Set Up Kubernetes Cluster On Ubuntu 24.04

Nov 3, 2025 by Team 42 views

Setting Up a Kubernetes Cluster on Ubuntu 24.04: A Comprehensive Guide

Hey guys! So, you're looking to dive into the world of Kubernetes, huh? That's awesome! Setting up a Kubernetes cluster on Ubuntu 24.04 can seem a bit daunting at first, but trust me, it's totally doable. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through every step, from prepping your Ubuntu machines to deploying your first containerized application. We'll cover everything from the basic prerequisites to advanced configurations, ensuring you have a solid understanding of how everything works. Whether you're a seasoned DevOps pro or just starting out, this guide is designed to help you get your Kubernetes cluster up and running smoothly. So, buckle up, grab your favorite drink, and let's get started on this exciting journey into container orchestration! We will begin with the basics, ensuring you understand the necessary foundations before moving on to the more complex aspects of setting up and managing your Kubernetes cluster. This will include setting up the right configurations to get your cluster up and running successfully. We'll also cover crucial topics such as networking and storage, equipping you with the knowledge needed to manage your Kubernetes cluster. By the end of this guide, you'll be well-equipped to deploy, manage, and scale your applications with confidence. Let's make this setup as smooth as possible! Remember, the goal here isn't just to get the cluster running; it's to understand it. Once you know the ins and outs, you'll be able to troubleshoot, optimize, and really make Kubernetes work for you. We'll ensure that you have the knowledge to adapt to different scenarios, troubleshoot common issues, and optimize your cluster for performance and reliability.

Prerequisites: What You'll Need

Alright, before we get our hands dirty with the technical stuff, let's make sure we've got everything we need. Here's a quick rundown of the prerequisites for setting up a Kubernetes cluster on Ubuntu 24.04:

Ubuntu 24.04 Machines: You'll need at least two Ubuntu 24.04 machines – one for the control plane (the master node) and at least one for the worker nodes. You can use virtual machines, cloud instances (like those from AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure), or even physical servers. Make sure your machines are accessible via SSH.
Hardware Requirements: A minimum of 2 GB of RAM and 2 CPUs per machine is recommended, but 4 GB of RAM and 2-4 CPUs will give you a much smoother experience, especially for testing and development. For production environments, consider even more resources, depending on your workload's demands. In terms of storage, at least 20GB of disk space is a good starting point.
Network Connectivity: Your machines need to be able to communicate with each other. Ensure there's no firewall blocking traffic between them, especially on ports used by Kubernetes (like 6443 for the API server, and various ports for worker node communication). If you're using a cloud provider, configure your security groups or network ACLs accordingly.
User Account with sudo privileges: You'll need a user account on each machine with sudo privileges. This is crucial for installing software and configuring the system.
Internet Access: Each machine needs internet access to download the necessary packages. Make sure you can reach the Ubuntu package repositories.
Basic Understanding of Linux: A basic understanding of Linux commands, such as apt, ssh, and systemctl, will be super helpful. If you're not familiar with Linux, don't sweat it. You'll pick up the basics as we go along!

Step 1: Updating and Configuring Your Ubuntu Machines

Okay, let's get down to business! First things first, we need to ensure our Ubuntu machines are up-to-date and ready to go. Here's what you need to do on each machine (master and worker nodes):

Update the System: Open a terminal and run the following commands to update the package lists and upgrade existing packages:
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
```
This ensures you have the latest versions of everything and that the system is secure.
Disable Swap: Kubernetes doesn't play well with swap, so we need to disable it. Run this command:
```
sudo swapoff -a
sudo sed -i '/ swap / s/^${.*}$/#\1/g' /etc/fstab
```
The first command disables swap immediately, and the second prevents it from re-enabling on reboot. Removing the swap space improves the performance of your cluster and prevents issues with pod scheduling.
Set Hostname and Configure Hosts File: Give each machine a unique hostname. You can do this by editing /etc/hostname and setting a descriptive name (e.g., k8s-master, k8s-node1). Then, edit the /etc/hosts file to map the hostnames to their IP addresses. This is critical for internal communication within the Kubernetes cluster. For example:
```
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname k8s-master
sudo nano /etc/hosts
```
Add the following lines to /etc/hosts, replacing the IP addresses with the actual IP addresses of your machines:
```
192.168.1.100 k8s-master
192.168.1.101 k8s-node1
```
Save and close the file. You'll need to restart each machine after changing the hostname.
Install Containerd (or Docker): Kubernetes needs a container runtime to manage containers. While Docker was the go-to, Kubernetes now recommends Containerd. Install Containerd using the following commands:
```
sudo apt install containerd
sudo systemctl enable containerd
sudo systemctl start containerd
```
Verify that containerd is running by checking its status. Ensure containerd is running and accessible before you move on.
Configure Containerd: We need to configure Containerd to work properly with Kubernetes. Create a configuration file:
```
sudo mkdir -p /etc/containerd
sudo containerd config default | sudo tee /etc/containerd/config.toml
```
Then, edit the config.toml file and ensure that SystemdCgroup = true is set under the `[plugins.