Basic Concepts

Key terms in Scoutflo Deploy help users become familiar with the platform's terminologies, enhancing their overall experience.

Navigating Scoutflo Deploy becomes easier when you understand these key terms. This guide will help you familiarize yourself with crucial concepts that are foundational to working with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and GitOps.

Term	Definition
GitOps	A DevOps methodology that uses Git repositories as the single source of truth for infrastructure and application configurations. GitOps enables automated deployment and rollback of changes.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)	A method of managing and provisioning computing resources through machine-readable configuration files rather than physical hardware setup. Scoutflo Deploy supports IaC for reliable infrastructure management.
Add-On Deployments	Pre-configured tools and services that can be added to your Kubernetes clusters to enhance functionality, such as monitoring, logging, and security tools.
Cluster Scaling	The process of adding or removing nodes from a cluster to accommodate the changing resource needs of your applications. Scoutflo Deploy automates scaling based on workload demands.
Multi-Cluster Support	Scoutflo Deploy supports managing multiple Kubernetes clusters across different cloud environments, allowing you to deploy applications to various locations from a unified platform.
Ingress	In Kubernetes, an Ingress is a collection of rules that allow inbound connections to reach your cluster's services. It can manage HTTP/HTTPS traffic and route requests to the correct service based on defined rules.
Cost Optimization Tools	Scoutflo Deploy offers built-in tools for estimating and tracking cloud costs. These tools help users optimize infrastructure spending and plan for future scaling based on resource usage.

Term	Definition
AWS Access & Secret Keys	These are secure credentials for accessing your Amazon Web Services (AWS) resources. The Access Key ID is like a username, while the Secret Access Key acts as a password, allowing you to manage and control AWS services securely.
Kubernetes	Kubernetes is a platform that automates the deployment, scaling, and operation of application containers. It simplifies the management of applications by orchestrating tasks like load balancing, scaling, and updates.
Cluster	A group of interconnected machines (nodes) working together to host and manage your applications. Kubernetes clusters manage containerized applications and ensure high availability and scalability of your workloads.
Cluster Region	A region is a geographic location with multiple AWS data centers. It allows you to choose where your cluster is physically hosted, which can help optimize latency, compliance, and availability.
Hosted Zone	A DNS service that translates human-friendly domain names into IP addresses. It's part of AWS Route 53 and is essential for directing traffic to your applications hosted on Kubernetes clusters.
Workspace	A workspace is a logically isolated environment within Scoutflo Deploy where users can manage clusters, applications, and resources. Each organization can create multiple workspaces for different teams or use cases.
GitHub Auth App	This app allows Scoutflo Deploy to securely connect to your GitHub repository for managing infrastructure and application configurations using GitOps. It helps automate deployments and manage version control for your projects.
User Access Token	A secure authentication token that allows you to integrate and authorize GitOps workflows, linking your GitHub account to Scoutflo Deploy. It ensures secure access to your repositories for seamless deployment.
Account	The administrative entity created for your organization when signing up on Scoutflo. The first person to sign up is the Super Admin, responsible for managing the account, workspaces, and user roles.
Applications	These are your software programs or services that are deployed and managed on Kubernetes clusters. Applications can include databases, monitoring tools, content management systems, and more.
Connections/Databases	Connections refer to integrated resources like databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) that support your applications. These databases are configured as part of the infrastructure setup in Scoutflo Deploy.
Helm	Helm is a Kubernetes package manager that helps deploy, manage, and upgrade applications on Kubernetes clusters. It simplifies Kubernetes management by bundling application configurations into reusable "charts".
Deployment	A deployment is the process of installing and managing your applications on Kubernetes clusters using predefined configurations. Scoutflo Deploy automates this process, offering one-click deployments with built-in GitOps workflows.
Add-Ons	These are additional features or services you can attach to your Kubernetes cluster. Add-ons might include monitoring tools like Prometheus or networking features like Ingress controllers.
Kubecost	Kubecost helps track and optimize the costs associated with running applications on Kubernetes. It offers real-time insights into resource usage and enables you to make cost-efficient infrastructure decisions.
Grafana	A popular observability tool that provides visual dashboards for monitoring your applications. In Kubernetes environments, it helps track performance metrics, resource consumption, and system health.
Cert Manager	This tool manages TLS/SSL certificates for Kubernetes clusters. It automatically issues and renews certificates, ensuring secure communication between your applications and services.
Nginx Ingress	A Kubernetes component that acts as a reverse proxy, routing incoming traffic to the appropriate services inside your cluster. It manages load balancing, SSL termination, and more.
Instance Type	Refers to the specific configuration of virtual machines (e.g., CPU, memory, storage) that form your Kubernetes nodes. Choosing the right instance type ensures your applications run with the appropriate resources.
Node Configuration	The setup of individual machines (nodes) within a Kubernetes cluster, including operating system, storage, memory, and other specifications. Configuring nodes ensures they run workloads efficiently.
Processor	The CPU or central processing unit in cloud computing that determines the computational power of your virtual machines. In the context of Kubernetes, the processor affects the performance of nodes in your cluster.