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Kubernetes, a well-known tool for orchestrating containers, has established itself as one of the leading solutions in the software landscape. Developed by Google and continuously developed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, it offers a comprehensive suite of tools that make life easier for developers and operations managers. From Helm to the Kubernetes Dashboard, Kubernetes offers a variety of features that make it a popular choice for managing applications. But while Kubernetes is undoubtedly a powerful solution, it begs the question: are there alternatives that could offer similar functionality? In this article, we will explore whether Hashicorp Nomad is a suitable alternative to Kubernetes and what advantages and disadvantages both solutions offer.
Kubernetes, a proven tool for orchestrating containers, offers a number of impressive strengths. Developed by Google and continuously developed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, it enjoys a reputation as a robust and versatile solution. Here are some of its standout features:
Kubernetes has a broad ecosystem of tools, including Helm, Kubernetes Dashboard and ArgoCD, that make life easier for developers and operations managers. These tools provide functionalities such as package management, monitoring and continuous delivery that improve efficiency and control over workloads.
Kubernetes has proven itself over many years in data centers worldwide and is considered a reliable tool for managing applications. Its stability and performance make it a trusted choice for organizations of all sizes.
With an active and dedicated community of developers and users, Kubernetes offers continuous support, regular updates and a wealth of resources such as documentation, tutorials and forums.
Overall, Kubernetes is a powerful all-purpose weapon for managing applications in the modern software landscape. Its diverse feature set, tool support and proven reliability make it a top choice for organizations looking for a scalable and reliable solution for orchestrating their workloads.
Kubernetes, with almost a decade of presence in the software world, is proving to be a robust but also demanding solution. Its complexity can be daunting for beginners, especially when installing it in an enterprise environment, which requires expertise and specialized tools. This partly explains why large hyperscalers such as Azure or AWS already offer managed Kubernetes clusters. In addition, Kubernetes lacks natively integrated monitoring tools, which leads to the additional installation of third-party solutions or the use of kubectl to access cluster information.
The provision of resources in a Kubernetes cluster is carried out using YAML or JSON scripts, which requires a certain amount of familiarization time.
Furthermore, Kubernetes is geared towards Linux, which can pose challenges, particularly in edge scenarios in which Windows machines are running. This may require an additional Linux virtual machine on the edge device. For example, an AKS Edge Essentials instance requires at least 4 GB of free RAM and with Arc connection even 8 GB.
Another disadvantage is that Kubernetes can only manage containers. For applications that use Java, for example, each container requires its own Java runtime environment and system libraries on the target system. This leads to redundant software overhead, which takes up additional resources such as memory and CPU time. Consequently, larger servers or server instances may be required, leading to higher operating costs, especially when scaling with many containers.
Some time ago, I tried to set up a small Kubernetes cluster with three instances in the Hetzner Cloud as part of a hobby project. I encountered unexpected difficulties, even though I had already gained experience with Rancher. By chance, I discovered HashiCorp Nomad. HashiCorp offers a range of software tools that are used particularly in the cloud environment.
Nomad is also an application for orchestrating software, but with a decisive advantage: it works with so-called drivers. Similar to peripheral devices that are connected to a computer and then communicate via drivers, Nomad can interact with programs such as Docker, Podman and even Java runtimes via drivers. This means Nomad can not only manage containers, but also Java applications, Windows IIS web pages or even complete virtual machines.
The installation of HashiCorp Nomad is quite simple and a test run is possible in just a few steps. You can also find more information on this in this blog post. Creating and deploying tasks is also straightforward, as there are already many examples and comprehensive documentation online.
In addition, HashiCorp Nomad comes with a built-in user interface that provides an overview of where which software is running and provides information about errors and problems during deployment. This is particularly important when critical software is running in a cluster and errors need to be detected quickly.
With a file size of 50 megabytes and a memory consumption of a few hundred megabytes, HashiCorp Nomad is incredibly efficient and resource-saving. This also means significant operational savings.
HashiCorp Nomad is a comparatively young competitor to Kubernetes, but with great potential. One of the main hurdles in the transition is that Nomad does not yet have an established large community like Kubernetes. In contrast, however, Nomad offers direct access to the manufacturer via enterprise support, which guarantees assistance if problems or questions arise.
Some functions are currently missing in Nomad, such as dynamic host volumes (as of February 2024). Nevertheless, Nomad is developing rapidly and the developers at HashiCorp are actively responding to the requirements and wishes of users.
For some Kubernetes administrators, it may initially be unfamiliar to find their way in the new world of HashiCorp Nomad. There may also be some differences in the way it works, as a container runtime is not directly integrated into HashiCorp Nomad, for example. Nevertheless, the platform offers a promising alternative with a growing ecosystem of tools and functions.
In conclusion, both Kubernetes and HashiCorp Nomad offer impressive solutions for the orchestration of containers and applications. While Kubernetes shines as an established player with a broad community and an extensive range of functions, Nomad impresses with its flexibility, efficiency and direct access to the manufacturer for support. The choice between the two platforms ultimately depends on individual requirements, preferences and resources. Although the migration to Nomad may present some challenges, it also offers the opportunity to benefit from innovative features and a growing range of applications. In an ever-evolving landscape of container orchestration, organizations face the exciting task of choosing the right platform for their needs to make their infrastructure efficient.