Jenkins on Kubernetes with Operators

Introduction

This lesson provides a detailed guide on deploying Jenkins on Kubernetes using Operators. Kubernetes Operators simplify the management of complex applications by automating their deployment and management.

Key Concepts

Installation

Prerequisites

• Access to a Kubernetes cluster
• kubectl installed and configured
• Helm installed (optional)

Step-by-Step Installation

1. Install the Jenkins Operator using the following command:

   kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jenkinsci/kubernetes-operator/main/deploy/deployment.yaml

2. Verify that the Jenkins Operator is running:

   kubectl get pods -n jenkins

3. Create a Jenkins custom resource (CR):

   kubectl apply -f jenkins-cr.yaml

   Sample jenkins-cr.yaml:

   apiVersion: jenkins.io/v1
   kind: Jenkins
   metadata:
     name: my-jenkins
   spec:
     master:
       baseDir: /var/jenkins_home
       serviceType: LoadBalancer
       installPlugins:
         - kubernetes:1.29.0
         - workflow-aggregator:2.6
   

Configuration

Once Jenkins is up and running, you can configure it through its web interface. Access the Jenkins dashboard via the LoadBalancer service created in the previous step.

Best Practices

• Use Persistent Volumes for Jenkins home to retain data across pod restarts.
• Regularly backup Jenkins configurations and job data.
• Monitor resource usage and scale Jenkins instances based on workload.

FAQ