Batch architecture in Kubernetes

Key Concepts:

• Batch platform
• Kubernetes (K8s)
• Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
• Kueue (Kubernetes-native job queuing system)
• GKE Autopilot
• GKE Standard
• Job API
• Scheduler
• Storage Classes
• Node Pools
• Preemption
• Fair Sharing
• Workload

Mapping a Batch Platform to Kubernetes

The video focuses on how to translate the components of a traditional High-Performance Computing (HPC) batch platform into the Kubernetes ecosystem, specifically within Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE).

• Traditional Batch Platform Components: The video references a diagram from a previous video showing a job going through a queue, being scheduled to worker nodes, and utilizing storage for input and output.
• Kubernetes Equivalents:
  • Job API: Handles the creation and submission of jobs.
  • Kubernetes Scheduler: Acts as the scheduler for the batch platform.
  • Storage Classes: Provide various options for consuming storage, including Cloud Storage, NFS (via Filestore), and block storage devices.
  • Monitoring: Prometheus and other open-source tools like OpenTelemetry are used for monitoring.
  • Node Pools: Run the workloads and can be autoscaled.

Kueue: Kubernetes-Native Job Queuing

The video introduces Kueue as the missing piece in a Kubernetes-based batch platform: a job queuing system.

• Functionality: Kueue is a set of APIs and controllers for job queuing. It manages when a job should be admitted to start or when it should stop.
• Benefits:
  • Preemption: Allows higher-priority jobs to interrupt lower-priority jobs.
  • Fair Sharing: Enables multiple teams to use the same platform concurrently without resource contention.
• Job-Level Management: Kueue operates at the job level, making decisions about job admission and termination.
• Future Discussion: The video mentions that Kueue will be discussed in more detail in a future video.

GKE Autopilot vs. GKE Standard

The video compares the two modes of operation for Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE).

• GKE Autopilot: A fully managed Kubernetes experience where Google manages the underlying infrastructure. Users focus solely on their workloads.
• GKE Standard: Provides more in-depth control over resource configuration and deployment.
• Similarities: Both Autopilot and Standard have access to all shapes of Google Cloud VMs, accelerators, and spot instances.
• Key Difference: The primary difference lies in the level of responsibility the user wants to assume. Autopilot is hands-off, while Standard offers greater control.

Conclusion

The video provides an overview of how to build a batch platform on Kubernetes using GKE. It highlights the Kubernetes components that map to traditional batch platform elements and introduces Kueue as a crucial job queuing system. The comparison of GKE Autopilot and Standard helps users choose the appropriate GKE mode based on their desired level of control and management responsibility. The next video will dive deeper into the Kubernetes primitives that enable building a batch platform.