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diff --git a/docs/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.md b/docs/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5cfefe8 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.md @@ -0,0 +1,254 @@ +<!-- +title: "Kubernetes monitoring with Netdata: Overview and visualizations" +description: "Learn how to navigate Netdata's Kubernetes monitoring features for visualizing the health and performance of a Kubernetes cluster with per-second granularity." +image: /img/seo/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.png +author: "Joel Hans" +author_title: "Editorial Director, Technical & Educational Resources" +author_img: "/img/authors/joel-hans.jpg" +custom_edit_url: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/docs/guides/monitor/kubernetes-k8s-netdata.md +--> + +# Kubernetes monitoring with Netdata: Overview and visualizations + +At Netdata, we've built Kubernetes monitoring tools that add visibility without complexity while also helping you +actively troubleshoot anomalies or outages. This guide walks you through each of the visualizations and offers best +practices on how to use them to start Kubernetes monitoring in a matter of minutes, not hours or days. + +Netdata's Kubernetes monitoring solution uses a handful of [complementary tools and +collectors](#related-reference-documentation) for peeling back the many complex layers of a Kubernetes cluster, +_entirely for free_. These methods work together to give you every metric you need to troubleshoot performance or +availability issues across your Kubernetes infrastructure. + +## Challenge + +While Kubernetes (k8s) might simplify the way you deploy, scale, and load-balance your applications, not all clusters +come with "batteries included" when it comes to monitoring. Doubly so for a monitoring stack that helps you actively +troubleshoot issues with your cluster. + +Some k8s providers, like GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine), do deploy clusters bundled with monitoring capabilities, such +as Google Stackdriver Monitoring. However, these pre-configured solutions might not offer the depth of metrics, +customization, or integration with your preferred alerting methods. + +Without this visibility, it's like you built an entire house and _then_ smashed your way through the finished walls to +add windows. + +## Solution + +In this tutorial, you'll learn how to navigate Netdata's Kubernetes monitoring features, using +[robot-shop](https://github.com/instana/robot-shop) as an example deployment. Deploying robot-shop is purely optional. +You can also follow along with your own Kubernetes deployment if you choose. While the metrics might be different, the +navigation and best practices are the same for every cluster. + +## What you need to get started + +To follow this tutorial, you need: + +- A free Netdata Cloud account. [Sign up](https://app.netdata.cloud/sign-up?cloudRoute=/spaces) if you don't have one + already. +- A working cluster running Kubernetes v1.9 or newer, with a Netdata deployment and connected parent/child nodes. See + our [Kubernetes deployment process](/packaging/installer/methods/kubernetes.md) for details on deployment and + conneting to Cloud. +- The [`kubectl`](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/) command line tool, within [one minor version + difference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/install-kubectl/#before-you-begin) of your cluster, on an + administrative system. +- The [Helm package manager](https://helm.sh/) v3.0.0 or newer on the same administrative system. + +### Install the `robot-shop` demo (optional) + +Begin by downloading the robot-shop code and using `helm` to create a new deployment. + +```bash +git clone git@github.com:instana/robot-shop.git +cd robot-shop/K8s/helm +kubectl create ns robot-shop +helm install robot-shop --namespace robot-shop . +``` + +Running `kubectl get pods` shows both the Netdata and robot-shop deployments. + +```bash +kubectl get pods --all-namespaces +NAMESPACE NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE +default netdata-child-29f9c 2/2 Running 0 10m +default netdata-child-8xphf 2/2 Running 0 10m +default netdata-child-jdvds 2/2 Running 0 11m +default netdata-parent-554c755b7d-qzrx4 1/1 Running 0 11m +kube-system aws-node-jnjv8 1/1 Running 0 17m +kube-system aws-node-svzdb 1/1 Running 0 17m +kube-system aws-node-ts6n2 1/1 Running 0 17m +kube-system coredns-559b5db75d-f58hp 1/1 Running 0 22h +kube-system coredns-559b5db75d-tkzj2 1/1 Running 0 22h +kube-system kube-proxy-9p9cd 1/1 Running 0 17m +kube-system kube-proxy-lt9ss 1/1 Running 0 17m +kube-system kube-proxy-n75t9 1/1 Running 0 17m +robot-shop cart-b4bbc8fff-t57js 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop catalogue-8b5f66c98-mr85z 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop dispatch-67d955c7d8-lnr44 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop mongodb-7f65d86c-dsslc 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop mysql-764c4c5fc7-kkbnf 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop payment-67c87cb7d-5krxv 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop rabbitmq-5bb66bb6c9-6xr5b 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop ratings-94fd9c75b-42wvh 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop redis-0 0/1 Pending 0 14m +robot-shop shipping-7d69cb88b-w7hpj 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop user-79c445b44b-hwnm9 1/1 Running 0 14m +robot-shop web-8bb887476-lkcjx 1/1 Running 0 14m +``` + +## Explore Netdata's Kubernetes monitoring charts + +The Netdata Helm chart deploys and enables everything you need for monitoring Kubernetes on every layer. Once you deploy +Netdata and connect your cluster's nodes, you're ready to check out the visualizations **with zero configuration**. + +To get started, [sign in](https://app.netdata.cloud/sign-in?cloudRoute=/spaces) to your Netdata Cloud account. Head over +to the War Room you connected your cluster to, if not **General**. + +Netdata Cloud is already visualizing your Kubernetes metrics, streamed in real-time from each node, in the +[Overview](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/visualize/overview): + + + +Let's walk through monitoring each layer of a Kubernetes cluster using the Overview as our framework. + +## Cluster and node metrics + +The gauges and time-series charts you see right away in the Overview show aggregated metrics from every node in your +cluster. + +For example, the `apps.cpu` chart (in the **Applications** menu item), visualizes the CPU utilization of various +applications/services running on each of the nodes in your cluster. The **X Nodes** dropdown shows which nodes +contribute to the chart and links to jump a single-node dashboard for further investigation. + + + +For example, the chart above shows a spike in the CPU utilization from `rabbitmq` every minute or so, along with a +baseline CPU utilization of 10-15% across the cluster. + +Read about the [Overview](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/visualize/overview) and some best practices on [viewing +an overview of your infrastructure](/docs/visualize/overview-infrastructure.md) for details on using composite charts to +drill down into per-node performance metrics. + +## Pod and container metrics + +Click on the **Kubernetes xxxxxxx...** section to jump down to Netdata Cloud's unique Kubernetes visualizations for view +real-time resource utilization metrics from your Kubernetes pods and containers. + + + +### Health map + +The first visualization is the [health map](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/visualize/kubernetes#health-map), +which places each container into its own box, then varies the intensity of their color to visualize the resource +utilization. By default, the health map shows the **average CPU utilization as a percentage of the configured limit** +for every container in your cluster. + + + +Let's explore the most colorful box by hovering over it. + + + +The **Context** tab shows `rabbitmq-5bb66bb6c9-6xr5b` as the container's image name, which means this container is +running a [RabbitMQ](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/rabbitmq) workload. + +Click the **Metrics** tab to see real-time metrics from that container. Unsurprisingly, it shows a spike in CPU +utilization at regular intervals. + + + +### Time-series charts + +Beneath the health map is a variety of time-series charts that help you visualize resource utilization over time, which +is useful for targeted troubleshooting. + +The default is to display metrics grouped by the `k8s_namespace` label, which shows resource utilization based on your +different namespaces. + + + +Each composite chart has a [definition bar](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/cloud/visualize/overview#definition-bar) +for complete customization. For example, grouping the top chart by `k8s_container_name` reveals new information. + + + +## Service metrics + +Netdata has a [service discovery plugin](https://github.com/netdata/agent-service-discovery), which discovers and +creates configuration files for [compatible +services](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart#service-discovery-and-supported-services) and any endpoints covered by +our [generic Prometheus collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/prometheus). +Netdata uses these files to collect metrics from any compatible application as they run _inside_ of a pod. Service +discovery happens without manual intervention as pods are created, destroyed, or moved between nodes. + +Service metrics show up on the Overview as well, beneath the **Kubernetes** section, and are labeled according to the +service in question. For example, the **RabbitMQ** section has numerous charts from the [`rabbitmq` +collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/rabbitmq): + + + +> The robot-shop cluster has more supported services, such as MySQL, which are not visible with zero configuration. This +> is usually because of services running on non-default ports, using non-default names, or required passwords. Read up +> on [configuring service discovery](/packaging/installer/methods/kubernetes.md#configure-service-discovery) to collect +> more service metrics. + +Service metrics are essential to infrastructure monitoring, as they're the best indicator of the end-user experience, +and key signals for troubleshooting anomalies or issues. + +## Kubernetes components + +Netdata also automatically collects metrics from two essential Kubernetes processes. + +### kubelet + +The **k8s kubelet** section visualizes metrics from the Kubernetes agent responsible for managing every pod on a given +node. This also happens without any configuration thanks to the [kubelet +collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/k8s_kubelet). + +Monitoring each node's kubelet can be invaluable when diagnosing issues with your Kubernetes cluster. For example, you +can see if the number of running containers/pods has dropped, which could signal a fault or crash in a particular +Kubernetes service or deployment (see `kubectl get services` or `kubectl get deployments` for more details). If the +number of pods increases, it may be because of something more benign, like another team member scaling up a +service with `kubectl scale`. + +You can also view charts for the Kubelet API server, the volume of runtime/Docker operations by type, +configuration-related errors, and the actual vs. desired numbers of volumes, plus a lot more. + +### kube-proxy + +The **k8s kube-proxy** section displays metrics about the network proxy that runs on each node in your Kubernetes +cluster. kube-proxy lets pods communicate with each other and accept sessions from outside your cluster. Its metrics are +collected by the [kube-proxy +collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/k8s_kubeproxy). + +With Netdata, you can monitor how often your k8s proxies are syncing proxy rules between nodes. Dramatic changes in +these figures could indicate an anomaly in your cluster that's worthy of further investigation. + +## What's next? + +After reading this guide, you should now be able to monitor any Kubernetes cluster with Netdata, including nodes, pods, +containers, services, and more. + +With the health map, time-series charts, and the ability to drill down into individual nodes, you can see hundreds of +per-second metrics with zero configuration and less time remembering all the `kubectl` options. Netdata moves with your +cluster, automatically picking up new nodes or services as your infrastructure scales. And it's entirely free for +clusters of all sizes. + +### Related reference documentation + +- [Netdata Helm chart](https://github.com/netdata/helmchart) +- [Netdata service discovery](https://github.com/netdata/agent-service-discovery) +- [Netdata Agent · `kubelet` + collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/k8s_kubelet) +- [Netdata Agent · `kube-proxy` + collector](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/collectors/go.d.plugin/modules/k8s_kubeproxy) +- [Netdata Agent · `cgroups.plugin`](/collectors/cgroups.plugin/README.md) + + |