Accessing a Remote Kubeadm Cluster from Your Local Machine: A Step-by-Step Guide

In the world of container orchestration, Kubernetes stands out as a powerful tool for automating the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Managing a Kubernetes cluster using kubeadm is a common choice for many users. In this blog, we’ll walk through the process of accessing a remote kubeadm cluster from your local machine, enabling you to manage and monitor your Kubernetes setup with ease.

In this blog, we will cover:

• Understanding Cluster Configuration
• Prerequisites
• Install OpenSSH Server
• Modify SSH Server Configuration file to allow root user
• Obtain Cluster Configuration
• Update kubectl Configuration
• Interact with the Remote Cluster
• Conclusion

Understanding Cluster Configuration

A Kubernetes cluster configuration file, commonly called kubeconfig, holds important details needed to communicate with the cluster. This covers the address of the API server, authentication information, and where the required certificates are located. The kubeconfig file plays a crucial role in creating a secure and authenticated link between your local machine and the remote cluster.

To know more about Kubernetes Cluster Click Here.

Prerequisites

Before embarking on this journey, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

1. A running Kubernetes cluster: Confirm that your remote Kubernetes cluster is operational, deployed using kubeadm.
2. kubectl installed locally: Install the Kubernetes command-line tool, kubectl, on your local machine.

Install OpenSSH Server

OpenSSH Server is a secure networking tool that uses the SSH protocol to encrypt data over a network. It allows secure remote access and command execution, offering a safe alternative to non-encrypted protocols.

// On local machine
$ sudo apt-get install -y openssh-server

Modify SSH Server Configuration file to allow root user

By default, allowing direct root login over SSH is often discouraged for security reasons. However, for certain use cases or configurations, you might need to enable it.

$ vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config
$ systemctl restart sshd

Obtain Cluster Configuration

This step involves fetching the cluster configuration from your remote machine. This configuration file contains crucial details about the cluster, such as API server endpoints, authentication tokens, and certificate information.

//On local machine
mkdir .kube 

//On remote machine
$ scp /etc/kubernetes/admin.conf username@local_server:/root/.kube

Check whether the configuration file has been copied to the .kube folder on the local machine.

Also Read: Our blog post on Role Based Access Control (RBAC).

Update kubectl Configuration

Now armed with the remote cluster configuration, update your local kubectl configuration to incorporate this new cluster. The KUBECONFIG environment variable is a key player in this process, allowing kubectl to discover and use the desired configuration file:

// on local machine
$export KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/admin.conf

// Check the current Kubernetes configuration.
$kubectl config view

Interact with the Remote Cluster

With your local machine now configured to communicate with the remote cluster, initiate interactions using kubectl. For example, retrieve information about the nodes in the remote cluster:

$ kubectl get nodes

Congratulations! We have accessed a remote kubeadm cluster from the local machine.

Conclusion

Accessing a remote kubeadm cluster from your local machine is a skill that empowers Kubernetes administrators and developers to efficiently manage geographically distributed infrastructure. The configuration files, contexts, and kubectl commands form the backbone of this process, enabling secure and authenticated communication. While this guide provides a fundamental walkthrough, the Kubernetes ecosystem is expansive, and continuous exploration of its capabilities is encouraged.

Check Out: Managed Kubernetes services AKS & EKS. Click here

Frequently Asked Questions

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