Migration to Kubernetes – the process, pitfalls, and success

Just ask George R.R. Martin: the hardest thing when starting to write a book is the inertia of the beginning – what are the first words of the first page? The same roadblock applies when you decide to migrate your IT infrastructure to Kubernetes: the most challenging part is getting started.
In this blog post, we want to talk about the pitfalls of migrating to Kubernetes, what to watch out for, the quick wins, and the best practices in general.
Planning the Migration – Where are you coming from?
Your Kubernetes needs: During and After Deployment
You will definitely need to keep in mind that you may possibly require your IT engineers and developers to improve their skills in Kubernetes and other cloud-native architecture tools. This is especially true if you go all-in and decide to host and manage your Kubernetes clusters yourself, but much less true if you decide to utilize a hosted-Kubernetes setup. In fact, with CloudPlex your developers do not even need any technical Kubernetes know-how.
- Do you have enough Kubernetes know-how internally? Kubernetes is often reputed to be ‘simple to grasp, difficult to master’. That means it is easy to understand the basics of Kubernetes, but actually making it work in a complex environment is no job for a newbie. This is especially true when you have to use advanced Kubernetes features such as dynamic parameterization, proper use of RBAC (role-based access control), and autoscaling.
- Do you appreciate the pain points that come with a standalone Kubernetes, and how can a top-tier managed Kubernetes service provider help resolve these? As an example, read through this explanation of typical Kubernetes blockers that the average migration has to endure, and how Cloudplex can help resolve each of them.
- And of course, if you manage your own Kubernetes cluster, you will need to buy your own infrastructure. Even if you set it up in your cloud infrastructure, you are still missing out on the efficiencies that a tool like Cloudplex can offer, thus reducing your footprint in terms of deployed servers.
I’m having second thoughts on Kubernetes
