Kubernetes vs RancherOS

Overview

Kubernetes

Stacks61.2K

Followers52.8K

Votes685

RancherOS

Stacks104

Followers158

Votes3

GitHub Stars6.4K

Forks654

Kubernetes vs RancherOS: What are the differences?

Introduction

Kubernetes and RancherOS are both popular technologies in the field of container orchestration. While Kubernetes is a widely used open-source container orchestration platform, RancherOS is an operating system designed specifically for running Kubernetes and other container workloads. In this text, we will explore the key differences between these two technologies.

Installation and Setup: Kubernetes requires manual installation and setup, involving the installation of a VM or bare-metal server, configuring the networking, and setting up the Kubernetes components. On the other hand, RancherOS simplifies the installation and setup process by providing a specialized lightweight Linux distribution that comes pre-installed with Kubernetes, allowing for easier deployment and management of containerized applications.
Resource Management: Kubernetes offers sophisticated resource management capabilities, allowing users to efficiently allocate and manage compute, storage, and network resources. It provides features such as horizontal and vertical scaling, auto-scaling, and resource quotas. RancherOS, while providing basic resource management functionalities, is more focused on simplifying the deployment and management of containerized applications rather than fine-grained resource allocation.
High Availability and Fault Tolerance: Kubernetes has built-in support for high availability and fault tolerance. It enables the deployment of multi-node clusters with automatic failover and load balancing. Kubernetes supports various high availability configurations, such as running multiple replicas of master components and using features like pod anti-affinity and node affinity. RancherOS, being an operating system, does not specifically address high availability and fault tolerance at the same level as Kubernetes. However, RancherOS can be used in conjunction with Kubernetes to build highly available and fault-tolerant infrastructures.
User Interface and Management: Kubernetes provides a powerful command-line interface (CLI) called kubectl, which allows users to manage and interact with Kubernetes clusters. It also offers a web-based dashboard for visual management and monitoring. RancherOS, on the other hand, provides a user-friendly web-based management interface called Rancher, which allows users to easily deploy, monitor, and manage containerized applications. Rancher also provides additional features such as application catalog, load balancing, and infrastructure automation.
Extensibility and Ecosystem: Kubernetes has a large and vibrant ecosystem with a wide range of tools, plugins, and extensions developed by the community. It supports various cloud providers, storage systems, and networking solutions, allowing users to customize and extend the platform according to their needs. RancherOS, being a specialized operating system, does not have an extensive ecosystem like Kubernetes. However, RancherOS integrates well with Kubernetes and can leverage the Kubernetes ecosystem for additional functionalities.
Community and Support: Kubernetes has a large and active community of users and contributors. It is supported by major cloud providers like Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services, ensuring continuous development, support, and updates. RancherOS also has a community of users and contributors, but it may not be as extensive as the Kubernetes community. RancherOS is primarily supported by Rancher Labs, the company behind RancherOS, providing commercial support and professional services.

In summary, Kubernetes is a powerful and flexible container orchestration platform with advanced resource management and high availability features. RancherOS, on the other hand, is an operating system designed specifically for running Kubernetes and simplifying the deployment and management of containerized applications. While Kubernetes offers a broader ecosystem and extensive community support, RancherOS provides a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for Kubernetes users.

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Advice on Kubernetes, RancherOS

Simon

Senior Fullstack Developer at QUANTUSflow Software GmbH

Apr 27, 2020

Decidedon

GitHub

GitHub Pages

Markdown

Our whole DevOps stack consists of the following tools:

@{GitHub}|tool:27| (incl. @{GitHub Pages}|tool:683|/@{Markdown}|tool:1147| for Documentation, GettingStarted and HowTo's) for collaborative review and code management tool
Respectively @{Git}|tool:1046| as revision control system
@{SourceTree}|tool:1599| as @{Git}|tool:1046| GUI
@{Visual Studio Code}|tool:4202| as IDE
@{CircleCI}|tool:190| for continuous integration (automatize development process)
@{Prettier}|tool:7035| / @{TSLint}|tool:5561| / @{ESLint}|tool:3337| as code linter
@{SonarQube}|tool:2638| as quality gate
@{Docker}|tool:586| as container management (incl. @{Docker Compose}|tool:3136| for multi-container application management)
@{VirtualBox}|tool:774| for operating system simulation tests
@{Kubernetes}|tool:1885| as cluster management for docker containers
@{Heroku}|tool:133| for deploying in test environments
@{nginx}|tool:1052| as web server (preferably used as facade server in production environment)
@{SSLMate}|tool:2752| (using @{OpenSSL}|tool:3091|) for certificate management
@{Amazon EC2}|tool:18| (incl. @{Amazon S3}|tool:25|) for deploying in stage (production-like) and production environments
@{PostgreSQL}|tool:1028| as preferred database system
@{Redis}|tool:1031| as preferred in-memory database/store (great for caching)

The main reason we have chosen Kubernetes over Docker Swarm is related to the following artifacts:

Key features: Easy and flexible installation, Clear dashboard, Great scaling operations, Monitoring is an integral part, Great load balancing concepts, Monitors the condition and ensures compensation in the event of failure.
Applications: An application can be deployed using a combination of pods, deployments, and services (or micro-services).
Functionality: Kubernetes as a complex installation and setup process, but it not as limited as Docker Swarm.
Monitoring: It supports multiple versions of logging and monitoring when the services are deployed within the cluster (Elasticsearch/Kibana (ELK), Heapster/Grafana, Sysdig cloud integration).
Scalability: All-in-one framework for distributed systems.
Other Benefits: Kubernetes is backed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), huge community among container orchestration tools, it is an open source and modular tool that works with any OS.

12.8M views12.8M

Comments

Detailed Comparison

Kubernetes	RancherOS
Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers. It handles scheduling onto nodes in a compute cluster and actively manages workloads to ensure that their state matches the users declared intentions.	It makes it simple to run containers at scale in development, test and production. By containerizing system services and leveraging Docker for management, the operating system provides a very reliable and easy to manage containers.
Lightweight, simple and accessible;Built for a multi-cloud world, public, private or hybrid;Highly modular, designed so that all of its components are easily swappable	Lightweight; Rancher Integration; Kuberenetes Integration;Minimalist OS;Comprehensive System Services;Improved Security
Statistics
GitHub Stars -	GitHub Stars 6.4K
GitHub Forks -	GitHub Forks 654
Stacks 61.2K	Stacks 104
Followers 52.8K	Followers 158
Votes 685	Votes 3
Pros & Cons
Pros 166 Leading docker container management solution 130 Simple and powerful 108 Open source 76 Backed by google 58 The right abstractions Cons 16 Steep learning curve 15 Poor workflow for development 8 Orchestrates only infrastructure 4 High resource requirements for on-prem clusters 2 Too heavy for simple systems	Pros 3 System-docker
Integrations
Vagrant Docker Rackspace Cloud Servers Microsoft Azure Google Compute Engine Ansible Google Kubernetes Engine	Linux Docker Rancher

What are some alternatives to Kubernetes, RancherOS?

Rancher

Rancher is an open source container management platform that includes full distributions of Kubernetes, Apache Mesos and Docker Swarm, and makes it simple to operate container clusters on any cloud or infrastructure platform.

Docker Compose

With Compose, you define a multi-container application in a single file, then spin your application up in a single command which does everything that needs to be done to get it running.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

Docker Swarm

Swarm serves the standard Docker API, so any tool which already communicates with a Docker daemon can use Swarm to transparently scale to multiple hosts: Dokku, Compose, Krane, Deis, DockerUI, Shipyard, Drone, Jenkins... and, of course, the Docker client itself.

Tutum

Tutum lets developers easily manage and run lightweight, portable, self-sufficient containers from any application. AWS-like control, Heroku-like ease. The same container that a developer builds and tests on a laptop can run at scale in Tutum.

Debian

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.

Portainer

It is a universal container management tool. It works with Kubernetes, Docker, Docker Swarm and Azure ACI. It allows you to manage containers without needing to know platform-specific code.

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.

Linux Mint

The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.

Related Comparisons

Stacks61.2K

Followers52.8K

Votes685

RancherOS

Stacks104

Followers158

Votes3

GitHub Stars6.4K

Forks654

Kubernetes vs RancherOS: What are the differences?

Introduction

Installation and Setup: Kubernetes requires manual installation and setup, involving the installation of a VM or bare-metal server, configuring the networking, and setting up the Kubernetes components. On the other hand, RancherOS simplifies the installation and setup process by providing a specialized lightweight Linux distribution that comes pre-installed with Kubernetes, allowing for easier deployment and management of containerized applications.
Resource Management: Kubernetes offers sophisticated resource management capabilities, allowing users to efficiently allocate and manage compute, storage, and network resources. It provides features such as horizontal and vertical scaling, auto-scaling, and resource quotas. RancherOS, while providing basic resource management functionalities, is more focused on simplifying the deployment and management of containerized applications rather than fine-grained resource allocation.
High Availability and Fault Tolerance: Kubernetes has built-in support for high availability and fault tolerance. It enables the deployment of multi-node clusters with automatic failover and load balancing. Kubernetes supports various high availability configurations, such as running multiple replicas of master components and using features like pod anti-affinity and node affinity. RancherOS, being an operating system, does not specifically address high availability and fault tolerance at the same level as Kubernetes. However, RancherOS can be used in conjunction with Kubernetes to build highly available and fault-tolerant infrastructures.
User Interface and Management: Kubernetes provides a powerful command-line interface (CLI) called kubectl, which allows users to manage and interact with Kubernetes clusters. It also offers a web-based dashboard for visual management and monitoring. RancherOS, on the other hand, provides a user-friendly web-based management interface called Rancher, which allows users to easily deploy, monitor, and manage containerized applications. Rancher also provides additional features such as application catalog, load balancing, and infrastructure automation.
Extensibility and Ecosystem: Kubernetes has a large and vibrant ecosystem with a wide range of tools, plugins, and extensions developed by the community. It supports various cloud providers, storage systems, and networking solutions, allowing users to customize and extend the platform according to their needs. RancherOS, being a specialized operating system, does not have an extensive ecosystem like Kubernetes. However, RancherOS integrates well with Kubernetes and can leverage the Kubernetes ecosystem for additional functionalities.
Community and Support: Kubernetes has a large and active community of users and contributors. It is supported by major cloud providers like Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services, ensuring continuous development, support, and updates. RancherOS also has a community of users and contributors, but it may not be as extensive as the Kubernetes community. RancherOS is primarily supported by Rancher Labs, the company behind RancherOS, providing commercial support and professional services.

Advice on Kubernetes, RancherOS

Simon

Senior Fullstack Developer at QUANTUSflow Software GmbH

Apr 27, 2020

Decidedon

GitHub

GitHub Pages

Markdown

Our whole DevOps stack consists of the following tools:

@{GitHub}|tool:27| (incl. @{GitHub Pages}|tool:683|/@{Markdown}|tool:1147| for Documentation, GettingStarted and HowTo's) for collaborative review and code management tool
Respectively @{Git}|tool:1046| as revision control system
@{SourceTree}|tool:1599| as @{Git}|tool:1046| GUI
@{Visual Studio Code}|tool:4202| as IDE
@{CircleCI}|tool:190| for continuous integration (automatize development process)
@{Prettier}|tool:7035| / @{TSLint}|tool:5561| / @{ESLint}|tool:3337| as code linter
@{SonarQube}|tool:2638| as quality gate
@{Docker}|tool:586| as container management (incl. @{Docker Compose}|tool:3136| for multi-container application management)
@{VirtualBox}|tool:774| for operating system simulation tests
@{Kubernetes}|tool:1885| as cluster management for docker containers
@{Heroku}|tool:133| for deploying in test environments
@{nginx}|tool:1052| as web server (preferably used as facade server in production environment)
@{SSLMate}|tool:2752| (using @{OpenSSL}|tool:3091|) for certificate management
@{Amazon EC2}|tool:18| (incl. @{Amazon S3}|tool:25|) for deploying in stage (production-like) and production environments
@{PostgreSQL}|tool:1028| as preferred database system
@{Redis}|tool:1031| as preferred in-memory database/store (great for caching)

The main reason we have chosen Kubernetes over Docker Swarm is related to the following artifacts:

Key features: Easy and flexible installation, Clear dashboard, Great scaling operations, Monitoring is an integral part, Great load balancing concepts, Monitors the condition and ensures compensation in the event of failure.
Applications: An application can be deployed using a combination of pods, deployments, and services (or micro-services).
Functionality: Kubernetes as a complex installation and setup process, but it not as limited as Docker Swarm.
Monitoring: It supports multiple versions of logging and monitoring when the services are deployed within the cluster (Elasticsearch/Kibana (ELK), Heapster/Grafana, Sysdig cloud integration).
Scalability: All-in-one framework for distributed systems.
Other Benefits: Kubernetes is backed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), huge community among container orchestration tools, it is an open source and modular tool that works with any OS.

12.8M views12.8M

Comments

Detailed Comparison

Kubernetes	RancherOS
Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers. It handles scheduling onto nodes in a compute cluster and actively manages workloads to ensure that their state matches the users declared intentions.	It makes it simple to run containers at scale in development, test and production. By containerizing system services and leveraging Docker for management, the operating system provides a very reliable and easy to manage containers.
Lightweight, simple and accessible;Built for a multi-cloud world, public, private or hybrid;Highly modular, designed so that all of its components are easily swappable	Lightweight; Rancher Integration; Kuberenetes Integration;Minimalist OS;Comprehensive System Services;Improved Security
Statistics
GitHub Stars -	GitHub Stars 6.4K
GitHub Forks -	GitHub Forks 654
Stacks 61.2K	Stacks 104
Followers 52.8K	Followers 158
Votes 685	Votes 3
Pros & Cons
Pros 166 Leading docker container management solution 130 Simple and powerful 108 Open source 76 Backed by google 58 The right abstractions Cons 16 Steep learning curve 15 Poor workflow for development 8 Orchestrates only infrastructure 4 High resource requirements for on-prem clusters 2 Too heavy for simple systems	Pros 3 System-docker
Integrations
Vagrant Docker Rackspace Cloud Servers Microsoft Azure Google Compute Engine Ansible Google Kubernetes Engine	Linux Docker Rancher

Kubernetes vs RancherOS

Overview

Kubernetes vs RancherOS: What are the differences?