Whole Cluster Mode in BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes

The Whole Cluster Mode in BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes involves creating a single BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes instance that provides ingress and egress for all namespaces in the cluster. All BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes pods (BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes Controller, TMM, DSSM, CWC, RabbitMQ, Cert Manager, and Fluentd) run in the same namespace. There are multiple TMM pods that run as a DaemonSet on a specially labeled nodes that have the correct network card (NIC).

The TMM pods handle the ingress and egress traffic for all the namespaces and also ensure that the egress traffic is correctly identified and routed using Source Network Address Translation (SNAT) addresses.

Whole Cluster Mode Architecture

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Deploy TMM Pods as a DaemonSet

In a Whole Cluster mode, the TMM pods are deployed as a DaemonSet, not as a ReplicaSet.

DaemonSet and ReplicaSet are both Kubernetes controllers used to manage pods. However, they serve different purposes and have unique behaviors.

  • A DaemonSet ensures that a specific pod or service is running on selected or specified labeled node in the cluster. This is especially useful for tasks that need to be distributed across all nodes, like managing network traffic or other networking services.
  • A ReplicaSet ensures a specified number of pod replicas are running at any given time, regardless of which nodes they are on.

To deploy the TMM pods as a DaemonSet, see Install BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes.

Using the Config CRs, the TMM pods handle the ingress and egress traffic for all the namespaces.

Deploy BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes Controller as a Single SPKInstance

In a Whole Cluster mode, the BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes Controller is deployed as a single instance for all the namespaces and all TMM pods. This instance watches multiple namespaces and monitors the TMM pods, which are deployed as a DaemonSet across nodes. This configuration allows the BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes Controller to track the number of active TMMs and their respective nodes.

To deploy BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes Controller as a single SPKInstance watching all namespaces, see Install BIG-IP Next for Kubernetes.