Container orchestration with Kubernetes from Google

Administrative Assistant

Container-based virtualization has several advantages over classical virtualization tools such as KVM or Xen. Containers allow a higher packing density: A container is initially no more than a directory within a Linux system that shares the host's resources, comprising only the components needed for the container and stressing the CPU only as needed by the services within the container.

In Its Sights for Years

Google has focused on container virtualization for years. The need for efficient management tools is particularly high at Google, which operates so large an infrastructure that even the smallest performance gains quickly translate into big savings.

Google generally allows the open source community to participate in testing and developing its products; against this background, the company published the first public version of Kubernetes [1] in 2014. Behind the somewhat unwieldy name, you will find Google's own Linux distribution, specifically geared toward operating Docker containers and extending Docker [2] to include many useful functions for large computing networks. SUSE and Red Hat now also participate in Kubernetes' development.

How does Kubernetes fare in a market in which CoreOS and various other container-friendly systems are already active?

The Problem

Google has to unite countless systems worldwide to form a single computing environment and ensure that servers can be managed well remotely. Kubernetes is Google's approach to making Docker enterprise-ready (Figure 1). The Kubernetes solution is designed to leverage the benefits of large-scale computing environments.

...

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).