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Getting Started with VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKGS/TKGm): A Step-by-Step Guide
As we continue to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important for us to find ways to adapt and continue sharing valuable content with our community. In this blog post, my colleague @vdgmichael and I will take you through a step-by-step guide on how to get started with VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKGS/TKGm) for a Proof of Concept (POC) in your enterprise or lab environment.
Before we dive into the details, let’s first understand the differences between TKGS and TKGm. TKGS is the on-premises version of Tanzu Kubernetes Grid, while TKGm is the cloud-based version. Both offer the same features and capabilities, but the deployment and management differ.
Now, let’s get started!
Pre-requisites:
1. VMware vCenter Server (6.5 or higher)
2. vSphere ESXi (6.5 or higher)
3. Networking infrastructure with DNS and DHCP services
4. SSH client access to the ESXi hosts
Step 1 – Deploy TKGS/TKGm
To deploy TKGS/TKGm, you can use either the Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Manager (TKGM) or the Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKGS) deployment option. For this example, we will be using TKGS.
1. Download the TKGS installation package from the VMware website.
2. Extract the contents of the installation package to a directory on your local machine.
3. Open a terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where you extracted the installation package.
4. Run the following command to start the installation process:
“`
sudo ./install.sh
“`
Step 2 – Configure TKGS/TKGm
Once the installation is complete, you will need to configure TKGS/TKGm. This includes setting up the vCenter Server, creating a Kubernetes cluster, and configuring network policies.
1. Open the TKGS/TKGm web interface by navigating to the IP address of your ESXi host followed by the port number (default is 443).
2. Log in using the default admin credentials (username: admin, password: password).
3. Click on the “Configure” tab and select “vCenter Server”.
4. Enter the IP address or FQDN of your vCenter Server and click “Save”.
5. Click on the “Configure” tab and select “Kubernetes Cluster”.
6. Choose the desired Kubernetes version (v1.20 or v1.21) and click “Create Cluster”.
7. Select the desired network policy and click “Apply”.
Step 3 – Verify TKGS/TKGm
After configuring TKGS/TKGm, you can verify that everything is working correctly by using the Kubernetes command-line interface (CLI) or a web-based UI such as kubectl or the TKGS/TKGm web interface.
1. Use the Kubernetes CLI to create a simple deployment:
“`
kubectl create deployment my-node –image=vmware/tanzu-kubernetes-grid:v1.20
“`
2. Verify that the deployment was successful by running the following command:
“`
kubectl get deployments
“`
3. Use the TKGS/TKGm web interface to verify that the deployment is running and that the Kubernetes cluster is up and running.
And that’s it! You have successfully set up a Proof of Concept (POC) for VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid in your enterprise or lab environment. We hope this guide has been helpful and informative. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to us.
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