How to manage applications using Kubernetes Dashboard?

Managing Applications Using the Kubernetes Dashboard

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to manage your Kubernetes cluster and the applications running on it. It provides a user-friendly way to interact with your cluster, making it easier to deploy, manage, and monitor your applications.

Accessing the Kubernetes Dashboard

To access the Kubernetes Dashboard, you'll need to have a running Kubernetes cluster and the necessary permissions to access the dashboard. Typically, the dashboard is deployed as a Kubernetes service, and you can access it through a web browser.

Here's an example of how to access the Kubernetes Dashboard on a Linux system:

1. Start the Kubernetes Dashboard:

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes/dashboard/v2.7.0/aio/deploy/recommended.yaml

2. Start a proxy to access the dashboard:

kubectl proxy

3. Open the Kubernetes Dashboard in your web browser:

http://localhost:8001/api/v1/namespaces/kubernetes-dashboard/services/https:kubernetes-dashboard:/proxy/

Navigating the Kubernetes Dashboard

Once you've accessed the Kubernetes Dashboard, you'll see a user interface that displays the overall state of your Kubernetes cluster. The dashboard is organized into several sections, including:

1. Cluster Overview: This section provides a high-level view of your Kubernetes cluster, including the number of nodes, pods, and other resources.
2. Nodes: This section displays information about the nodes in your cluster, such as their status, resource utilization, and labels.
3. Namespaces: This section allows you to manage the namespaces in your cluster, which are used to organize and isolate your resources.
4. Workloads: This section is where you can manage your Kubernetes workloads, such as deployments, stateful sets, and daemon sets.
5. Services & Ingress: This section allows you to manage the services and ingress resources in your cluster, which handle external traffic to your applications.
6. Storage: This section provides information about the persistent volumes and storage classes in your cluster.
7. Config & Secrets: This section allows you to manage the configuration data and secrets used by your applications.
8. Logs: This section provides access to the logs of your running pods.
9. Events: This section displays the events that have occurred in your cluster, which can be useful for troubleshooting and monitoring.

Deploying Applications

One of the key features of the Kubernetes Dashboard is the ability to deploy applications. You can do this by navigating to the "Workloads" section and clicking on the "Create" button. This will open a form where you can specify the details of your application, such as the container image, environment variables, and resource requirements.

For example, let's say you want to deploy a simple web application using the Kubernetes Dashboard. You can follow these steps:

1. In the "Workloads" section, click on the "Create" button.
2. Select "Deploy a new application" from the options.
3. Fill in the details of your application, such as the container image, port, and resource requirements.
4. Review the generated YAML file and make any necessary changes.
5. Click "Deploy" to create the new application.

Once your application is deployed, you can monitor its status and performance using the various sections of the Kubernetes Dashboard.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

The Kubernetes Dashboard also provides tools for monitoring and troubleshooting your applications. You can use the "Logs" and "Events" sections to view the logs and events associated with your running pods. Additionally, the "Nodes" and "Workloads" sections can provide insights into the overall health and performance of your cluster.

For example, if you notice that one of your pods is not responding as expected, you can navigate to the "Workloads" section, find the pod, and view its logs to help identify the issue.

Conclusion

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a powerful tool for managing your Kubernetes applications. It provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easier to deploy, monitor, and troubleshoot your applications. By leveraging the Kubernetes Dashboard, you can streamline your Kubernetes workflow and improve the overall efficiency of your Kubernetes-based infrastructure.