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Getting Started with Ankra

Welcome to Ankra's Getting Started guide. Here, we'll guide you through the process of creating your first Kubernetes cluster using Ankra, streamlining your development workflows and significantly reducing operational expenses (OPEX) by leveraging our automated cloud infrastructure management tools.

By automating the provisioning, scaling, and management of your Kubernetes clusters, Ankra not only accelerates development cycles but also optimizes cloud resource utilization, leading to substantial cost savings.

Overview​

In this guide, we'll cover the following key steps:

Getting Started​

Ensure you're signed into Ankra to begin. If you haven't, sign in here.

Adding Cloud Provider Credentials to Ankra​

Why Add Cloud Provider Credentials?
To manage resources effectively, Ankra requires access to your cloud provider. This step enables Ankra to seamlessly provision and manage resources, further streamlining development and operational tasks.

Steps to Add AWS Credentials:

  1. Visit our AWS Credentials documentation for detailed instructions on setting up AWS for Ankra.
  2. Go to the Credentials section in Ankra.
  3. Select Add.
  4. Provide a name for your credentials and fill in the Role Arn.
  5. Confirm by clicking Add. Your credentials will now appear in the Credentials list.
  6. With your cloud provider set, you're ready to create a Kubernetes cluster.

Creating a Kubernetes Cluster​

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the Clusters section within Ankra.
  2. Choose Create to initiate a new cluster setup.
  3. Configure your Kubernetes settings as needed and proceed by clicking Next.
  4. Adjust your cloud provider settings, then select Create.
  5. The cluster provisioning and configuration process will begin, typically completing within a few minutes.

Accessing Your Kubernetes Cluster​

To access your Kubernetes cluster via terminal, follow the detailed steps provided in your cluster's Access page. This ensures secure and direct connectivity to manage your deployments.

Your Ready to Go!​

Now that you have access to your kubernetes cluster, you can integrate this access into your CICD or deploy directly to the kubernetes cluster with your application.

Accessing Grafana for Monitoring​

Grafana offers comprehensive monitoring capabilities for your cluster. To access Grafana:

  1. Execute the below command in your terminal, replacing <YOUR CLUSTER NAME> with your actual cluster name: 
    kubectl --kubeconfig ~/.kube/<YOUR CLUSTER NAME>_kubeconfig port-forward -n grafana service/grafana 3001:80
  2. Grafana is now accessible at http://localhost:3001.

Login Credentials:

  • Username: admin
  • Password: Retrieve the password by running: 
    kubectl --kubeconfig ~/.kube/<YOUR CLUSTER NAME>_kubeconfig get secret --namespace grafana grafana -o jsonpath="{.data.admin-password}" | base64 --decode ; echo

This guide outlines the straightforward path to leveraging Ankra for efficient Kubernetes cluster management, emphasizing how Ankra can streamline development and reduce operational costs through automation and optimized cloud resource management.