June 2024 Summaries

Managing software for diverse customer environments is complex, especially with various Kubernetes versions and configurations, as highlighted by a recent issue with Amazon EKS 1.30. The release introduced a change where the default annotation on the gp2 storageClass resource was omitted, affecting applications that relied on having a default storage class. This change, unnoticed by some, can cause applications like Replicated KOTS to fail since they expect a default storage class to be available, leading to issues with pod scheduling. To address this, Replicated identified the problem through its Compatibility Matrix testing and plans to update KOTS to use the gp2 storage class if no default is available, alongside implementing a Preflight check to ensure a default storage class exists. This situation underscores the importance of thorough testing across different Kubernetes versions and distributions to preemptively catch compatibility issues before they become customer support concerns.

The Replicated SDK is a Helm chart designed to enhance applications by providing valuable features such as automatic insights, operational telemetry, and an in-cluster API for embedding Replicated functionalities directly into application interfaces. It is recommended for all vendors to package the SDK with their applications to enrich the software distribution lifecycle, from development and testing to licensing and support. The SDK facilitates better insights into customer environments, enabling product teams to access telemetry data and custom metrics, which can improve development prioritization and ensure customer-representative testing. Additionally, the SDK offers flexible distribution options, allowing applications to be installed using Helm CLI, embedded Kubernetes clusters, or existing Kubernetes clusters with a KOTS Admin Console. This flexibility caters to varying levels of Kubernetes expertise across enterprises, making it easier to maintain a singular application release that meets diverse customer needs.

Replicated has announced the beta release of its air gap telemetry feature, which enables the collection of valuable telemetry data from instances that operate in air-gapped environments, isolated from the internet. This new functionality, now available to all Replicated customers, integrates with Replicated KOTS and the Replicated SDK to gather standard and custom metrics, which are included in support bundles. These bundles can be uploaded to the Replicated Vendor Portal, linking the data to specific customers and instances for enhanced visibility through the portal's UI or data export. The company advises regular collection of these support bundles to ensure a comprehensive dataset and provides documentation and support for installation.

Replicated's June 2024 release introduces several updates, including compatibility enhancements and new features across its platforms. The Compatibility Matrix now supports Kubernetes 1.30 on kind and offers alpha support for RKE2 and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure's OKE, with notifications for low credits. There are new capabilities for VM-based distributions, and dual IP family support on kind has been added. The Embedded Cluster v1.2.0 allows changes to Helm values for built-in extensions, provides tools for generating support bundles, and offers alpha support for multi-node air gap clusters. KOTS has improved detection for Embedded Cluster distributions, and the Vendor Portal has beta support for air gap telemetry, along with UX improvements. Product documentation has been updated with new topics on packaging air gap bundles for Helm charts and improved CLI installation guides. These updates aim to enhance user experience, compatibility, and troubleshooting capabilities across Replicated's offerings.