A few months ago, Mirantis invited me to speak about something I’m thrilled to talk about: improving service availability in places with unreliable power infrastructure.

Running on-premise applications in developing countries, like the Philippines, often means grappling with power interruptions that last hours or even days. These outages can wreak havoc on service availability, making it difficult to meet client expectations. Kubernetes steps in as a game-changer by automating service provisioning and maintaining replicas, which significantly minimizes downtime.

But… setting up Kubernetes in such challenging environments isn’t exactly plug-and-play. That’s where my talk comes in.

What’s in the Talk?

In the session, I guide you through the nitty-gritty of spinning up a Kubernetes cluster from bare-metal servers using k0s over Tailscale VPN. Here’s a quick breakdown:

  1. Bootstrapping the Cluster: How to use k0sctl to automate cluster initialization.
  2. Writing Configuration: Crafting the setup to match our unique requirements.
  3. Provisioning and Testing: Setting up a basic server to verify everything works.

To make this setup truly robust, I also covered how to integrate Tailscale for secure networking and Calico for efficient internal communication.

Why It Matters

This approach isn’t just about getting Kubernetes to work. It’s about enabling resilience in the face of real-world challenges—a practical guide for anyone who wants to self-host Kubernetes and enhance service availability, no matter the infrastructure limitations.

If you’re someone who’s curious about navigating power outages while keeping critical services online, this talk is for you.

Check it Out!

Let’s keep the conversation going! If you have questions or want to share your own experiences, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or shoot me an email. I’d love to hear how Kubernetes is helping you solve unique challenges in your part of the world.