VSHN.timer #146: The Case Against Kubernetes

Welcome to another VSHN.timer! Every Monday, 5 links related to Kubernetes, OpenShift, CI / CD, and DevOps; all stuff coming out of our own chat system, making us think, laugh, or simply work better.

This week we’re going to talk about valid critics raised against Kubernetes and its complexity.

1. We love Kubernetes but, let’s be honest: sometimes we just need something less complicated. Charles Humble of The New Stack asks the question whether we can live without Kubernetes, and the answer is yes, there are plenty of options out there: Nomad, PaaS, Serverless… and more.

https://thenewstack.io/can-you-live-without-kubernetes

FAANG promo committees are killing Kubernetes: A Short Thread 🧵

— Noah Kantrowitz (@kantrn) April 6, 2022

2. Kubernetes can be a potentially very expensive choice. Denilson N. answers the question of whether we are spending too much on Kubernetes and outlines some strategies for teams, to make sure their OPEX doesn’t go through the roof. We also learnt that Mercedes-Benz has 900 clusters; we hope they have optimized their cost structure.

https://betterprogramming.pub/are-you-spending-too-much-on-kubernetes-179d703ec5c5

3. Kubernetes might still be the best container orchestration option for many businesses. Dave Blakey of Snapt answers the question whether we need Kubernetes or not, enumerating positive arguments compared to other alternatives. Actually, if you pay attention, Kubernetes is so simple, you can explore it with curl!

4. Maybe, just maybe, you shouldn’t be using Kubernetes at all. That’s the opinion of Jeremy Brown, for whom Kubernetes is a red flag signaling premature optimization and other evils. Oops!

https://www.jeremybrown.tech/8-kubernetes-is-a-red-flag-signalling-premature-optimisation/

5. Do you work with Kubernetes all day long, and are close to throwing your laptop through the window? Don’t lose your cool; Marcus Noble has a few tips for you. Breathe deeply, you’re not alone.

Do you use other container orchestrators than Kubernetes? Do you think Kubernetes is an antipattern? Would you like to share some Kubernetes tips and tricks with our readers? Get in touch with us, and see you next week for another edition of VSHN.timer.

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PS³: check out our previous VSHN.timer editions about Kubernetes: #4, #8, #11, #14, #16, #19, #23, #37, #46, #49, #59, #64, #74, #82, #97, #99, #102, #109, #118, #126, and #142.