# Karpenter IBM Cloud Provider

## Automatic Node Provisioning for Kubernetes on IBM Cloud VPC

## Overview The Karpenter IBM Cloud Provider enables automatic node provisioning and scaling for Kubernetes clusters running on IBM Cloud VPC infrastructure. It implements the Karpenter provisioning APIs to provide just-in-time compute resources based on application demands.
- :rocket: **[Getting Started](getting-started.md)** Get up and running with Karpenter on IBM Cloud in minutes - :cloud: **[VPC Integration](vpc-integration.md)** Deploy on self-managed Kubernetes clusters with full control - :office: **[IKS Integration](iks-integration.md)** Seamless integration with IBM Kubernetes Service - :gear: **[Configuration](bootstrap-methods.md)** Learn about bootstrap methods and configuration options
## Key Features ### Automatic Node Provisioning - **Just-in-Time Compute**: Provisions nodes automatically when pods are unschedulable - **Intelligent Instance Selection**: Chooses optimal instance types based on workload requirements - **Multi-Zone Support**: Distributes nodes across availability zones for high availability ### Zero-Configuration Bootstrap - **Automatic Cluster Discovery**: Detects cluster configuration without manual setup - **Dynamic Bootstrap Scripts**: Generates appropriate initialization scripts - **Multiple Bootstrap Modes**: Supports VPC, IKS, and automatic mode selection ### Cost Optimization - **Node Consolidation**: Automatically removes underutilized nodes - **Right-Sizing**: Selects appropriate instance types to minimize costs ## Quick Start ### Prerequisites - IBM Cloud account with VPC access - Kubernetes cluster (IKS or self-managed) - kubectl and Helm 3 installed ### Installation ```bash # Add Helm repository helm repo add karpenter-ibm https://pfeifferj.github.io/karpenter-provider-ibm-cloud helm repo update # Install Karpenter helm install karpenter karpenter-ibm/karpenter \ --namespace karpenter \ --create-namespace \ --set controller.env.IBM_REGION="us-south" ``` ### Create Your First NodeClass ```yaml apiVersion: karpenter.ibm.sh/v1alpha1 kind: IBMNodeClass metadata: name: default spec: region: us-south zone: us-south-1 vpc: vpc-12345678 image: r006-ubuntu-20-04 securityGroups: - sg-12345678 ``` ### Create NodePool ```yaml apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1 kind: NodePool metadata: name: default spec: template: spec: nodeClassRef: name: default requirements: - key: node.kubernetes.io/instance-type operator: In values: ["bx2-2x8", "bx2-4x16"] limits: cpu: 1000 ``` ## Architecture The Karpenter IBM Cloud Provider consists of several key components: ```mermaid graph TB subgraph "Kubernetes Cluster" K[Karpenter Controller] NP[NodePool] NC[NodeClaim] INC[IBMNodeClass] P[Pending Pods] end subgraph "IBM Cloud" VPC[VPC Infrastructure] IKS[IKS Service] VSI[Virtual Server Instances] end P -->|Triggers| K K -->|Creates| NC K -->|Reads| NP K -->|Reads| INC NC -->|Provisions| VSI VSI -->|Joins| K INC -.->|Config| VPC INC -.->|Config| IKS ``` ## Deployment Options ### VPC Self-Managed Clusters - Full control over Kubernetes configuration - Dynamic instance type selection - Custom bootstrap configurations - Ideal for specialized workloads ### IBM Kubernetes Service (IKS) - Seamless integration with managed service - Worker pool expansion - Enterprise compliance - Simplified operations ## Documentation
- **:material-book-open: User Guides** - [Getting Started](getting-started.md) - [Bootstrap Methods](bootstrap-methods.md) - [Security Considerations](security-considerations.md) - **:material-wrench: Configuration** - [IBMNodeClass Reference](reference/ibmnodeclass.md) - [NodePool Examples](reference/nodepool.md) - [Environment Variables](reference/environment.md) - **:material-puzzle: Integration** - [IKS Integration](iks-integration.md) - [VPC Integration](vpc-integration.md) - [CNI/CRI Support](supported-cni-cri.md) - **:material-help-circle: Support** - [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md) - [Known Limitations](limitations.md) - [FAQ](faq.md)
## Community - **GitHub**: [Report issues and contribute](https://github.com/pfeifferj/karpenter-provider-ibm-cloud) - **Discussions**: [Ask questions and share experiences](https://github.com/pfeifferj/karpenter-provider-ibm-cloud/discussions) ## License This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. See the [LICENSE](https://github.com/pfeifferj/karpenter-provider-ibm-cloud/blob/main/LICENSE) file for details.