I'm stepping into a new management role and realizing I've missed out on the wave of containerization and Kubernetes (K8s). With 15 years of industry experience primarily in the traditional VM era, I've mostly been away from hands-on tech. I understand the basics of kubectl and can discuss K8s concepts, but it's not enough to impress recruiters.
Sadly, my current role doesn't involve any hands-on work with K8s, and I'm worried that my lack of direct experience limits my opportunities. I'm open to investing time and money, like getting the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) certification, but is that the right move? I'd love to hear any suggestions or solutions to gain practical experience without a current job role that incorporates K8s.
5 Answers
I’d suggest starting with Minikube to set up a local environment and get your hands dirty. Once you’re comfortable, try deploying a K3s single-node cluster on a VM. Focus on understanding storage and networking before expanding to multi-cluster setups. Don’t rush into the CKA right away; get familiar with all the parts that go into a K8s cluster first!
Totally agree with local practice! It’s how I've picked up a lot of tech skills. Joining communities like r/homelab can also be really helpful for tips and tricks.
I think KodeKloud is excellent for learning K8s. Even if you skip the CKA, their structured labs can really help you grasp the material quickly and effectively, giving you the practical exposure you need.
While the CKA course can be helpful, keep in mind that the learning platform might feel a bit outdated. There are also other resources like KodeKloud that get good reviews. Setting up a local cluster or using EC2 can be great as well. Plus, you can find CKA exam questions online to practice with.
Thanks for the tips! I'm definitely going to look into KodeKloud's offerings.
Before diving into K8s, it’s crucial to get a solid grasp of how containers work. Consider brushing up on Docker first, as K8s builds on those fundamentals. Starting with Docker will make the K8s concepts easier to grasp in the long run.
I appreciate the input! I do have a basic understanding, but I'll make sure to solidify that foundational knowledge.
Check out ‘Kubernetes the Hard Way’ on GitHub by Kelsey Hightower. It’s a great resource for understanding the underlying concepts, and following along will really help solidify your knowledge.
Great recommendation! I really like Kelsey’s teaching style.
Minikube sounds like a solid start! I’ll definitely give it a shot.