Description

Hands-on Challenge Day - Deploying a Web Application on Kubernetes in Azure

Introduction

What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes, often abbreviated as K8s, is an open-source container orchestration platform that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It groups containers that make up an application into logical units for easy management and discovery.

Why Kubernetes on Azure?

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) provides a managed Kubernetes service that reduces the complexity of deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters, offering easy scaling, self-healing, load balancing, and automated updates. It's an ideal platform for deploying containerized applications with all the benefits of cloud computing.

Challenge Scenario

TechSolutions Inc., a software development company, has developed a new web application designed to streamline project management tasks. To meet their scalability and reliability needs, they've decided to deploy this application on Kubernetes in Azure. This move aligns with their goal to modernize their infrastructure and embrace cloud-native technologies.

Problem Statement: TechSolutions Inc. needs a scalable and resilient deployment solution for their new web application to ensure it can handle varying loads and provide a seamless user experience.

Your Mission: Deploy TechSolutions Inc.'s web application on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). The deployment should ensure the application is scalable, secure, and easily accessible.

Challenge: Deploying a Web Application on AKS

Requirements:

1. Azure Account: Access to a Microsoft Azure account.
2. Web Application: A simple Python Flask web application.

Steps:

1. Set Up Azure Kubernetes Service:

   • Create a new AKS cluster in the Azure portal or via the Azure CLI.

   az aks create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myAKSCluster --node-count 2 --enable-addons monitoring --generate-ssh-keys
   
   

2. Configure kubectl:

   • Configure kubectl to connect to your newly created AKS cluster.

   az aks get-credentials --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myAKSCluster
   
   

3. Prepare the Web Application:

   • Create a simple Flask application.

   **app.py:**

   from flask import Flask
   app = Flask(__name__)
   
   @app.route('/')
   def hello_world():
       return 'Hello, Kubernetes on Azure!'
   
   if __name__ == '__main__':
       app.run(debug=True, host='0.0.0.0', port=5000)
   
   

   Dockerfile:

   FROM python:3.8-slim
   WORKDIR /app
   COPY . /app
   RUN pip install Flask
   EXPOSE 5000
   CMD ["python", "app.py"]
   
   

   • Build and push the Docker image to Azure Container Registry (ACR) or Docker Hub.

4. Deploy the Application to AKS:

   • Create a Kubernetes deployment and service to deploy the Flask application.

   deployment.yaml:

   apiVersion: apps/v1
   kind: Deployment
   metadata:
     name: flask-app
   spec:
     replicas: 2
     selector:
       matchLabels:
         app: flask
     template:
       metadata:
         labels:
           app: flask
       spec:
         containers:
         - name: flask
           image: <your-docker-image>
           ports:
           - containerPort: 5000
   ---
   apiVersion: v1
   kind: Service
   metadata:
     name: flask-app-service
   spec:
     type: LoadBalancer
     ports:
     - port: 80
       targetPort: 5000
     selector:
       app: flask
   
   

   • Replace <your-docker-image> with the path to your Docker image in ACR or Docker Hub.
   • Apply the deployment and service to your AKS cluster.

   kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml