VIRTUAL SERVER INFRASTRUCTURE

Open Source Project vcluster Now Runs Upstream Kubernetes Natively

Loft Labs | January 10, 2022

Loft Labs, a venture-backed startup working on developer tooling and platform technology for Kubernetes, announced that the popular open source vcluster project now supports upstream Kubernetes.

Although engineers have already been able to deploy virtual clusters using vcluster on top of vanilla Kubernetes clusters, the virtual clusters themselves have always been using the opinionated K3s distribution internally rather than upstream Kubernetes. With this release, vcluster users will now be able to deploy Kubernetes-powered virtual clusters to improve and optimize utilization of computing resources without the need to use K3s within the virtualization layer.

We expanded vcluster support to vanilla Kubernetes in response to feedback from our user community. Many companies working with vcluster want to start leveraging the benefits of virtual clusters in production. Making these virtual clusters run with Kubernetes rather than K3s is a big step towards production-readiness for vcluster.”

Lukas Gentele, co-founder and CEO, Loft Labs

With the availability of upstream Kubernetes in vcluster, users can now also use any new Kubernetes feature immediately after its release and will not have to wait for K3s to ship their adapted Kubernetes version.

First launched in April 2021, vcluster is used to create lightweight Kubernetes clusters that run inside the namespaces of underlying Kubernetes clusters. Using virtual clusters solves the majority of multi-tenancy issues of Kubernetes because they offer:

  • Better isolation than simple namespace-based multi-tenancy;
  • Reduced cloud computing cost because virtual clusters are much more lightweight and resource-efficient than spinning up separate single-tenant clusters;
  • Logical separation and encapsulation of application workloads from the underlying cluster’s shared infrastructure workloads (such as shared ingress controller or network plug-ins).

At the same time, virtual cluster users can expect that their virtual cluster behaves just like any regular Kubernetes cluster because vcluster is a certified Kubernetes distribution, which means that it passes all conformance tests that CNCF requires. Virtual clusters are often used as development environments when engineers are building, testing and debugging cloud-native software, but they are also frequently used as ephemeral environments for executing continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. Also, an increasing number of companies are starting to explore virtual clusters in production, where virtualizing Kubernetes can be a great way to: surpass the scalability limits of regular Kubernetes clusters; isolate heterogeneous workloads in shared clusters; and streamline and simplify cluster operations when working with large-scale multi-tenant clusters.

Loft Labs builds on top of vcluster and provides an enterprise-grade Kubernetes platform called Loft which is used by large organizations to create a self-service platform for their engineering teams. When an enterprise runs Loft, their engineers can provision virtual clusters on-demand whenever they need them, either using the Loft UI (user interface), the Loft CLI (command-line interface) or even using the Kubernetes command-line tool kubectl via the custom resources provided as part of Loft.

About Loft Labs
Loft Labs was founded in 2019 to create open-source developer tooling and virtual cluster technology for Kubernetes, with the goal to increase developer productivity and to help engineers gain secure but unimpeded access to cloud infrastructure.

Spotlight

Have you ever heard the phrase "path to production" but weren't sure exactly what it meant? In this VMware Tanzu Fundamentals video, we walk you through what a software path to production is, some common hurdles developers might encounter along the way, and how VMware Tanzu can help.

Spotlight

Have you ever heard the phrase "path to production" but weren't sure exactly what it meant? In this VMware Tanzu Fundamentals video, we walk you through what a software path to production is, some common hurdles developers might encounter along the way, and how VMware Tanzu can help.

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PacketFabric Joins Google Cloud Marketplace as Technology Partner, Enabling Multi-Cloud Data Migration

PacketFabric | January 06, 2023

PacketFabric, a provider of on-demand connectivity for the enterprise cloud, has joined the Google Cloud Marketplace as a technology partner. This will allow organizations to connect multi-cloud environments to multiple 100 Gbps connections for data migration and automate direct connectivity between private cloud colocation and cloud providers on PacketFabric's private network. PacketFabric's Cloud Router offering, available on the Google Cloud Marketplace, provides a self-service network-as-a-service platform with private and secure connectivity between cloud providers and optimized, low latency service. Using SADA’s marketplace integration services practice, PacketFabric was engaged end-to-end in the process of By joining the Google Cloud Marketplace, PacketFabric can provide organizations with an automated and optimized network solution that is secure, reliable, and cost-effective. "PacketFabric is proud to be a NaaS leader and be available to customers on Google Cloud Marketplace. As many enterprises move to Google Cloud they now have instant access to the industry's lowest friction and most scalable multi-cloud routing solution." Dave Ward, Chief Executive Officer, PacketFabric The Cloud Router also lets businesses control traffic between cloud providers and regions and automate direct connections between private clouds in colocation and cloud providers. PacketFabric services are billed hourly, monthly, or up to 36 times per month. With PacketFabrics Cloud Router, organizations can maximize the use of their cloud-based applications and services by connecting their multi-cloud environments to multiple 100 Gbps connections for data migration. About PacketFabric PacketFabric is the Connectivity Cloud. It was built from the ground up to be flexible, scalable, fast, programmable, and secure, with no trade-offs. This lets businesses build a flexible cloud core that gives them the best digital business results. The Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform from PacketFabric uses a private optical network that can grow very quickly, the latest packet-switching technology, and automation from beginning to end. PacketFabric provides private and secure on-demand connections between hundreds of the world's best colocation facilities and cloud service providers. With an advanced Application Program Interface (API) and web portal, IT, network, and DevOps teams can set up cloud-scale connectivity in minutes.

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VIRTUAL DESKTOP TOOLS, SERVER VIRTUALIZATION

ThinPrint Launches Cloud Print Server on Azure for Fast and Reliable Printing in Private Cloud

ThinPrint | March 02, 2023

ThinPrint has released its Azure Cloud Print Server, which is a print server that is optimized for the cloud and makes it possible to print quickly and reliably in the private cloud. The management portal gives businesses full control over their print environments, and the reduced workload and bandwidth usage saves money and improves ROI. The Azure Cloud Print Server also uses secure authentication and authorization to make sure that documents stay private and safe. Also, the server can be connected to other IT systems, which makes it easier to manage printers in different places. ThinPrint's Azure Cloud Print Server is made to be very safe, with user authentication and encrypted data in transit. Also, the server can be added to an already existing IT system, which makes it easy to switch to cloud printing. Charlotte Kuenzell, the CEO of ThinPrint, said, "We are excited to introduce our Cloud Print Server on Azure, which provides government and enterprise customers with a solution for fast and reliable printing to virtual desktop environments in the private cloud." She also said, "With adaptive compression, SSL encryption, and simplified printer mapping, our Cloud Print Server delivers the highest levels of performance, security, and control in the private cloud." (Source - Globenewswire) The Cloud Print Server has features that are used in other settings, like advanced and adaptive compression, SpeedCache, streaming, font management, and printing without a driver for all printer models. The ThinPrint Cloud Print Server, including all features, is available for free trial in the private cloud for the first 30 days. About ThinPrint ThinPrint has 20 years of enterprise printing experience. ThinPrint's solutions provide secure, high-performance printing with a seamless user experience as networks and end devices become more complex. From endpoint printers to innovative end devices, their technology supports printing innovations. The company prioritizes print infrastructure management, network performance optimization, and user satisfaction. ThinPrint has over 30,000 corporate customers and over 100 desktop as a service and software as a service providers who use their printing solutions. ThinPrint added ezeep and its native cloud technology to their cloud portfolio in 2015, making it the leading printing solution for coworking and shared spaces. ThinPrint has offices in the US, UK, Australia, Japan, and China and over 350 channel partners worldwide to provide local support and develop and test its solutions in Berlin, Germany. Innovative companies can overcome all printing challenges with ThinPrint.

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Vultr Includes NVIDIA A16 to Its GPU Lineup for VDI Access

Vultr | February 10, 2023

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