1 Introducing Kubernetes
This chapter covers
- Introductory information about Kubernetes and its origins
- Why Kubernetes has seen such wide adoption
- How Kubernetes transforms your data center
- An overview of its architecture and operation
- How and if you should integrate Kubernetes into your own organization
Before you can learn about the ins and outs of running applications with Kubernetes, you must first gain a basic understanding of the problems Kubernetes is designed to solve, how it came about, and its impact on application development and deployment. This first chapter is intended to give a general overview of these topics.
1.1 Introducing Kubernetes
The word Kubernetes is Greek for pilot or helmsman, the person who steers the ship - the person standing at the helm (the ship’s wheel). A helmsman is not necessarily the same as a captain. A captain is responsible for the ship, while the helmsman is the one who steers it.
After learning more about what Kubernetes does, you’ll find that the name hits the spot perfectly. A helmsman maintains the course of the ship, carries out the orders given by the captain and reports back the ship's heading. Kubernetes steers your applications and reports on their status while you - the captain - decide where you want the system to go.