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Upstream Kubernetes

Upstream Kubernetes on Flatcar Linux using Rafay

This blog is Part 3 of our series on Flatcar Linux and Kubernetes

  • In Part 1, we introduced Flatcar Linux and why it is a great fit for Kubernetes.
  • In Part 2, we covered how to install a Flatcar instance locally.
  • In this Part 3, we focus on deploying and managing Upstream Kubernetes on Flatcar Linux using Rafay MKS.

Our upcoming February release will introduce a number of new features and enhancements.We will write about these in separate blogs. This blog is focused on support for Upstream Kubernetes based on Rafay MKS on nodes running Flatcar Linux. The Rafay platform enables users to seamlessly provision new clusters and perform in-place upgrades of Kubernetes clusters, simplifying lifecycle management.

For more details on Flatcar Linux, visit the official Flatcar Linux website.

Flatcar Logo

Provision Cluster

Rafay MKS based Upstream Kubernetes clusters can be configured and provisioned on Flatcar Linux using all the supported interfaces i.e.

  • Web Console
  • API
  • CLI (declarative spec)
  • GitOps
  • Rafay Terraform/OpenTofu Provider

In this blog, we will demonstrate this using the web console and the Rafay RCTL CLI.

Deploying Custom CNI (Kube-OVN) in Rafay MKS Upstream Kubernetes Cluster Using the Blueprint Add-On Approach

In continuation of our Part 1 intro blog on the Kube-OVN CNI, this is Part 2, where we will cover how easy it is to manage CNI configurations using Rafay's Blueprint Add-On approach.In the evolving cloud-native landscape, networking requirements are becoming more complex, with platform teams needing enhanced control and customization over their Kubernetes clusters. Rafay's support for custom, compatible CNIs allows organizations to select and deploy advanced networking solutions tailored to their needs. While there are several options available, this blog will focus specifically on deploying the Kube-OVN CNI. Using Rafay’s Blueprint Add-On approach, we will guide you through the steps to seamlessly integrate Kube-OVN into an upstream Kubernetes cluster managed by Rafay’s Managed Kubernetes Service.

Our upcoming release, scheduled for December in the production environment, introduces several new features and enhancements. Each of these will be covered in separate blog posts. This particular blog focuses on the support and process for deploying Kube-OVN as the primary CNI on an upstream Kubernetes cluster.

kube ovn

Watch a video showcasing how users can customize and configure Kube-OVN as the primary CNI on Rafay MKS Kubernetes clusters.

Upstream Kubernetes on RHEL 9 using Rafay

Our recent release update adds support for a number of new features and enhancements. This blog is focused on support for Upstream Kubernetes on nodes based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) v9.2 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) v9.1. Both new cluster provisioning and in-place upgrades of Kubernetes clusters are supported for lifecycle management.

RHEL 9.2