Ankra GitOps Examples

This repository demonstrates modern GitOps practices for Kubernetes cluster management using the Ankra platform. It showcases how to structure and manage Kubernetes environments using Ankra's Stack-based architecture, providing reusable and versioned cluster configurations.

Overview

Ankra is a modern GitOps platform that enables teams to manage Kubernetes clusters through a stack-based approach. This repository contains example cluster configurations that demonstrate:

• Stack-based Architecture: Grouping related services and controlling deployment order
• GitOps Workflow: Managing cluster state through Git repositories
• Dependency Management: Automatic resolution of stack dependencies
• Reusable Components: Versioned, shareable cluster configurations

Repository Structure

ankra-gitops-examples/
├── README.md
└── clusters/
    └── monitoring-stack/        # Complete observability solution
        ├── cluster.yaml          # Cluster definition and stack configuration
        ├── add-ons/             # Helm chart configurations
        │   ├── kube-prometheus-stack/
        │   │   └── values.yaml
        │   └── loki-distributed/
        │       └── values.yaml
        └── manifests/           # Raw Kubernetes YAML files

Example: Monitoring Stack

The monitoring-stack example demonstrates a complete observability stack for Kubernetes clusters, including:

Monitoring Stack Components

• Prometheus: Metrics collection and alerting
• Grafana: Data visualization and dashboards
• Loki: Log aggregation and querying
• Tempo: Distributed tracing
• Fluent Bit: Log shipping and processing
• Grafana Alloy: Telemetry data collection

Key Features Demonstrated

1. Stack-based Organization

The cluster configuration uses Ankra's stack concept to organize services:

stacks:
  - name: monitoring
    # Monitoring-related services

2. Dependency Management

Services are deployed in the correct order using parent-child relationships:

addons:
  - name: prometheus
    parents:
      - name: prometheus-namespace
        kind: manifest

3. External File References

Clean separation of concerns using from_file references:

configuration:
  from_file: add-ons/prometheus/values.yaml

4. Namespace Management

Proper namespace isolation with dedicated manifest files:

manifests:
  - name: prometheus-namespace
    from_file: manifests/prometheus-namespace.yaml

How to Use This Repository

Prerequisites

1. Ankra Platform Access: Sign up at platform.ankra.app
2. Git Repository: Fork or clone this repository
3. Kubernetes Cluster: A target cluster registered with Ankra

Setup Steps

1. Connect Repository to Ankra:

   • Update the git_repository section in cluster.yaml
   • Set your GitHub credentials in Ankra

2. Customize Configuration:

   • Modify Helm values in add-ons/ directories
   • Update ingress hostnames and TLS settings
   • Adjust resource limits and requests

3. Deploy the Stack:

   • Use Ankra's WebUI or CLI to deploy the cluster configuration
   • Monitor deployment progress in the Ankra dashboard

Using Ankra CLI

# Install Ankra CLI
bash <(curl -sL https://github.com/ankraio/ankra-cli/releases/latest/download/install.sh)

# Set API token
export ANKRA_API_TOKEN=your-token-here

# Select cluster and deploy
ankra select cluster
ankra apply -f cluster.yaml

Configuration Highlights

Prometheus Stack Configuration

The kube-prometheus-stack is configured with:

• Persistence: 50GB storage for metrics data
• Grafana Integration: Pre-configured dashboards and datasources
• Service Monitoring: Automatic service discovery
• Ingress: HTTPS access via monitoring.seferon

Loki Distributed Setup

The distributed Loki deployment includes:

• Gateway: NGINX proxy with authentication
• Scalability: Distributed architecture for high availability
• Ingress: Secure log access via logs.seferon
• OAuth2 Integration: Centralized authentication

Best Practices Demonstrated

1. Environment Separation: Use different cluster directories for dev/staging/prod
2. Version Control: All configurations are tracked in Git
3. Security: TLS certificates and authentication configured
4. Monitoring: Complete observability stack deployment
5. Scalability: Distributed services with proper resource management

Customization

Adding New Services

1. Create Helm values file in add-ons/service-name/values.yaml
2. Add service configuration to cluster.yaml
3. Define dependencies and namespaces as needed

Modifying Existing Services

1. Update Helm values in the respective add-ons/ directory
2. Commit changes to trigger GitOps sync
3. Monitor deployment in Ankra dashboard

Integration with Ankra Platform

This repository integrates with Ankra's advanced features:

• Stack Builder: Visual management of stacks and dependencies
• AI Editor: Intelligent suggestions for configurations
• WebUI: Real-time monitoring and management
• Multi-cluster Support: Deploy to multiple environments

Getting Started

1. Explore the Examples: Review the monitoring stack configuration
2. Read the Documentation: Check out the comprehensive Ankra documentation
3. Join the Community: Connect with other users on Ankra Slack
4. Get Support: Contact support at hello@ankra.io

Learn More

• Ankra Stacks Guide
• GitOps with Ankra
• Ankra CLI Reference

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This repository demonstrates the power of GitOps with Ankra's stack-based approach to Kubernetes cluster management. Start with the monitoring stack example and customize it for your specific needs!