Integrated Kubernetes Control Plane in Platform9 Private Cloud Director

Platform9’s latest product, Private Cloud Director, introduces a new approach to managing Kubernetes on-premises by eliminating the need for users to manage the control plane. Traditionally, Kubernetes deployments require both control plane nodes and worker nodes, with the control plane being responsible for managing the cluster. In public cloud environments, the control plane is typically managed by the cloud provider, but this is not the case for on-premise deployments. Platform9’s solution moves the control plane services into a management plane, which can be either self-hosted or managed as a SaaS offering by Platform9. This shift allows users to avoid the overhead of managing control plane nodes, which can result in significant resource savings, especially for large-scale deployments with multiple clusters.

The Private Cloud Director is particularly appealing to service providers looking to offer Kubernetes as a service. By offloading the control plane management to Platform9, service providers can focus on their core competencies and go to market faster without the need to build and maintain their own Kubernetes infrastructure. Platform9 also provides backend support for Kubernetes, including Q&A, break-fix, and upgrades, which further reduces the operational burden on service providers. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructure, allowing users to deploy Kubernetes clusters in a manner similar to public cloud services like EKS, AKS, or GKE, but without the need to manage the control plane.

In terms of security and customization, Platform9 offers a default configuration for Kubernetes clusters, which can be further tailored to meet specific customer needs. The platform supports automated upgrades for both the control plane and worker nodes, ensuring that clusters remain up-to-date without diverging too far between versions. Additionally, Platform9 provides optional add-ons, such as Prometheus for monitoring and load balancing services, which can be easily integrated into the Kubernetes environment. This flexibility, combined with the managed control plane, makes Private Cloud Director a compelling solution for organizations looking to simplify their Kubernetes operations while maintaining control over their on-premise infrastructure.