Component C128 – K8Rngr

By Raj Marni. March 27, 2025. Revised. Version: 0.0.04

1. Purpose

C128 – K8Rngr is the integrated cluster management platform within k8or Orbit, responsible for provisioning and managing K3s clusters across multiple cloud providers (AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean, IBM, etc.). Acting as the primary interface for cluster lifecycle management, K8Rngr in k8or Orbit interacts directly with AccessPoint (C52) to ensure that all operations are performed securely through proper authentication and authorization.

Obit Component C128 Diagram

2. Key Functions

1. Cluster Provisioning & Management

   • Automated K3s Cluster Creation: After validating access via AccessPoint, K8Rngr provisions new K3s clusters on the selected cloud provider.

   • Multi-Cloud Deployment: Supports cluster deployment across various platforms (AWS, GCP, DO, IBM), ensuring flexibility in infrastructure choices.

   • Lifecycle Management: Handles updates, scaling, and deletion of clusters as needed, maintaining a consistent, automated environment.

2. Security & Access Control

   • Authentication & Authorization: K8Rngr accesses clusters through AccessPoint after receiving valid credentials and role-based permissions, ensuring that only authorized requests trigger cluster actions.

   • Policy Enforcement: Applies organizational policies to new clusters, including network configurations, RBAC settings, and security best practices.

3. Integration with k8or Orbit Services

   • Unified Dashboard: Integrates with the CommBridge member Kaptainer (C62) to display the status of clusters, resource utilization, and deployment logs.

   • Inter-Component Coordination: Works in conjunction with other components like SyncMaster, ArgoCD, and CommBridge to ensure clusters are seamlessly incorporated into the overall orchestration framework.

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3. Architecture & Interactions

1. AccessPoint (C52) Integration

   • Gatekeeper Role: K8Rngr (C128) accesses the cluster plane via AccessPoint, which authenticates and authorizes each provisioning request before allowing K8Rngr to create or modify clusters.

   • Secure Routing: All communication between K8Rngr and the underlying cloud provider’s API or the K3s cluster is secured and logged through AccessPoint.

2. Cloud Provider Connectivity

   • API Interactions: K8Rngr communicates with cloud provider APIs (AWS, GCP, etc.) to allocate resources, set up networking, and deploy K3s clusters.

   • Configuration Automation: Automates the setup of essential components such as load balancers, ingress controllers, and persistent storage, ensuring clusters are production-ready.

3. Operational Management

   • Monitoring & Alerts: Once clusters are provisioned, K8Rngr integrates with the orbit-plane monitoring stack (e.g., InsightHub) for real-time metrics and alerts.

   • Scaling & Updates: Provides interfaces for scaling clusters up or down, and managing updates or upgrades in a controlled manner.

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4. Benefits & Impact

1. Simplified Multi-Cloud Management

   • Centralizes cluster management under one platform, reducing complexity when deploying and maintaining clusters across different cloud environments.

2. Enhanced Security

   • By funneling all cluster provisioning requests through AccessPoint, K8Rngr ensures that all actions comply with centralized IAM and RBAC policies.

3. Operational Efficiency

   • Automates cluster setup, configuration, and lifecycle management, freeing up teams to focus on application development and operational improvements.

4. Scalability & Flexibility

   • K8Rngr’s ability to deploy clusters on various cloud providers allows organizations to scale their infrastructure as needed and leverage the best offerings from each provider.