4 Component model #

By using:

you can create the necessary infrastructure and services. Further details for these components are described in the following sections.

K3s is packaged as a single binary, which is about 50 megabytes in size. Bundled in that single binary is everything needed to run Kubernetes anywhere, including low-powered IoT and Edge-based devices. The binary includes:

The only OS dependencies are the Linux kernel itself and a proper dev, proc and sysfs mounts (this is done automatically on all modern Linux distributions). K3s bundles the Kubernetes components:

into combined processes that are presented as a simple server and agent model, as represented in the following figure:

Figure 4.1: Component Overview - K3s #

 

K3s can run as a complete cluster on a single node or can be expanded into a multi-node cluster. Besides the core Kubernetes components, these are also included:

All of these components are optional and can be swapped out for your implementation of choice. With these included components, you get a fully functional and CNCF-conformant cluster so you can start running apps right away. K3s is now a CNCF Sandbox project, being the first Kubernetes distribution ever to be adopted into sandbox.

Tip

Learn more information about K3s

As K3s can be deployed on a single or multiple nodes, the next sections describe the suggested component layering approach.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro combines the assurance of enterprise-grade security and compliance with the immutability and portability of a modern, lightweight operating system. The top 4 features are:

As a result, you get an ultra-reliable infrastructure platform that is also simple to use and comes out-of-the-box with best-in-class compliance. Furthermore, SUSE’s flexible subscription model ensures enterprise assurance for any edge, embedded or IoT deployment without vendor lock-in. A free, evaluation copy can be downloaded or if the organization already has subscriptions, both install media and updates can be obtained from SUSE Customer Center.

Leveraging the enterprise grade functionality of the operating system mentioned in the previous section, many compute platforms can be the foundation of the deployment:

Note

To complete self-testing of hardware with SUSE YES Certified Process, you can download and install the respective SUSE operating system support-pack version of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and the YES test suite. Then run the tests per the instructions in the test kit, fixing any problems encountered and when corrected, re-run all tests to obtain clean test results. Submit the test results into the SUSE Bulletin System (SBS) for audit, review and validation.

Tip

Certified systems and hypervisors can be verified via SUSE YES Certified Bulletins and then can be leveraged as supported nodes for this deployment, as long as the certification refers to the respective version of the underlying SUSE operating system required.

4.4.1 HP Z Workstation #

 

The HP Z Workstation portfolio provides extreme performance for the most-demanding professional workflows. But the Z Workstation vision goes beyond powerful processing and graphics, cutting-edge thermal design and unrelenting reliability.

A specific model that offer relevant choices for Enterprise Kubernetes is:

HP ZCentral 4R

The industry-leading HP ZCentral 4R gives performance in a high-density 1U rack workstation footprint. This slim powerhouse lets you pack in more units — and power. You can maximize your compute investment by centralizing a suite of ZCentral 4R that can be accessed remotely with HP ZCentral software. Plus, software certifications for leading applications come standard, delivering professional reliability and predictable licensing fees.

Note

The HP ZCentral 4R is SUSE YES Certified Hardware.

• Up to 18 cores Intel Xeon W processor: Ensure the highest performance and productivity for your pro-level apps and most challenging projects. Avoid system crashes in the middle of your workflow with Error Correction Code (ECC) memory that detects and corrects soft errors in the memory system on the fly.

• Up to NVIDIA RTX™ A6000 GPU: Reach peak performance with support for one ultra high-end or two mid-tier18 NVIDIA RTX professional graphics options.

• Up to 256 GB DDR4-2933 SDRAM: Get greater application responsiveness to tackle large workloads with quad-channel architecture providing up to 256 GB of memory.

• Up to 22 TB storage: Access and store massive amounts of data on the fly with three storage bays and dual M.2 slots.

• An aggregated power option: Combine two 675W power supplies that can provide a redundant option, so you will have power to keep you up and running.

Note

A sample bill of materials, in the Chapter 9, Appendix, cites the necessary quantites of all components, along with a reference to the minimum resource requirements needed by the software components.