Hey everyone! I'm diving into Kubernetes (k8s) for my personal projects, which include a small database, a web app, and some monitoring—all behind a proxy with TLS. I'm not a fan of the high costs associated with cloud providers, so I'm looking to set up multiple Kubernetes clusters on the same hardware. I know it's generally not the best practice, but I want to explore this setup because my apps don't really require heavy computational resources.
I've considered options like `vClusters` and `cozystack`, but I'm also thinking about using namespaces for organization. I have a mild case of technical OCD, which makes me prefer more separation between projects. I'm also curious about how to create a standard template for my clusters, possibly using something like FluxCD for database and monitoring components. If running multiple clusters isn't wise, I'm open to the idea of just setting up separate machines for each project.
Thanks for any advice!
EDIT: After some feedback, I think I'll stick to namespaces for now to keep things simpler and easier to manage since I can share services across projects!
5 Answers
You can definitely run k8s as a multi-tenant system using namespaces and manage everything from there. If you find namespaces limiting later on, then look into vClusters for more control, but it might be overkill for your current needs.
That sounds super practical! Less complexity while still getting the separation you need.
If you're determined to run separate clusters, you might want to look into setting up a hypervisor like Proxmox, where you can create VMs for each cluster. It's a bit more complex and resource-intensive, but it can give you that isolation you’re looking for.
You're right to consider options like `vCluster` for more separation if you feel namespaces won't cut it for you. But honestly, for multiple small projects, a single cluster with different namespaces seems like the most efficient approach. If you need more isolation later, then explore those other options.
That's a good point! Also, keep in mind that tools like FluxCD can help you with managing configuration across your clusters regardless of whether you choose a single cluster setup or multiple.
Agreed! Just stay aware of the resource sharing and potential security aspects if you're exposing any of those apps publicly.
Cozystack works great for what you're trying to achieve. I’ve had success with Helm charts and Flux for managing my deployments. It can simplify your life and help you build out those common services efficiently. Just be cautious with your security settings if you're running any public-facing apps.
Definitely! It allows for easy customization, and the Helm chart setup makes it a lot less of a headache to deploy services.
Good to know! I’ve been considering Cozystack too. How do you find the customization options? Are they user-friendly?
Honestly, just go for namespaces! Keeping it simple will save you a lot of headache. You'll be able to manage everything easily without overcomplicating things with multiple clusters. Plus, you can still keep your resources shared across namespaces, maximizing your hardware utilization.
Totally agree! I went through that phase of setting up too many clusters when one would have sufficed. Just merge them when you can. It’ll save you a lot of management stress.
Exactly! The only reason you'd need separate clusters is if you need different versions of software or specific custom resources, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for you.
For sure! Start simple and expand your setup as needed, don’t overwhelm yourself right off the bat.