Kubernetes Dashboard: Monitoring and Logging Tips

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a powerful web-based UI that provides insights into your cluster’s state, including resource usage, workloads, and configuration details. It’s an excellent tool for monitoring and logging cluster activity in real-time.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up the Kubernetes Dashboard

1. Deploy the Kubernetes Dashboard

To install the Dashboard, apply the official Kubernetes Dashboard manifest:

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes/dashboard/v2.7.0/aio/deploy/recommended.yaml

This will deploy the Dashboard and its associated resources in the kubernetes-dashboard namespace.

2. Create an Admin User

To access the Dashboard with admin privileges, create a ServiceAccount and bind it to the cluster-admin role.

Create a YAML file named dashboard-admin-user.yml with the following content:

dashboard-admin-user.yml

apiVersion: v1
kind: ServiceAccount
metadata:
  name: admin-user
  namespace: kubernetes-dashboard
---
apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: ClusterRoleBinding
metadata:
  name: admin-user
roleRef:
  apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io
  kind: ClusterRole
  name: cluster-admin
subjects:
- kind: ServiceAccount
  name: admin-user
  namespace: kubernetes-dashboard

Apply the configuration:

kubectl apply -f dashboard-admin-user.yml

3. Retrieve the Access Token

To log in to the Dashboard, you need an access token for the admin-user. Run the following command to retrieve it:

kubectl -n kubernetes-dashboard create token admin-user

Copy the token displayed in the output. You will use this token to authenticate in the Dashboard.

4. Access the Kubernetes Dashboard

Start the Kubernetes proxy:

kubectl proxy --port=8001 --address=0.0.0.0 --accept-hosts=".*"

Open the Dashboard in your web browser using the following URL:

http://ec2-public-ip:8001/api/v1/namespaces/kubernetes-dashboard/services/https:kubernetes-dashboard:/proxy/

When prompted, paste the access token retrieved earlier to log in.

To Open the Dashboard we need HTTPS connection we will try to open it on our windows local machine

If you already have Docker Desktop installed, Kind works seamlessly with it:

Install Docker Desktop (if not already installed):
- Download Docker Desktop for Windows from the official Docker website: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop
- Install and follow the setup instructions.
Install kind on Windows:
- Download the Windows release of Kind from the GitHub releases page: https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kind/releases
- Download the .exe file for Windows (e.g., kind-windows-amd64.exe).
- Rename the downloaded file to kind.exe and move it to a directory that’s part of your system’s PATH (e.g., C:\Windows\System32).
Verify installation:
- Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window and check if Kind is installed:
```
  kind version
```
  Now install kind cluster and do above all steps one by one

Features of the Kubernetes Dashboard

Workloads Overview
- Visualize Deployments, ReplicaSets, Pods, and more.
- Monitor the health and status of workloads.
Resource Utilization
- View CPU and memory usage of Pods and Nodes.
Configuration Management
- Inspect ConfigMaps, Secrets, and PersistentVolumeClaims.
Logs Monitoring
- Access live logs of Pods to debug and troubleshoot issues.
Cluster Overview
- Understand the overall health of the cluster and its nodes.

Conclusion

The Kubernetes Dashboard is a user-friendly interface for monitoring and managing your cluster. By creating an admin user, you gain full access to critical insights into workloads and resource usage. This tool is especially valuable for developers and operators looking to simplify cluster management.

20. Monitoring and Logging with Kubernetes Dashboard

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