Hey everyone! My company is on a quest to find the best self-hosted Identity Provider (IDP) to simplify our Kubernetes cluster creation and resource management, especially since we often work with Incus. We're aiming for a solution that offers a form-based configuration page for creating Kubernetes clusters based on specific resource requests. I've done some digging into options like Backstage, k0rdent, kusion, kasm, and konstruct, but it seems like Backstage, while well-documented, requires a team skilled in Typescript and React and can be a heavy lift. I'm currently attempting to set up a basic version with Backstage but would love any recent insights on what's available in the space.
Also, I've heard that Port and Cortex provide self-hosted options, especially for organizations with strict security requirements. However, I noticed that Port's website suggests they might not offer this anymore. Has anyone successfully implemented something similar with these platforms? I'm really looking for experiences and advice on setting up IDPs and what has worked best for you all. Thanks a bunch!
3 Answers
I feel your pain! My past jobs had chaotic setups too – lots of copying and pasting helm templates with no clarity on parameter management. The CI setup was usually a disaster. It’s refreshing to hear others are facing similar challenges.
I set up Semaphore, which runs Ansible playbooks in the backend. Developers log in with their AD accounts, fill out the details for what they need, and Ansible handles everything from repo downloads to creating Kubernetes manifests. It's been a game-changer because now devs can create what they need without extra help!
I would recommend steering clear of Backstage if possible. From what I remember, Port should still have an on-prem option since they leverage Ocean, so definitely check out their documentation. It’s considered one of the top IDPs if you have access to it!
Thanks for the tip! I’m looking into Ocean right now! 🙂
K8s can be overwhelming! After feeling lost, we found that using abstraction layers helped a ton. ClawCloud's Run platform struck the right balance for us – simple CLI for daily tasks but also allows raw kubectl when needed. Their K8s guide really helped us!