Prerequisites
What do you need to get Utopia going?
As with all Kubernetes tools you will need a working Kubernetes cluster. A Kubernetes cluster can be installed on many environments, including On-Prem Bare Metal, VM or cloud.
If you are not familiar with Kubernetes and your project is not a production project, then feel free to try the docker install instead - its simpler. However, if you are looking to build a production ready system then Kubernetes is a great choice; we recommend using microk8s as a solid option to get a Kubernetes environment up and running quickly. You will also need some kind of Pervasive Volume storage on your cluster if you are selecting to spin up DB's in your cluster, more on this in the next section.
You will also need Loadbalancer software to assist with provisioning Loadbalancers; metallb is a great add-on tool for this. Saying this, most cloud providers have this functionality built in which makes life easy. We will be exploring the different possibilities around various Kubernetes system, storage types, potential back-up solutions etc as we evolve. Please check out the Cluster Craft section for this.
Understanding Kubernetes and Its Requirements:
What is Kubernetes? Kubernetes is an open-source platform designed for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It groups containers that make up an application into logical units for easy management and discovery.
Kubernetes Cluster: The foundation of any Kubernetes-based setup is a Kubernetes cluster. This is a set of machine nodes (which can be physical machines, virtual machines, or hosted in the cloud e.g. Azure or AWS) that run containerized applications. Make sure you have a working Kubernetes cluster set up. If you're new to Kubernetes, we recomend you use a tool like MicroK8s for a quick and easy cluster setup - its a lite version of Kubernetes but is more than enough for a robust production Utopia system. We have a guide for MicroK8s in the Cluster Craft section .
Tools and Software Needed:
Installation Configurator & Helm Charts:
The Utopia Installation Configurator will provide you with a Helm chart. Helm charts are packages that contain all the necessary information to install and configure your Kubernetes application, in this case, Utopia. You will need to access this from a file location in order to connect into the Kube cluster and install Utopia. Therefore, you will either need to transfer the folder structure and files into your VM, or you can connect in from your local terminal (where you originally downloaded the files to from the configurator). We recommend the latter as a simpler solution for this step.
Package Managers (Optional but Recommended):
For Windows, having Chocolatey (a package manager) can simplify the installation of the necessary tools.
For macOS, Homebrew serves a similar purpose. These package managers streamline the process of installing and managing software on your computer.
Kubectl:
Kubectl is a command-line tool that lets you control Kubernetes clusters. You'll need to install it on your terminal to interact with your Kubernetes cluster.
Installation guides for Kubectl are available here: Kubectl Installation Guide.
Helm:
Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes, helping to define, install, and upgrade Kubernetes applications.
You can find the installation guide for Helm here: Helm Installation Guide.
Persistent Volume Storage:
If you plan to spin up databases within your Kubernetes cluster, ensure that you have Persistent Volume storage. This storage type is crucial for maintaining data persistently across pod restarts and failures.
Load Balancer Software:
Load balancers distribute traffic across multiple computing resources, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of applications.
In the context of MicroK8s, you could use the Metallb add-on. For cloud-based clusters, most cloud providers offer built-in load balancing functionalities.
Next Steps and Further Learning:
Explore Cluster Craft: For more information on different Kubernetes systems, storage types, backup solutions, and more, visit the 'Cluster Craft' section of our website.
Ready to Install: Once you've set up the necessary tools and understand the prerequisites, you're ready to proceed with the Utopia Installation Configurator to set up your Helm chart for installation.
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