Best Kubernetes Alternatives on the Market
Kubernetes is probably the best and most powerful container orchestration platform. It’s developed and managed by Google and is used by numerous companies worldwide. Kubernetes’s framework is so robust and resilient that it faces almost zero downtime. It also offers features like container self-healing, rollback, and scaling. Even though Kubernetes is incredibly feature-packed, many organizations find it challenging to use this software.
Issues Organizations Face While Using Kubernetes
• There are many Unwanted Features
Many developers feel that Kubernetes is overly powerful. Because there are so many features, they don’t need. This is why massive organizations involved in large-scale business activities hire Kubernetes experts by paying them hefty wages. But small or medium-scale companies find many Kubernetes features unnecessary. So, instead of hiring Kubernetes experts and investing in the software, these companies look for low-cost alternatives that provide all the necessary features.
• Learning Kubernetes Isn’t Easy
Learning Kubernetes is not something every developer can do. This is why large-scale companies hire Kubernetes experts to manage their business applications. But, if your company can’t afford to acquire developers with expertise in using this software, you should look for alternatives.
• Hidden Costs
Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration software from Google. But, just like other Google apps, it’s not entirely free. In reality, there are many hidden costs. Apart from deployment and operational expenses, you’ll also have to invest in a large-scale computing environment and hire Kubernetes experts to run this software. Hence, companies with a smaller technical infrastructure should opt for low-cost alternatives.
• It’s difficult to Migrate from Other Applications
Transitioning to Kubernetes can be taxing if your company used a different CaaS, PaaS, or management application previously. This software’s features are a lot more complicated, and to run it efficiently, you’ll have no choice but to hire Kubernetes experts.
Kubernetes Alternatives for CaaS
Here are some of the best CaaS applications you can go for:
1. Google Cloud Run
Google Cloud Run is a fully-managed software that allows you to process Docker container images as auto-scaling and stateless HTTP services. Like AWS Lambda and Google Cloud Functions, this platform is serverless. Besides running small functions with a restricted interface, Google Cloud Run can also run complicated applications with numerous endpoints. It can automatically scale the number of container instances based on the requests received by each application.
2. AWS Fargate
Amazon Web Services Fargate (AWS Fargate) is a serverless management engine that works collaboratively with Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS). With the help of this software, you can run containers without having to manage clusters or servers of Amazon EC2. Fargate’s computer model is quite robust and flexible. It scales up transparently, and you’ll only pay based on your usage of memory and CPU resources.
3. Azure Container Instances
Azure Container Instances is based on Microsoft Azure. Therefore, it enables developers to directly deploy containers in Microsoft’s public cloud without provisioning or managing the overall infrastructure. Azure Container Instances supports both Microsoft and Linux-based containers. There’s also no need to manage or configure virtual machines. You can directly launch new containers through Azure’s CLI or portal. Then, Microsoft will automatically configure and scale the resources.
Kubernetes Alternatives for PaaS
Looking for PaaS applications? Here are some worthy alternatives to Kubernetes:
1. Openshift Container Platform
The Openshift Container Platform is a great hybrid cloud software. This software allows companies to scale and build containerized apps. In fact, Openshift Container Platform has more features and capabilities than plain Kubernetes. It offers features like standardized container support, Docker’s Red Hat API, scheduling, orchestration, and container networking. It also has many deployment capabilities as well.
2. Rancher
Rancher is an open-source and cloud-based platform for running containers across various environments. You can capture resources from any private or public cloud and efficiently deploy Kubernetes resources. Rancher offers features like container load balancing, multi-tenancy, multi-cloud management, user management, and cross-host networks.
Best Applications Providing Managed Kubernetes Services
Here are some of the best applications if you’re looking for managed Kubernetes services:
1. Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) is used by many companies to ensure automated and simplified Kubernetes cluster management. EKS is available on Amazon infrastructure and can also be used for the on-premises management of Kubernetes. It has all the Kubernetes tools one could ask for. EKS can manage the scales master nodes and control plane. It also deploys across multiple availability zones, ensuring high availability.
2. Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
Google Kubernetes Engine is one of the most stable Kubernetes services out there. As expected, GKE runs the most recent version of Kubernetes and perfectly automates Kubernetes management instances. Moreover, by integrating with Google Cloud services, GKE provides various security features and access control. You can also run GKE on-premises and on other public clouds like Azure and AWS through Anthos.
Conclusion
If your business is using Kubernetes-based tools, then you need to hire a Kubernetes consultant or developer who has expertise in using this platform. They can provide you with the right cloud-based solutions and perfectly manage your containers, resources, and applications.