How to use kubernetes dashboard?

Use Kubernetes Dashboard

Table of Contents

Introduction

To use Kubernetes Dashboard: This is a simple web-based tool for managing your Kubernetes clusters. It provides an excellent view of the resources, such as pods and services, that are being used.

The dashboard makes it easy to track your cluster. It is an excellent choice if you want to manage things without having too many commands.

Why Use Kubernetes Dashboard?

More than visualization, the Kubernetes dashboard would easily make cluster management much more accessible. So, let’s get into this: Why should you use Kubernetes Dashboard?

Easy to Use Kubernetes Dashboard

The dashboard is straightforward to use Kubernetes Dashboard. You do not need to be an expert to navigate. It simply takes a few clicks to manage workloads, view resources, and check the health status of your cluster.

Fast Monitoring with Kubernetes Dashboard

You can track the real-time health of your cluster. The dashboard provides a readout of the various CPU, memory, and storage your cluster is running. That way, you can address issues before they become major issues.

Simple Workload Management

The dashboard makes managing deployments, jobs, and pods for workloads easy. With a few clicks, you can scale your workloads, delete pods, and start them—forget the complicated commands.

Safe Access to Use Kubernetes Dashboard

You can control access with service accounts and role-based controls, which means that only authorized users can change your cluster so that you will be keeping your data safe.

How to Install Kubernetes Dashboard?

The installation of the use Kubernetes Dashboard is straightforward and will take you no more than a few steps. Here’s how you can do it.

Install and Use Kubernetes Dashboard

To install the dashboard, use the following command.

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes/dashboard/v2.0.0/aio/deploy/recommended.yaml

This will apply the dashboard to your cluster.

Check if Kubernetes Dashboard is Running

List the pods to check if it’s running:

kubectl get pods -n Kubernetes-dashboard

Verify everything is running.

Create Service Account for Kubernetes Dashboard

You now need a service account to get into the dashboard. Create one like this:

kubectl create service account dashboard-admin -n Kubernetes-dashboard

You will then be able to securely log on

Get Kubernetes Dashboard Login Token

To log in, get your access token

kubectl describe secret $(kubectl get secret -n Kubernetes-dashboard | grep dashboard-admin | awk ‘{print $1}’) -n Kubernetes-dashboard You will use that token to log in to the dashboard. Enabling Access to the Kubernetes Dashboard Once you deploy the dashboard, you’ll want to set up access.

Setting Up Access to the Kubernetes Dashboard

Let’s take a step-by-step guide on how to do that.

Create Cluster Role Binding

You will have to create a service account to access the dashboard. This service account will add the correct permissions for logging in from it. Here is the command you can use to create one:

kubectl create service account dashboard-admin -n Kubernetes-dashboard

This will create an admin account for you.

Fetch Access Token to Use Kubernetes Dashboard

Finally, you will need to give your service account admin access to your cluster. Use the following command to do this.

kubectl create clusterrolebinding dashboard-admin-binding --clusterrole=cluster-admin --serviceaccount=kubernetes-dashboard:dashboard-admin

This will allow your service account to be in control of the cluster.

Access Kubernetes Dashboard Safely

It would help if you now fetched the token to log in to the dashboard. You can display it using the following command:

kubectl describe secret $(kubectl get secret -n Kubernetes-dashboard | grep dashboard-admin | awk '{print $1}') -n Kubernetes-dashboard

Copy this token because you will be using this for login

How to Log Into the Kubernetes Dashboard?

When you have your token, you will easily log into the use Kubernetes Dashboard. Here are instructions for doing it step by step.

Open Kubernetes Dashboard Easily

First, make sure that your Kubernetes Dashboard is enabled. Open your web browser and go to your dashboard URL. You can use the following command:

kubectl proxy

Then you can reach:

http://localhost:8001/api/v1/namespaces/kubernetes-dashboard/services/https:kubernetes-dashboard:/proxy/.
  • Token Login for Kubernetes Dashboard

Once the dashboard has successfully loaded, you will be given a login interface. Here, you can select the token option. Under the token tab, click on the “Token” option.

  • Enter Token in Kubernetes Dashboard

Now, paste this access token in the field. Please do not leave any white space in it. It will authenticate your permission to access the dashboard.

  • Click Log In in Kubernetes Dashboard

Once you enter the token, hit the “Sign In” button. Once you receive the correct token, you will be able to access the Kubernetes Dashboard. You’re all set now and can get started managing your cluster!

Kubernetes Dashboard Interface Explorations

After you log in to the use Kubernetes dashboard, navigation is pretty intuitive. Let’s look at all the elements of the interface.

Overview Panel in Kubernetes Dashboard

The very first thing you’ll see is the Overview panel. This paints a summary of your cluster’s health. You’ll be able to know quickly how many nodes, pods, and services are running. You can see the status of your current cluster at a glance.

Left Navigation Menu in Kubernetes Dashboard

Now, on the left-hand side, you have your navigation menu. These options include Workloads, Services, and Configs. You can just click any of these options to continue exploring the specifics of each section. This way, finding what you need is as quick and easy as it was in the older version.

When you select a specific resource, you can view more information about it. For example, when you click on Pods, you will be able to see the status of all the logs and metrics of every pod. It means you will be able to track the efficiency of your workload in case something goes wrong.

Log and Event Access in Kubernetes Dashboard

You can also see the logs and events from this dashboard. This is useful for debugging problems because, in the “Logs” tab, you click on one of the pods and select “Logs.” In the “Events” tab, you can see all significant actions or errors pertaining to that resource.

How can I check the Kubernetes cluster information using the dashboard?

The Kubernetes Dashboard allows you to monitor your cluster easily. It allows you to quickly access the most critical information to ensure that your workloads are running well.

Cluster Health Monitoring in Kubernetes Dashboard

To monitor your cluster health, move to the Overview panel. There, you can see if the nodes and pods are in a good state. When everything is fine, it is indicated with a green status. If there are red or yellow alerts, then it’s a signal to dig down.

Node Details in Kubernetes Dashboard

You would navigate the left menu into the “Nodes” section. Each node of this information will be detailed. From this section, you can see details like CPU and memory usage as well as the number of pods running on every node; in this way, you can sense how your resources are being allocated and how they are performing.

Pod Status in Kubernetes Dashboard

Click “Workloads” to view the pods’ status. You will be able to see all running pods within your cluster. The dashboard informs you whether a pod is currently in a running, pending, or failed state. use Kubernetes Dashboard to monitor your workloads.

Resource Metrics in Kubernetes Dashboard

The dashboard also provides resource metrics for CPU and memory utilization. Click on any specific pod to see the metric over time. This helps you monitor resource consumption and make the necessary adjustments to optimize performance.

Managing Workloads in Kubernetes Dashboard

The use Kubernetes Dashboard makes it relatively easy to manage your workload. You can deploy, scale, and monitor applications in one place.

Understanding Deployments in Kubernetes

Deployments are the most vital part of workload management. They help you create and update applications in your cluster. Click “Workloads” to see all deployments. A list of all the deployments with statuses will appear.

New Deployments

If you want to add a new deployment, you should click the ” + ” icon or the “Create” button. You will need to provide some information, such as the name and image of your application. Once submitted, the dashboard will create it.

Scaling Deployments

You can quickly scale your deployments from the dashboard. To change the number of replicas, click on the deployment you want to scale. In the details view, under “Replicas,” you can change the number. Click “Save,” and the dashboard will update your deployment.

Pods and Jobs Management: You can also control pods and jobs from the dashboard. To find all the pods, go to “Pods” in the “Workloads” menu; from there, you can restart, delete, or obtain logs for any pod. Regarding jobs, you are in the “Jobs” menu to monitor and control batch processes.

How do you manage services and networking in the Kubernetes Dashboard?

Services and networking are crucial for your applications. The Kubernetes Dashboard offers resources to manage these things.

Understanding Services in Kubernetes

Services in Kubernetes represent a way of binding together different parts of your applications. They provide your pods with stable endpoints. You can see your services by moving to the “Services” section in the left menu. You should find an exhaustive list of services running in your cluster.

Creating a New Service

To start creating a new service, click the “+ ” icon or the “Create” button. You need to add information such as the name of your service and its type, such as ClusterIP or NodePort. Upon completing and submitting the form, the dashboard will automatically set up the service for you so that access to your pods is easy.

Managing Ingress Resources in Kubernetes Dashboard

Ingress resources facilitate how access to your services is managed from the outside. To find your address, navigate to the “Ingress” tab. There, you can view rules controlling how traffic enters your cluster. You can also create new ingress rules to route traffic based on hostnames or paths to use Kubernetes Dashboard.

Monitoring Service Health

You should be concerned with the health of the services. Click any service to view additional information. The dashboard will exhibit the status of the endpoints and pods the service is associated with. Thus, you can know that your applications are reachable and functioning well.

Management of Configurations and Secrets in Kubernetes Dashboard

Configurations and secrets are essential for keeping your applications secure and running well. The Kubernetes Dashboard makes managing both easy.

What Are ConfigMaps in use Kubernetes Dashboard?

ConfigMaps are used to hold non-sensitive configuration data for your applications. They allow you to keep configuration out of your code. To see your ConfigMaps, click on the “ConfigMaps” section in the menu on the left. From there, you will find a list of all ConfigMaps in your cluster.

Creating a New ConfigMap

To create a new ConfigMap, use the “Create” button or the “+” icon. Provide a name and the data you want to store. Once submitted, the dashboard will create this ConfigMap so that your applications can use Kubernetes Dashboard.

Handling Secrets in Kubernetes

Secrets are used to store sensitive information, such as passwords or API keys. To view your secrets, click on the “Secrets” section of the left-hand menu. This ensures your sensitive information is kept safe and applications can access it.

Creating a New Secret in Kubernetes Dashboard

To create a new secret, follow these steps: It’s pretty straightforward. Navigate to the Secrets section and click on the “+” icon or the Create button. Here, you input a name and sensitive information. Once applied, the dashboard safely stores the secret, waiting for your applications to access it when needed.

Storage management via Kubernetes Dashboard

Storage management is a significant aspect of running applications in Kubernetes. The use Kubernetes Dashboard has features to help you manage your storage correctly.

Understanding Persistent Volumes in Kubernetes

Persistent Volumes (PVs) are the storage resources of your cluster. They provide storage independently of a pod’s lifecycle. To view your PVs, go to the “Persistent Volumes” section on the left menu. You’ll view all volumes created and their statuses.

Creating a Persistent Volume Claim

To utilize a PV, you must first create a Persistent Volume Claim (PVC). This is essentially a request to the Kubernetes cluster describing how much storage you will require. Click on the “+” or “Create” icon for the “Persistent Volume Claims” section, enter all the information, and then submit. This creates your PVC.

Attaching PVCs to Pods

After you have created a PVC, you can attach it to a pod. This allows your pod to utilize the storage. You specify the PVC that you wish to use whenever you create or update a pod, so the pod will now be able to use persistent storage.

Monitoring CPU use Kubernetes Dashboard

Monitor your storage usage. From the dashboard, you can see the status and capacity for both of your PVs and PVCs. Click on a volume or claim to view usage metrics and availability information. This keeps your storage running efficiently and out of trouble.

Monitor Resource Usage in the Kubernetes Dashboard

Monitoring how much resources your applications use Kubernetes Dashboard is essential. The Kubernetes Dashboard makes it simple to monitor CPU, memory, and storage.

CPU Usage Monitoring

To view CPU usage, go to the “Workloads” section. Click on a specific pod. You’ll find a section showing CPU metrics. This tells you how much CPU the pod is using, helping you determine whether your application runs well.

Monitoring Memory Usage

Another important thing is memory usage. Within the exact pod details, you can find the metrics related to memory usage. This section will tell you how much memory your pod is using. Monitoring memory helps to avoid crashes due to low resources.

Analyzing Storage Metrics 

It can be checked by the storage usage provided in the “Persistent Volumes” section of the RKE installation. If a certain volume is clicked on, it will reveal how much storage it occupies. This will assist you in making sure your applications have adequate storage for them to run without interruptions.

Configure Resource Limitations

Resource limits are good practices. That way, no one application can use Kubernetes Dashboard everything. You can specify CPU and memory limits when you create or update a deployment. This will keep your cluster balanced and healthy.

How to Troubleshoot with Kubernetes Dashboard?

Troubleshooting is an integral part of managing your applications. The Kubernetes Dashboard provides some tools to help you quickly find and fix problems.

Checking Pod Logs: Use Kubernetes Dashboard

One of the first things in diagnosing is checking pod logs. To check logs, go to “Workloads,” pick a specific pod, and find a tab under pod details showing “Logs.” This will give you the real-time log from your application. Checking logs may save you valuable time ascertaining errors.

Monitoring Events

The Kubernetes Dashboard also shows events happening around your cluster. Go to the “Events” tab to see a list of recent activities. It lets you know what’s happening around your cluster, and you can see warnings or errors that might affect your applications.

Detecting Failed Pods

If a pod fails, you want to know why. Under the “Workloads” section, you will see the status of all your pods at a glance. For the most part, failing pods will be highlighted in red. Clicking on a failing pod will expose Kubernetes Dashboard more detail, including reasons for the failure so that you can fix the problem.

Using the Terminal

Sometimes, you have to dig much deeper into the problems and issues related to Kubernetes. The feature that can be found in the Kubernetes Dashboard is called a terminal. You can access it by clicking on the pod and then selecting “Terminal.” It lets you run commands right in the pod, which is really effective when troubleshooting problems and testing solutions.

Security Best Practices in Using Kubernetes Dashboard

Secure your Kubernetes Dashboard. The following is a secure best practice for ensuring your cluster is secure.

Role-Based Access Control in Kubernetes Dashboard

Role-Based Access Control determines who can do what within the cluster. RBAC creates roles for users. Roles are assigned various permissions. This way, sensitive data or changes are only accessed by registered users. HTTPS assurance of access

  1. Secure Access with HTTPS

Always access the Kubernetes Dashboard over HTTPS. Since HTTPS is used for such access, data will not be insecure between your browser and the dashboard. This is because your information cannot be accessed by anyone else. You should have a valid SSL certificate configured in place to offer some extra security.

2. Enable Authentication

Enabling authentication is a brilliant move. The user would need to log in to access the dashboard. You may employ token-based authentication or connect with OAuth providers. Requiring logging in adds layers of security.

Update Your Kubernetes Dashboard Often

Updates are crucial to security. New updates often identify bugs and close security holes. Check the updates and apply them from time to time. Keeping your dashboard updated helps keep your cluster safe from risks.

Conclusion

To use Kubernetes Dashboard is an excellent tool for managing your applications. It keeps you updated on how your resources have been allocated, where problems lie, and where all your configurations are managed. The best security practices ensure the dashboard’s safety. Using the dashboard enhances your work, making it more effective and efficient.

Do not miss out on the features the dashboard equips you with to optimize your workflow and maximize your Kubernetes experience!

FAQs

1. What is Kubernetes Dashboard?

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a web tool for managing and monitoring your cluster. It allows you to view your workloads, view logs, and manage resources, making application running easier.

2. How do I access the Kubernetes Dashboard?

For starters, you need to install it on your cluster. Once you install, open a web browser. Use the URL you were given at the time of the setup. Don’t forget to sign in with the right username and password.

3. Can I personalize the Kubernetes Dashboard?

You can customize the use Kubernetes Dashboard. This means that you can change views and establish various roles for users. It thus helps you to view the information you need to view. Customizing makes your experience better.

4. Is the Kubernetes Dashboard secure?

Yes, the Kubernetes Dashboard can be secure. Use HTTPS to keep your data safe. Also, enable authentication to protect access. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) helps you manage who can see what. Following these steps keeps your cluster safe.

5. What can I monitor using the Kubernetes Dashboard?

You can observe a lot of things about the things that make up the Kubernetes Dashboard. You can check on pod, deployment, and service status. You can also see some types of resource usage, such as CPU and memory. Resources such as CPU and memory will be monitored to keep your cluster in good health and running smoothly.

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