k8s

This repo contains helm and YAML for deploying Portainer into a Kubernetes environment. Follow the applicable instructions for your edition / deployment methodology below:

Deploying with Helm

Install the repository:

helm repo add portainer https://portainer.github.io/k8s/
helm repo update

Create the portainer namespace:

kubectl create namespace portainer

Community Edition

Install the helm chart:

Using NodePort on a local/remote cluster

helm install -n portainer portainer portainer/portainer

Using a cloud provider’s loadbalancer

helm install -n portainer portainer portainer/portainer --set service.type=LoadBalancer

Using ClusterIP with an ingress

helm install -n portainer portainer portainer/portainer --set service.type=ClusterIP

For advanced helm customization, see the chart README

Enterprise Edition

Using NodePort on a local/remote cluster

helm install --set enterpriseEdition.enabled=true -n portainer portainer portainer/portainer

Using a cloud provider’s loadbalancer

helm install  --set enterpriseEdition.enabled=true -n portainer portainer portainer/portainer --set service.type=LoadBalancer

Using ClusterIP with an ingress

helm install  --set enterpriseEdition.enabled=true -n portainer portainer portainer/portainer --set service.type=ClusterIP

For advanced helm customization, see the chart README

Deploying with manifests

If you’re not into helm, you can install Portainer using manifests, by first creating the portainer namespace:

kubectl create namespace portainer

And then…

Community Edition

Using NodePort on a local/remote cluster

kubectl create namespace portainer
kubectl apply -n portainer -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portainer/k8s/master/deploy/manifests/portainer/portainer.yaml

Using a cloud provider’s loadbalancer

kubectl create namespace portainer
kubectl apply -n portainer -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portainer/k8s/master/deploy/manifests/portainer/portainer-lb.yaml

Enterprise Edition

Using NodePort on a local/remote cluster

kubectl create namespace portainer
kubectl apply -n portainer -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portainer/k8s/master/deploy/manifests/portainer/portainer-ee.yaml

Using a cloud provider’s loadbalancer

kubectl create namespace portainer
kubectl apply -n portainer -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portainer/k8s/master/deploy/manifests/portainer/portainer-lb-ee.yaml

Note re persisting data

The charts/manifests will create a persistent volume for storing Portainer data, using the default StorageClass.

In some Kubernetes clusters (microk8s), the default Storage Class simply creates hostPath volumes, which are not explicitly tied to a particular node. In a multi-node cluster, this can create an issue when the pod is terminated and rescheduled on a different node, “leaving” all the persistent data behind and starting the pod with an “empty” volume.

While this behaviour is inherently a limitation of using hostPath volumes, a suitable workaround is to use add a nodeSelector to the deployment, which effectively “pins” the portainer pod to a particular node.

The nodeSelector can be added in the following ways:

  1. Edit your own values.yaml and set the value of nodeSelector like this:
nodeSelector:
  kubernetes.io/hostname: <YOUR NODE NAME>
  1. Explicictly set the target node when deploying/updating the helm chart on the CLI, by including --set nodeSelector.kubernetes.io/hostname=<YOUR NODE NAME>

  2. If you’ve deployed Portainer via manifests, without Helm, run the following one-liner to “patch” the deployment, forcing the pod to always be scheduled on the node it’s currently running on:

kubectl patch deployments -n portainer portainer -p '{"spec": {"template": {"spec": {"nodeSelector": {"kubernetes.io/hostname": "'$(kubectl get pods -n portainer -o jsonpath='{ ..nodeName }')'"}}}}}' || (echo Failed to identify current node of portainer pod; exit 1)