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Vertical pod autoscaler kubernetes

You can use the Kubernetes Vertical Pod Autoscaler to automatically adjust the resource requests and limits for containers running in a deployment’s pods. The Vertical Pod Autoscaler can improve cluster resource utilization by:

• Setting the requests automatically based on usage to make sure the appropriate resource amount is available for each pod.
• Maintaining ratios between limits and requests that were specified in containers’ initial configurations.
• Scaling down pods that are over-requesting resources, based on their usage over time.
• Scaling up pods that are under-requesting resources, based on their usage over time.

The Vertical Pod Autoscaler has three components:

• Recommender: Monitors the current and past resource consumption and provides recommended CPU and memory request values for a container.
• Updater: Checks for pods with incorrect resources and deletes them, so that the pods can be recreated with the updated request values.
• Admission Plugin: Sets the correct resource requests on new pods (that is, pods just created or recreated by their controller due to changes made by the Updater).

You configure the Vertical Pod Autoscaler using the

VerticalPodAutoscalerCopy Code

custom resource definition object. The

VerticalPodAutoscalerCopy Code

object enables you to specify the pods to vertically autoscale, and which resource recommendations to apply (if any).

The Vertical Pod Autoscaler requires the installation of a metrics source, such as the Kubernetes Metrics Server, in the cluster.

Today, let us see the steps followed by our support techs to deploy vertical pod

Working with the Vertical Pod Autoscaler

Step 1: Verify the Kubernetes Metrics Server Installation

1. If you haven’t already done so, follow the steps to set up the cluster’s kubeconfig configuration file and (if necessary) set the KUBECONFIG environment variable to point to the file. Note that you must set up your own kubeconfig file. You cannot access a cluster using a kubeconfig file that a different user set up.
2. Confirm that the Kubernetes Metrics Server has been deployed successfully on the cluster and is available by entering: Command

1. kubectl -n kube-system get deployment/metrics-serverCopy Code

   If the command returns a `Not Found` error, then you must deploy the Kubernetes Metrics Server on the cluster before proceeding.

Step2: Download and Deploy the Vertical Pod Autoscaler

1. Download the Vertical Pod Autoscaler source code from GitHub. For example, by entering:Command

git clone -b vpa-release-0.8 https://github.com/kubernetes/autoscaler.gitCopy Code

Change to the

vertical-pod-autoscalerCopy Code

directory:

cd autoscaler/vertical-pod-autoscalerCopy Code

If you have previously deployed the Vertical Pod Autoscaler, delete it by entering:

./hack/vpa-down.shCopy Code

Deploy the Vertical Pod Autoscaler by entering:

./hack/vpa-up.shCopy Code

Verify that the Vertical Pod Autoscaler pods have been created successfully by entering:

1. kubectl get pods -n kube-systemCopy Code

   The output from the above command shows the pods:

   vpa-admission-controller-59d9965cfb-bzs8l
   1/1 Running 0 6m34s vpa-recommender-5bcb58569-mqdds 1/1 Running 0 6m43s
   vpa-updater-5979cbf757-scw2d 1/1 Running 0 6m46sCopy Code

   Note that you will probably see different names and numbers.

Step3: Deploy the Sample Application

1. Deploy the sample hamster application to create a deployment and a corresponding Vertical Pod Autoscaler by entering:Command

kubectl apply -f examples/hamster.yamlCopy Code

The output from the above command confirms the deployment and creation:

verticalpodautoscaler.autoscaling.k8s.io/hamster-vpa created
deployment.apps/hamster createdCopy Code

Deploying the hamster application creates a deployment with two pods and a Vertical Pod Autoscaler pointing at the deployment. Verify that the hamster pods have been created successfully by entering:

kubectl get pods -l app=hamsterCopy Code

The output from the above command confirms the creation:

NAME                     READY STATUS  RESTARTS AGE
hamster-7cbfd64f57-mqqnk 1/1   Running 0        54s
hamster-7cbfd64f57-rq6wv 1/1   Running 0        55sCopy Code

Note that you will probably see different names for the hamster pods. View the CPU and memory reservations using the

kubectl describe podCopy Code

command and one of the hamster pod names returned in the previous step.

Step4: View the Scaling Operation

Having analyzed the original pods in the sample hamster application and determined that the CPU and memory reservations are inadequate, the Vertical Pod Autoscaler (specifically the Updater) relaunches the pods with different values as proposed by the Recommender. Note that the Vertical Pod Autoscaler does not modify the template in the deployment, but updates the actual requests of the pods.

1. Monitor the pods in the sample hamster application, and wait for the Updater to start a new hamster pod with a new name, by entering:

kubectl get --watch pods -l app=hamsterCopy Code

When you see that a new hamster pod has started, view its CPU and memory reservations using the

kubectl describe podCopy Code

command and the pod’s name.

Step5: View the Recommendation

View the recommendations made by the Vertical Pod Autoscaler (specifically, by the Recommender) by entering:

kubectl describe vpa/hamster-vpaCopy Code

Step6: Clean Up

1. Remove the sample application by entering:

kubectl delete -f examples/hamster.yamlCopy Code

In the

vertical-pod-autoscalerCopy Code

directory, delete the Vertical Pod Autoscaler deployment by entering:

./hack/vpa-down.shCopy Code

[Looking for a solution to another query? We’re happy to help.]

Conclusion

In this article, we provide a quick and simple solution from our Support team to deploy vertical pod autoscaler kubernetes