Kubernetes 1.9 brings storage enhancements, Workloads API

Dec 18, 2017 18:21 GMT  ·  By

Kubernetes, the open-source, production-grade container orchestration system for automating scaling, deployment, and management of containerized apps, has been updated to version 1.9.

Coming two and a half months after version 1.8, Kubernetes 1.9 is here with a bunch of new features like the general availability of the Apps Workloads API (Application Programming Interface), which is enabled by default to provide long-running stateful and stateless workloads, as well as initial, beta support for Windows systems.

"Kubernetes was originally developed for Linux systems, but as our users are realizing the benefits of container orchestration at scale, we are seeing demand for Kubernetes to run Windows workloads," reads the announcement. "Work to support Windows Server in Kubernetes began in earnest about 12 months ago."

Storage enhancements, other improvements

Kubernetes 1.9 also brings some enhancements to the storage support, such as volume plugins for new storage systems through the implementation of the Container Storage Interface (CSI) cross-industry standard for lowering the barrier for cloud-native storage development and provide compatibility.

While this implementation is in alpha stage in Kubernetes 1.9, which means that it has to be manually enabled, it will ensure the installation of new volume plugins, as well as to let third-party storage providers create their own solutions. However, it is not recommended for any production use at this time.

Among other improvements implemented in Kubernetes 1.9, we can mention the enablement of the Custom Resource Definition (CRD) Validation by default, an alpha build of the SIG Node hardware accelerator, the ability to install CoreDNS with standard tools, and a performance and scalability boost for large clusters with IPVS mode for kube-proxy.

Kubernetes 1.9 is available for download right now from its GitHub page as a source tarball that needs to be compiled and installed on your favorite GNU/Linux distribution, but it should also soon make its way into the stable software repositories of various popular Linux distros, so make sure you update as soon as it lands.