Create a new Cluster

Step 1: Accessing the Cluster Creation

1. Navigate to "My Cluster":

   • Once your Git account is successfully connected, your next step is to connect or create a Kubernetes cluster.

   • On the left sidebar, find the 'My Cluster' section right below the workspace dropdown.

1. Add a New Cluster:

• Click on the "+Add Cluster" button located at the top right corner of the 'My Cluster' screen.

• Select "Create a cluster" which opens a new screen dedicated to setting up the details of your new cluster.

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Step 2: Choosing Cluster Configuration Options

Scoutflo Deploy offers two ways to configure your cluster, depending on your needs:

1. Standard Configuration

• What It Is: Pre-defined configurations optimized for typical use cases and varying workloads.

• How It Helps: Ideal for users who prefer a quick and guided setup without worrying about fine-tuning each parameter.

1. Custom Configuration

• What It Is: A fully customizable setup that lets you define each parameter according to your specific requirements.

• How It Helps: Suitable for advanced users who want complete control over their cluster’s configuration.

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Step 3: Standard Configuration Setup (If Chosen)

If you select the Standard Configuration option, here's what you’ll see:

• Pre-defined Configurations: A list of options with information such as:

  • Instance Type: e.g., t3a.large, with details on vCPU, memory, and storage capacity.

  • Storage Type: Usually EBS (Elastic Block Store) for persistent storage.

  • Processor Architecture: e.g., AMD or Intel-based instances.

• Cost Estimation:

  • Scoutflo integrates with Kubecost to provide a real-time estimated cost breakdown based on your chosen configuration.

  • As you change configurations, the estimated cost updates automatically, helping you make an informed decision.

• Initiate Cluster Creation: Once you’re satisfied with the selected configuration and cost, click the "Create Cluster" button.

Standard Configuration Details:

Configuration Parameter	Details
Cluster Name	Add Cluster Name
Region	Add Region
Cloud Provider	AWS
Kubernetes Version	v1.24
Instance Type	t3a.large
Memory	8 GiB
Storage	EBS Only Storage
Processor	AMD
Node Configuration	1 node / 3 nodes / 5 nodes

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Step 4: Custom Configuration Setup

If you select the Custom Configuration option, you’ll have the flexibility to define each aspect of your cluster:

• Instance Type: Choose the appropriate instance size that meets your application’s needs (e.g., m5.large, c5.xlarge).

• Number of Nodes: Specify the desired number of nodes in your cluster, ranging from single-node setups to larger, multi-node clusters.

• Customizable Parameters: Adjust additional parameters like network settings, storage types, and scaling configurations.

• Cost Estimation: Similar to the standard configuration, Scoutflo Deploy provides a real-time cost estimate as you adjust your custom settings.

Custom Configuration Options:

• Node Configuration:- (Min: 1, Max: User Defined, Desired: User Defined).

• Instance Type:- Select the instance type based on your workload requirements.

Category	Description	Instance Type Options	vCPUs	Memory (GiB)	Storage	Processor
General Purpose	Versatile instances for various web applications	M5A (AMD)	2	8	EBS Only	AMD
		T3A (AMD)	2	8	EBS Only	AMD
		M4 (AMD)	8	32	EBS Only	AMD
Compute Optimized	High CPU power for compute-intensive tasks	C5A (AMD)	2	4	EBS Only	AMD
Memory Optimized	Abundant memory for fast data access	R5A (AMD)	2	16	EBS Only	AMD
Storage Optimized	High local storage capacity for large datasets	I3EN (Intel Xeon)	2	16	1 x 1250 GB NVMe SSD	Intel Xeon Skylake

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Step 5: Providing Cluster Details and Confirmation

Either selecting any of the two configurations (Standard or Custom), you’ll need to provide some crucial cloud information to proceed:

• AWS Access Key: Enter your AWS Access Key ID with permissions for EKS cluster management.

• AWS Secret Key: Enter your AWS Secret Access Key (Keep this confidential for security purposes).

• Credentials Name: Assign a recognizable name to these AWS credentials.

• Hosted Zone: If you want your cluster to be associated with a specific DNS, provide the hosted zone name here.

• Cluster Name: Choose a unique name for your cluster, which helps distinguish it from others.

• AWS Region: Select the AWS region where you want to create the cluster (e.g., us-east-1, eu-west-1).

• Provide a unique name for your cluster to identify it within the workspace.

• Choose the desired region for your cluster deployment based on your application's needs.

• Duplicate Cluster Name: Scoutflo Deploy will prevent the creation of clusters with identical names within the same workspace.

• Region Mismatch: An error message will be displayed if the selected region is incompatible with the chosen cluster name.

Cluster Creation Process - Credential Input

Credentials Name (Required)

Purpose: The "Credentials Name" is a unique identifier that Scoutflo Deploy uses to tag and organize the AWS credentials (Access Key and Secret Key) you provide. This naming helps you efficiently manage, isolate, and query different sets of AWS credentials when needed.

When creating multiple clusters, you might want to use different AWS accounts or credentials for each one. By assigning a descriptive "Credentials Name," you can easily identify and select the correct credentials later on without confusion.

For example, you might choose names like:

• “AWS for Production” – For clusters running your production workloads.

• “John's AWS Account” – If using a personal or team member's AWS account for specific projects.

Scoutflo stores these credentials securely in the database and retrieves them based on the name you provide whenever they need to be used for cluster creation or management. This feature ensures a smooth and organized process, especially when handling multiple clusters across different AWS accounts.

When filling in the "Credentials Name" field, choose something that indicates the purpose or ownership of the credentials to help you manage them efficiently over time.

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Step 6: Setting Up External Add-ons

Scoutflo Deploy offers several external add-ons to enhance your cluster's capabilities automatically. These add-ons provide essential monitoring, cost management, and control over your infrastructure:

• Kubecost: Provides cost tracking and optimization tools for efficient resource management.

• Grafana: Offers data visualization tools to monitor your cluster's performance and metrics.

• Ingress Controller: Manages external access to services in your cluster, ensuring traffic routing is correctly handled.

• DNS: Ensures your cluster's domain name resolution works seamlessly.

These add-ons are integrated automatically, saving you time and effort while ensuring your cluster is equipped with essential tools.

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Step 7: Reviewing and Creating the Cluster

1. Review Configuration Details:

   • Double-check all configuration settings, AWS credentials, cluster details, and selected add-ons.

   • Ensure the cost estimate matches your budget and expectations.

2. Initiate Cluster Creation:

   • Click the "Create Cluster" button to start the cluster creation process.

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What Happens Next?

Once you hit "Create Cluster" Scoutflo Deploy will begin provisioning your EKS cluster on AWS based on the configurations you selected. This process may take several minutes as the necessary resources are allocated, and add-ons are deployed.

• Monitoring: You can monitor the creation progress via Scoutflo Deploy’s interface.

• Completion: Once the process is completed, you’ll have a fully functional EKS cluster ready to deploy your applications.