Getting Started with MKS on Nutanix¶

This guide walks you through deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters on Nutanix infrastructure using Rafay's MKS (Managed Kubernetes Service) system templates.

What You'll Accomplish¶

By the end of this guide, you will have:

✅ Set up a project and shared the Nutanix system template
✅ Deployed a fully managed Kubernetes cluster on Nutanix
✅ Learned how to manage the cluster lifecycle

Why Use MKS System Templates?¶

System templates provide several key benefits:

Faster Deployment: Pre-configured templates reduce setup time
Consistency: Standardized configurations across environments
Flexibility: Customizable while maintaining organizational standards
Streamlined Workflows: Built-in approval processes and automation
Team Collaboration: Enhanced efficiency in cluster management

Prerequisites¶

Before you begin, ensure you have:

Infrastructure Requirements¶

Nutanix Infrastructure with VM provisioning permissions
Nutanix Prism Element access with admin credentials
Nutanix-compatible images for both Control Plane and Worker nodes

Rafay Platform Requirements¶

Rafay Agent deployed in your Nutanix environment (Setup Guide)
Rafay API Key for authentication (How to Generate)
Organization Admin or Project Admin permissions

Information Needed¶

What This Template Creates¶

The Nutanix system template automatically provisions:

Component	Description
Nutanix VMs	Configured as Kubernetes nodes with your specifications
MKS Cluster	Fully managed Kubernetes running Rafay distribution
Networking	CNI (Calico), CSI, and cluster add-ons from Blueprint
Access	Kubeconfig file for secure cluster access

Note: With this template, all nodes will have the same OS and configuration. We are working to enhance this further to allow configuring nodes with different resource configuration in the future.

Step-by-Step Guide¶

Step 1: Create Your Project¶

Navigate to Home → Your Projects
Click Create a New Project
Name it nutanix-project (or your preferred name)
Click Create

Go to Settings → Template Catalog
Find Rafay K8s Distro on Nutanix template
Click Get Started
Configure the template:
Template Name: Choose a unique name
Version: Enter 1.0 (or your preferred version)
Project: Select nutanix-project
Click Share

Step 3: Configure the Agent¶

You'll be redirected to your project
Select your Agent from the dropdown
Navigate back to General and save as Draft or Active Version

💡 Tip: Learn more about version management

Launching Your Cluster¶

Step 4: Start the Deployment¶

Navigate to Environments in your nutanix-project
Find your shared template and click Launch
Select your Agent (if not pre-configured)

Step 5: Configure Cluster Settings¶

General Configuration¶

Set up the core Kubernetes cluster parameters:

Project Scope: Confirm project selection
Cluster Name: Enter a unique name
Kubernetes Version: Select your preferred version
Blueprint: Choose cluster configuration blueprint
Upgrade Strategy: Define update approach
Control Plane Settings: Configure HA and dedicated settings

Network & Node Configuration¶

Configure networking and node specifications:

Network Settings:

CNI Plugin: Select Container Network Interface
Pod Subnet: Define pod IP range
Service Subnet: Define service IP range
Proxy Config: Optional proxy settings

Node Configuration:

Control Plane VMs: Count and VM type
Worker Node VMs: Count and VM type
Image Names: Specify OS images
Operating System: Choose OS type

📌 Single-Node Cluster: Set Worker VM Count to 0, Control Plane VM Count to 1, and disable both "Cluster Dedicated Control Plane" and "Cluster HA"

Nutanix Infrastructure Settings¶

Provide your Nutanix connection details:

Endpoint: Nutanix Prism Element IP
Port: Connection port
Credentials: Username and password
Cluster Name: Target Nutanix cluster
Subnet Name: Network subnet for VMs

SSH Key Configuration (Choose One): - Option 1: Use packaged keys with Private/Public Key Paths - Option 2: Provide key content directly in "Other Configuration"

Security & Policy Settings (Optional)¶

Configure additional security features:

Kata Deployment: Enable container runtime security
OPA Gatekeeper: Enable policy enforcement
Excluded Namespaces: Specify exemptions
Policy Templates: Define constraint templates
Policy Constraints: Apply specific constraints

Final Configuration¶

Complete the setup with authentication details:

Controller Endpoint: Rafay controller URL
API Key: Your Rafay authentication key
SSH Keys: Private key content and authorized key

Step 6: Deploy and Monitor¶

Click Save & Deploy
Monitor the deployment progress
Wait for the cluster to reach "Ready" status

⏱️ Deployment Time: Typically takes 10-15 minutes depending on cluster size

Managing Your Cluster¶

Accessing Your Cluster¶

Once deployed, you can:

Download kubeconfig from the cluster details
Use kubectl to manage workloads
Access through Rafay's console

Cluster Operations¶

Available management operations:

Scale: Add/remove worker nodes
Upgrade: Update Kubernetes versions
Configure: Modify cluster settings
Monitor: View cluster health and metrics

Cleanup¶

Deleting Your Cluster¶

⚠️ Warning: This action is irreversible and will delete all resources.

Navigate to your cluster environment
Click Destroy
Confirm by selecting Yes
Wait for complete resource cleanup

Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

Issue	Solution
Agent not connecting	Verify network connectivity and credentials
VM provisioning fails	Check Nutanix resource availability and permissions
Cluster deployment stuck	Review logs in the deployment section
SSH access denied	Verify SSH key configuration and format

Getting Help¶

Check deployment logs in the environment details
Review Input Variables for configuration details
Contact support if issues persist

Next Steps¶

Now that your cluster is running, consider:

Deploy Applications: Use Rafay's app management features
Set up Monitoring: Configure observability tools
Implement GitOps: Connect your repositories
Security Policies: Apply additional governance controls
Multi-Cluster: Replicate this setup for other environments

Summary¶

🎉 Congratulations! You have successfully:

✅ Created and shared a Nutanix system template
✅ Deployed a fully managed Kubernetes cluster on Nutanix
✅ Learned cluster lifecycle management basics

The MKS system templates provide a powerful way to standardize and automate Kubernetes deployments on Nutanix infrastructure while maintaining flexibility for your specific requirements.