try the VM way, just to learn how to install Arch with some addons

[1976moto]

Late to the party, but just about to jump into weekend project mode and look what I found!

 

Thanks for the guide!

[shawnngtq]

👍, detailed guide.

 

That said. I really want to see unraid adding official kubernetes support like what they did for docker. So that k8s is independent on VM.

[SpaceAce]

Hi, everyone. Thanks for the feedback. I'd like to hear from anyone who followed the guide. I'm considering updating it to use containerd rather than Docker, but I haven't started on that, yet.

[klosboss]

Thanks for sharing this guide! I followed it back in April, finished the guide and made the cluster my own dev environment, integrating Drone CI and Gitea into it. Unfortunately I stopped playing around with it in May when I went on vacation. Finally picking it back up. I have to say, this guide is very good! Thanks for sharing it.

 

One suggestion though, I remember when I worked through it, it would have been very helpful to SSH into the VMs instead of doing it all over VNC. One big hiccup was copying the token/cert that gets generated and used for the worker node. I had to hand type it all in, squinting at VNC hoping I typed each letter correctly. I think I made a few attempts before getting it right. It would have been much easier to select, copy and paste the printed value instead, but VNC in the browser didn't let me.

 

Any suggestions on networking to the kubernetes service? The last thing I think I was looking into was load balancing in my home network, but that didn't seem to be a thing or easily achievable. Best bet I'm thinking was set up nginx and use reverse proxy to forward commands to the cluster.

 

Also, any guidance for updating packages? I'd like to update things, but a little nervous as the nodes need to be the same version and in sync.

 

Lastly, good work! If you do containerd, I'd probably give that a try at some point.