Managed Kubernetes

Kubernetes is an open-source system that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of applications using containers. It orchestrates clusters of virtual machines, ensuring efficient resource utilization.

At its core, Kubernetes uses a master-worker architecture. The master node controls and schedules workloads, while worker nodes run the containerized applications. Communication happens through an API server.

Kubernetes is not a hosting platform by itself—it’s an open-source orchestration system for managing containerized applications. It automates deployment, scaling, and operations of containers across clusters of servers. At Hostman, Kubernetes runs on top of our cloud infrastructure, turning raw resources (compute, storage, networking) into a flexible and powerful hosting environment.

Containers are lightweight, portable units of software that bundle code with all its dependencies (libraries, runtime, configuration). They ensure your application runs the same way everywhere—whether on a developer laptop, a staging server, or in the cloud. Kubernetes manages these containers, ensuring they run reliably and at scale.

A typical DevOps workflow for Kubernetes includes:

• CI/CD Integration: Connect your GitHub/GitLab repo so code changes trigger automatic builds.

• Containerization: Package apps with Docker or another container runtime.

• Helm charts / YAML manifests: Define deployments, services, and scaling rules as code.

• Monitoring & logging: Use tools like Prometheus, Grafana, or ELK for observability.

• Automation: Hostman integrates with DevOps pipelines, letting you push updates directly into your cluster with minimal manual steps.

Scaling in Kubernetes is automatic, using Horizontal Pod Autoscalers to add or remove pods based on resource usage metrics like CPU and memory.

In addition, you can scale the cluster itself by adding or removing worker nodes, allowing the infrastructure to handle more pods and workloads efficiently.

Docker is a containerization platform, while Kubernetes is a system for orchestrating multiple containers. They often work together but serve different purposes.

Kubernetes replicates applications across nodes and uses controllers to restart failed pods, ensuring workloads remain operational.

Pods are the smallest deployable units in Kubernetes, encapsulating one or more containers that share resources like networking and storage.

Simply log in to Hostman's Control Panel, navigate to the Kubernetes tab, and deploy a cluster with the required settings. You don't even need any special expertise; have a try!

Kubernetes services provide a stable IP and DNS name to access a group of pods. They enable seamless communication between components in the cluster.

Kubernetes uses persistent volumes (PVs) to abstract storage resources. Persistent volume claims (PVCs) allow pods to request specific storage.

Deployments define the desired state of pods and ensure they are replicated or updated accordingly. They are crucial for rolling updates and scaling.

Kubernetes supports rolling updates, allowing gradual updates without downtime. Rollbacks are automated if issues arise.

CI/CD pipelines use Kubernetes for continuous deployment, automating tasks like testing and deploying code changes to live environments.

Our Kubernetes hosting employs features like role-based access control (RBAC), network policies, and encrypted communications to secure the cluster.

Kubernetes as a service sets resource requests and limits at the pod level, ensuring fair resource distribution and preventing overconsumption.

ConfigMaps manage configuration data, while Secrets store sensitive information like passwords. Both are essential for dynamic application management.

Kubernetes abstracts underlying infrastructure, allowing workloads to run seamlessly across multiple cloud or on-premise environments.

A Kubernetes cluster comprises the master node, which includes the API server, scheduler, and controller manager, and worker nodes hosting the kubelet and container runtime. Together, they coordinate container orchestration.

Kubernetes schedules and orchestrates containers by defining desired states in configurations. It continuously monitors these states, making adjustments to maintain them.

Kubernetes enhances deployment speed, ensures scalability, and provides fault tolerance. It also reduces the complexity of managing containerized environments.

Managed Kubernetes is a service where the provider sets up, maintains, and updates Kubernetes clusters for you, so you can run and scale containerized applications without managing the underlying infrastructure. For example, Hostman does that.

Yes, Hostman provides several options for automation and IaC workflows. Our official Terraform provider lets you provision and manage our Cloud Services using declarative IaC practices. You can find the provider in the Terraform Registry and quickly onboard with our Terraform Getting Started Guide.

If you prefer to build your own automation workflows, you can also use the Hostman Public API to programmatically create, configure, and manage resources. This makes it easy to integrate Hostman into custom tooling, CI/CD systems, or orchestration pipelines.