KubernetesDistributionen

Kubernetes Distributionen, often shortened to Kubernetes distributions, are pre-packaged, opinionated, and supported versions of the Kubernetes open-source container orchestration system. While Kubernetes itself provides the core technology, a distribution bundles it with additional tools, configurations, and often a specific operating system or cloud environment to simplify deployment, management, and operation. These distributions aim to address common challenges faced by users when setting up and running Kubernetes, such as networking, storage, security, and observability. They provide a more streamlined experience compared to building a Kubernetes cluster from scratch.

Different Kubernetes distributions cater to various use cases and environments. Some are designed for cloud-native deployments on public cloud providers, offering tight integration with their services. Others are optimized for on-premises infrastructure, providing flexibility and control. There are also lightweight distributions suitable for edge computing or development environments. Key components often included in distributions beyond the core Kubernetes components are container runtimes, CNI (Container Network Interface) plugins, CSI (Container Storage Interface) drivers, an Ingress controller, and a dashboard or command-line interface for management. The choice of a Kubernetes distribution depends on factors like the target infrastructure, team expertise, desired features, and support requirements. Major cloud providers offer their managed Kubernetes services, which are essentially curated distributions. Independent vendors also provide commercial and open-source distributions with varying levels of support and feature sets.