Controller Nodes

Controller nodes are the brain of the Kubernetes cluster, performing critical functions that ensure the cluster operates efficiently and reliably.

Key Functions of Controller Nodes

• Kubernetes Control Plane: Controller nodes run the Kubernetes control plane, which manages the overall state of the cluster and schedules applications on worker nodes. This includes tasks such as load balancing, scaling, and maintaining the desired state of the applications.
• etcd Database: The controller nodes run the etcd database, which is a distributed key-value store used to persist the cluster's state. This database stores all cluster configuration data and ensures consistency across the cluster.
• Kubernetes API: The Kubernetes API server runs on the controller nodes, providing a RESTful interface for interacting with the cluster. This allows customers to use tools like kubectl, Helm, and other Kubernetes tooling to manage their applications and cluster resources.

Managed with ❤️ by the Nirvana Team

The controller nodes are completely managed by the Nirvana Team. This means that Nirvana Cloud handles all aspects of their operation, including maintenance, updates, and monitoring. Customers do not need to worry about the complexities of managing the control plane infrastructure.

Customers are not billed for controller nodes, which are provided as part of the NKS service. This makes it cost-effective for customers to leverage the full capabilities of Kubernetes without incurring additional costs for control plane management.

Configuration Options

• Single Controller Node: Customers can choose a single controller node configuration for their cluster. This option is suitable for development, testing, and smaller production environments where high availability is not a critical requirement.
• Highly Available Configuration: For production environments that require high availability and fault tolerance, customers can opt for a highly available controller node configuration. This setup runs three controller nodes, ensuring that the cluster remains operational even if one or two controller nodes fail. This redundancy is crucial for maintaining continuous availability and resilience against failures.

By providing robust and fully managed controller nodes, NKS ensures that customers can focus on deploying and managing their applications with confidence, knowing that the critical aspects of cluster management are handled by the Nirvana Team.