Deckhouse Kubernetes Platform integrates with VMware vSphere infrastructure and uses VsphereInstanceClass resources to describe the specifications of virtual machines created as part of the Kubernetes cluster.

Key features:

  • Provisioning and removal of virtual machines via the vCenter API.
  • Node placement across multiple clusters (zones) and datacenters (regions).
  • Use of VM templates with cloud-init.
  • Support for networks with DHCP, static addressing, and additional interfaces.
  • Storage management: provisioning root disks and PVCs based on Datastore or CNS disks.
  • Support for incoming traffic load balancing:
    • Via external load balancers.
    • Via MetalLB (in BGP mode).

It is possible to create a hybrid cluster with nodes running on both vSphere and bare metal.