10 Common Kubernetes Patterns and How to Implement Them

Are you ready to take your Kubernetes skills to the next level? If so, you've come to the right place! In this article, we'll cover the top 10 common Kubernetes patterns and show you how to implement them successfully.

But first, let's take a step back and talk about what Kubernetes is and why it matters.

What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes is an open-source platform designed to automate deploying, scaling, and operating application containers. It allows you to manage containerized applications across multiple hosts, with ease, providing a modular infrastructure that can be easily adjusted to suit the needs of your business.

Kubernetes also allows you to run your applications wherever you like, be it on your own infrastructure, in the cloud, or on-premises. Kubernetes abstracts away the underlying infrastructure, meaning that you don't need to worry about the underlying technology stack, allowing you to focus on developing your applications and delivering value for your organization.

10 Common Kubernetes Patterns

With that in mind, let's dive into the top 10 common Kubernetes patterns and how to implement them:

1. Sidecar Pattern

The Sidecar pattern is a way of extending the functionality of a container by adding a second container. This second container works alongside the main container and can be used to provide additional functionality such as logging, monitoring, or security. The sidecar pattern is an excellent choice when you need to add functionality to an existing container without modifying its codebase.

To implement this pattern, you'll need to create two containers in the same pod. To ensure that the two containers can communicate with each other, Kubernetes provides a shared network namespace.

2. Ambassador Pattern

The Ambassador pattern is a way of handling inbound and outbound traffic to and from a Kubernetes cluster. This pattern makes it easy to add new services to your cluster without having to worry about their dependencies. A Kubernetes Ambassador is a proxy container that acts as a gateway for external traffic.

By using the Ambassador pattern, you can balance the load of incoming traffic and direct traffic to the appropriate services based on policies. Kaizen, a leading DevOps consultancy, has a great article on the Ambassador pattern if you want to learn more!

3. Adapter Pattern

The Adapter pattern is a way of modifying the behavior of an application without modifying its codebase. This pattern can be used to add new functionality to an existing application, such as monitoring or logging, without having to modify the application's codebase.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating a container that takes the output of the main container, modifies it, and then passes it to the next container in the pod. This container acts as an adapter, adding new functionality to the main container without modifying its codebase.

4. Sharding Pattern

The Sharding pattern is a way of splitting up a database or other large data store into multiple smaller pieces to increase performance and scalability. This pattern is particularly useful in situations where you're dealing with a large amount of data that needs to be stored and accessed quickly.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating multiple stateful sets, with each stateful set representing a shard of the database. Each shard can be configured to have its own storage and resources, ensuring that it operates as an independent unit.

5. Registry Pattern

The Registry pattern is a way of managing and storing Docker images in a central location. This pattern is particularly useful in large organizations that may have multiple teams working on different parts of the application.

By using a centralized registry, teams can easily share Docker images and reduce duplication of effort. Kubernetes makes it easy to implement the Registry pattern by providing native support for managing Docker images.

6. Replicated Load-Balancer Pattern

The Replicated Load-Balancer pattern is a way of ensuring that incoming traffic is spread across multiple instances of a container. This pattern is particularly useful in situations where you're dealing with a high volume of traffic that needs to be distributed across multiple instances of your application.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating a service that uses the Round-Robin algorithm to distribute incoming traffic across multiple pods. Each pod can run a replica of the same container, ensuring that the load is spread evenly across all instances.

7. Cron Job Pattern

The Cron Job Pattern is a way of automating the execution of a task at a specified time or interval. This pattern is particularly useful in situations where you need to execute a task regularly, such as updating data or running backups.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating a cron job that runs a container on a recurring schedule. The container can be configured to execute any command or script, allowing you to perform any task that's required.

8. Stateful Application Pattern

The Stateful Application Pattern is a way of creating an application that requires persistent storage. This pattern is particularly useful in situations where you're dealing with applications that need to store data between sessions, such as databases or web applications.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating a stateful set that manages the persistent storage required by the application. The stateful set ensures that each pod has a unique hostname and persistent storage, allowing the application to store data between sessions.

9. Daemon Set Pattern

The Daemon Set Pattern is a way of ensuring that a container runs on every node in the Kubernetes cluster. This pattern is particularly useful in situations where you need to ensure that a container is running on every node, such as when running a monitoring agent or installing a security patch.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating a daemon set that ensures that a container runs on every node in the cluster. The daemon set ensures that the container is automatically started on new nodes as they are added to the cluster.

10. Job Pattern

The Job Pattern is a way of running a container to completion. This pattern is particularly useful in situations where you need to run a task that should only be executed once, such as data import/export.

In Kubernetes, this pattern can be implemented by creating a job that runs a container to completion. The job ensures that the container is automatically restarted if the container fails or is terminated before completing its task. This ensures that the task is completed successfully and that you don't lose any data in the process.

Conclusion

And there you have it - our top 10 common Kubernetes patterns and how to implement them. These patterns are just the tip of the iceberg, and there are many more Kubernetes patterns and best practices to explore.

By using these patterns, you'll be able to develop highly scalable and reliable applications that can be deployed on any infrastructure. So what are you waiting for? Get started with Kubernetes today and take your application development to the next level!

Editor Recommended Sites