Simulation, Emulation, Virtualization, and Containers: The Restaurant Metaphor
Understanding the difference between simulation, emulation, virtualization, and containers through a restaurant metaphor. No jargon, just clarity.
Kubernetes in production
From what a container actually is to running a cluster with no internet, with the failure modes that bite in between.
Nine posts, and the longest path on the site. It starts by separating simulation, emulation, virtualisation and containers, because most Kubernetes confusion is really confusion about one of those. Then the question of whether you need a cluster at all, then sizing, then the spine: etcd, graceful degradation, what unbreakable actually costs, chaos engineering, and finally a cluster that runs offline at the edge.
Start here if you have heard of Kubernetes and nothing else. By the end you will know which parts fall over first and what that looks like at 2am.
When not to use Kubernetes
Kubernetes isn't always the right choice. Learn when you're better off with alternatives like Docker Compose, Nomad, or plain VMs.
Data-Driven Kubernetes Migration: Why You Need Metrics Before You Move
Migrating to Kubernetes without proper resource metrics is a recipe for disaster. A real Black Friday horror story and how to do data-driven pod sizing.
Kubernetes High Availability: Stacked vs External etcd Explained
Understanding Kubernetes HA architectures: stacked etcd vs external etcd. When to use which, and how to build clusters that survive node failures.
How etcd Actually Works: The Heart of Your Kubernetes Cluster
Understanding etcd internals: Raft consensus, leader election, data model, and why it's critical to Kubernetes reliability.