Rackspace Managed Kubernetes (MPK)
Rackspace Managed Platform for Kubernetes (MPK) is powered by Platform9, offering a unified management aircraft for cluster deployment, monitoring, incident response, and upgrades.
MPK helps three environments—Rackspace naked metallic, AKS, and EKS. Distinctive advantages embrace an SLA guaranteeing Kubernetes upgrades inside 120 days of finish of life and devoted assist, with a pod of Kubernetes-certified engineers aiding every buyer.
Extremely Kubernetes-conformant, MPK integrates CNCF-backed instruments like Prometheus, Fluentd, Helm, and Istio. Nonetheless, MPK lacks a local container registry, IAM, and storage, requiring public cloud or bring-your-own options.
MPK is a strong alternative for groups utilizing Rackspace for bare-metal internet hosting who need hands-on assist and a centralized platform to handle AWS’s and Azure’s Kubernetes companies.
Rancher
Rancher, by SUSE, is a Kubernetes-as-a-service resolution for on-premises and cloud. Rancher can handle clusters for a number of Kubernetes platforms together with Rancher Kubernetes Engine (RKE), K3s, AKS, EKS, and GKE.
Builders have a tendency to search out Rancher’s unified net UI simple to get began with. Rancher additionally offers an API and CLI and helps Terraform with its personal slice of GitOps. It ships with safe administrative controls, together with OAuth and different login choices. Rancher has a big consumer base and Slack teams, making it simple to search out group and assist.
SUSE has launched worth hikes lately. Engineers have additionally reported efficiency and scalability challenges with Longhorn, SUSE’s native storage resolution, and infrequently advocate alternate options for backup storage. Rancher additionally helps K3k, Kubernetes in Kubernetes, which lets you run remoted K3s clusters inside a bigger Kubernetes surroundings.
All in all, Rancher is similar to OpenShift, however much less opinionated and extra modular, with a special strategy to multi-tenancy. For those who want multi-cloud, multi-cluster administration with fewer vendor restrictions, Rancher is a strong alternative. Portainer is a comparable various.
Purple Hat OpenShift Kubernetes Engine
Purple Hat OpenShift is a hybrid cloud platform that streamlines Kubernetes with a developer software chain, simplifying cluster administration. It consists of built-in observability, networking, safety, and GitOps, making upgrades and patches simpler than stand-alone Kubernetes. Not like cloud-specific companies, OpenShift is moveable, operating on-prem, in knowledge facilities, or throughout clouds.
OpenShift OpenShift Kubernetes Engine is a extra pared-down model of OpenShift, providing a managed Kubernetes surroundings with out the higher-level platform-as-a-service (PaaS) layer. It additionally helps Kubernetes Operators and operating digital machines alongside containers.
A possible draw back is that OpenShift is far more opinionated in comparison with different companies like AKS. It favors its personal oc CLI over kubectl, and a few Helm charts and Operators may have changes because of its stricter safety mannequin.
OpenShift is appropriate for on-prem deployments, hybrid groups managing VMs and containers, and Purple Hat clients. If a conveyable, enterprise-ready Kubernetes distribution with built-in safety and automation is what you search, OpenShift is a robust contender.
Scaleway Kubernetes Kapsule
Scaleway, an EU-based cloud supplier, provides Kubernetes Kapsule, a managed Kubernetes service centered on autoscaling and resilience. Scaleway additionally offers Kosmos for multi-cloud Kubernetes deployments.
Kapsule encompasses a glossy UX, robust buyer assist, and versatile cluster administration through API, CLI, and Terraform. You pay just for the nodes you employ, making it cost-effective for private clusters or experimentation. Scaleway’s utility library consists of pre-configured photographs for frequent add-ons. Kapsule can also be CNCF-certified, guaranteeing compliance with normal Kubernetes APIs.
A serious downside with Scaleway is the few areas it helps—solely France, the Netherlands, and Poland—hindering a really world attain. Some discover the dearth of sure options, like superior load balancing and DNS, to be a deal breaker. Customers additionally report gradual provisioning instances, outages, and reliability points.
As a result of its restricted function set and geographic distribution, Kapsule appears best-suited to facet initiatives and EU-based startups needing an inexpensive possibility that aligns with European knowledge safety rules.
VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG)
VMware’s Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) is a Kubernetes platform that streamlines networking, authentication, monitoring, logging, and ingress management. Constructed partially on open supply, it leverages Cluster API to handle a number of clusters. TKG performs effectively and provides each CLI and UI choices.
Nonetheless, TKG is now not multi-cloud—since v2.5, TKG dropped assist for AWS and Azure workloads. Now centered virtually totally on VMware vSphere, it’s unsuitable as an agnostic Kubernetes management aircraft. Managing Kubernetes throughout clouds requires Tanzu Mission Management (TMC) alongside native companies like EKS, AKS, or GKE.
One other problem is Tanzu’s convoluted branding and documentation—even VMware staff battle to clarify its SKUs. In the meantime, Broadcom’s takeover of VMware resulted in steep worth hikes. VMware has additionally deprecated a handful of Tanzu packages, elevating questions on VMware Tanzu’s long-term viability.
For those who’re deeply invested in vSphere and digital machines, you may take up increased prices, and also you don’t want a real multi-cloud resolution, TKG could also be a match. In any other case, extra versatile and extra future-proofed alternate options exist.
Honorable mentions
There are numerous different managed Kubernetes platforms, and extra proceed to emerge alongside area of interest clouds, like Hetzner or Spectro Cloud. Different comparable, fully-faceted Kubernetes managed platforms embrace OVHCloud Managed Kubernetes and Civo Kubernetes.
Tencent Kubernetes Engine (TKE) and Huawei Cloud Container Engine (CCE) are different choices for these within the Asia-Pacific area.
The large gamers additionally supply their very own stripped-down flavors of Kubernetes administration. As an illustration, AKS Computerized and EKS Auto Mode present frictionless developer experiences to automate cluster deployments and operations. And Google Cloud Anthos is rising as a hybrid multi-cloud resolution.
Loads of different options concentrate on extra area of interest Kubernetes administration features. As an illustration, different managed companies deal with common management for multi-cluster, multi-cloud administration, reminiscent of Portainer, Rafay, Omni, Liquo, and Kube Clusters.
For the sting or small container deployments, slim choices embrace MicroK8s, K3s, and K0s, whereas Vultr Kubernetes Engine offers a extra managed expertise. Kubespray, a developer favourite, offers an open-source toolset for deploying Kubernetes clusters in slim configurations.
The correct software for the job
Plug-and-play Kubernetes companies take a number of the trouble out of cluster administration. Nevertheless it all is determined by scale—managed companies might not be obligatory in case you’re not operating many clusters concurrently. Smaller deployments usually go for less complicated container runtimes, like Docker Compose or Nomad. Others flip to platform-as-a-service alternate options, like Heroku, Fly.io, or Cloud Run.
Relying in your wants, it’s possible you’ll solely require particular instruments. As an illustration, Karpenter is a well-liked open-source software strictly for autoscaling cluster nodes. Or, maybe you solely want a dashboard like Devtron or a UI like Aptakube or Octant.
Alternatively, constructing could also be higher than shopping for in case you anticipate needing extra granular management on the infrastructure degree and you’ve got the wherewithal. With the correct technical chops, you may contemplate sticking with built-in kubeadm and internet hosting Kubernetes your self for final management.
Evaluating managed Kubernetes companies boils down to 2 major elements: how a lot you need to handle and what third-party companies you want, says Michael Levan, principal marketing consultant and advisor. Whereas automated companies can take away infrastructure administration, they might not at all times combine effectively with sure third-party instruments. “It actually comes right down to, like something within the cloud, how a lot management you need to give away,” he says.
