Kubernetes at the Edge Part 2

Shrikant S. – July 27

Partner Solutions Acceleration Team

Publishing second blog in the series of Tanzu at Edge implementation.

In this writeup, we will focus on the centralized model, where TKG management cluster will be configured at management site & Tanzu Kubernetes Clusters will be configured at edge sites. The management site will have vCenter server, DHCP configured. At edge site also a different DHCP will be configured for TKC.

Please find link to the decentralized topology here blog ‘Kube 4 the Edge’.

# Design topology

# Hardware resources:

2 Host to deploy vCenter Server, bootstrap VM, Witness appliance at primary site. Management cluster will be deployed here

2 Hosts for configuring vSAN cluster at edge site where Tanzu Kubernetes Cluster will be deployed

# Networking Requirements:

Routable network between Management cluster & Tanzu Kubernetes Cluster

Routable network between ESXi hosts & vSAN witness

Routable network between vCenter server & Edge ESXi hosts

Routable network between Management cluster, Edge TKC & TMC SaaS

# Supporting infra

DHCP Server at Primary as well as edge site

Ubuntu VM at Primary site as bootstrap VM

# Software Resources:

Component	Version
Witness appliance	VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0U2a-17867351.x86_64
vCenter Server Appliance	v7.0.2 Build 17958471
vSphere ESXi	v7.0.2 Build 17867351
Bootstrap VM	# ubuntu-18.04.5-desktop-amd64 Desktop version # kubectl-linux-v1.20.5-vmware.1.gz # tanzu-cli-bundle-v1.3.1-linux-amd64.tar
Template	ubuntu-2004-kube-v1.20.5-vmware.2-tkg.1-6700972457122900687.ova

# Configuration steps:

It is assumed that user should refer guides for detailed installation steps. Here we have given high level directions.

# Please refer blog ‘Kube 4 the Edge’ here on steps to configure 2-node vSAN cluster at edge site using witness appliance at primary site.

# Configure bootstrap VM

We will be using ubuntu vm with desktop version as I had deployed management cluster using the installer interface.

Refer https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tanzu-Kubernetes-Grid/1.3/vmware-tanzu-kubernetes-grid-13/GUID-install-cli.html

# Check prerequisites to deploy management cluster to vSphere using installer interface

Refer https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tanzu-Kubernetes-Grid/1.3/vmware-tanzu-kubernetes-grid-13/GUID-mgmt-clusters-vsphere.html

# Deploy management cluster using installer interface

Refer : https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tanzu-Kubernetes-Grid/1.3/vmware-tanzu-kubernetes-grid-13/GUID-mgmt-clusters-deploy-ui.html

# Check prerequisites to deploy Tanzu Kubernetes cluster to vSphere

Mention these parameters properly as per your environment in the .yaml file

CLUSTER_NAME, VSPHERE_CONTROL_PLANE_ENDPOINT, VSPHERE_DATACENTER, VSPHERE_DATASTORE, VSPHERE_FOLDER, VSPHERE_NETWORK, VSPHERE_RESOURCE_POOL

# Deploy Tanzu Kubernetes Cluster

Refer: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tanzu-Kubernetes-Grid/1.3/vmware-tanzu-kubernetes-grid-13/GUID-tanzu-k8s-clusters-deploy.html

# We can attach Tanzu Kubernetes cluster, register management cluster & add Tanzu Kubernetes cluster into TMC to explore management & other functions provided by TMC.

# Attach the Tanzu Kubernetes cluster in TMC

Refer https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tanzu-Mission-Control/services/tanzumc-using/GUID-6DF2CE3E-DD07-499B-BC5E-6B3B2E02A070.html