Mirantis announced a new open source project that allows Kubernetes operators to provide increased security and flexibility for Kubernetes control planes, including support for remote worker nodes, while at the same time reducing the resource and operational overhead needed to build new Kubernetes clusters.

The k0smotron architecture - similar to that used by major public cloud providers - enables rapid, large-scale provisioning of Kubernetes control planes on Kubernetes, enhancing resiliency and security, and creating true control plane separation from worker nodes. Separating the control plane from workers also enables provisioning of remote worker nodes, supporting a wider range of use cases, including smaller footprint edge, branch office, and Internet of Things (IoT).

"k0smotron is ideal for IoT applications where you want to centrally manage control planes and do so very efficiently, but where thousands of distributed worker nodes may need to run on remote, resource-poor devices with less-than-ideal network connectivity," said Miska Kaipiainen, vice president of engineering, Mirantis. "k0smotron is also great for more run-of-the-mill applications, like giving developers the ability to provision clusters on demand for themselves on a private cloud. We're now working with Kubernetes ClusterAPI to let k0smotron provision underlying virtual machines (VMs) and networks for itself in a fully-automated way, abstracting underlying infrastructure and creating a complete solution." 

The k0smotron operator, developed by the team behind the open source k0s Kubernetes distribution, is deployed onto an existing Kubernetes cluster which becomes the mothership cluster that provides control plane services on demand. This approach provides for hybrid and multi-cloud support. 

To learn more about k0smotron, register for the upcoming Tech Talk, Expanding Horizons: k0smotron's Integration with Cluster API and Beyond, on August 22. To start using it today, visit the GitHub repository.