Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Are you a database architect or DevOps architect tasked with deploying modern databases like ArangoDB on Kubernetes? Kubernetes, with its robust orchestration capabilities, provides a solid foundation for managing containerized workloads, ensuring reliability and adaptability for database deployments.

In this post, we’ll guide you through the process of deploying ArangoDB on Kubernetes, addressing common DevOps challenges like scalability, high availability, and efficient resource utilization. By the end, you'll have a practical understanding of integrating ArangoDB with Kubernetes in a way that’s both robust and future-proof.

Why ArangoDB and Kubernetes?

ArangoDB, as a multi-model database, excels at handling diverse workloads—be it document, graph, or key-value data. When paired with Kubernetes, you gain:

• Scalability: Automatically adjust resources to meet demand.
• Resilience: Ensure high availability through self-healing capabilities.
• Simplicity: Streamline deployment and updates with Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Automation: Minimize manual intervention with Kubernetes' built-in orchestration.

Prerequisites

Before diving into deployment, ensure you have the following ready:

1. A Kubernetes Cluster: Local (e.g., Minikube) or cloud-based (e.g., AWS EKS, GKE).
2. kubectl: Installed and configured to interact with your cluster.
3. Helm: Installed for managing Kubernetes charts.

Step 1: Installing the ArangoDB Kubernetes Operator

The ArangoDB Kubernetes Operator simplifies the deployment and management of ArangoDB clusters. It automates tasks like scaling, failover, and configuration management.

Add the Helm Repository

Start by adding the ArangoDB Helm repository:

bash

Deploy the Operator

Install the ArangoDB operator in a dedicated namespace:

bash

This deploys the operator, which manages the lifecycle of your ArangoDB cluster.

Step 2: Configuring and Deploying an ArangoDB Cluster

Create the Cluster Configuration

Write a configuration file ( e.g., arangodb-cluster.yaml ) to define your cluster. This configuration outlines the desired topology, resource allocation, and environment settings.

Yaml

Apply the Configuration

Deploy your cluster by applying the YAML file:

bash

Verify the deployment status:

bash

Step 3: Addressing DevOps Concerns

Scalability

Kubernetes' horizontal scaling ensures that your ArangoDB cluster can handle fluctuating workloads:

bash

High Availability

With ArangoDB's fault-tolerant architecture and Kubernetes' self-healing, you minimize downtime. For example, Kubernetes automatically restarts failed pods:

bash

Backup and Recovery

Set up a backup strategy using Kubernetes CronJobs:

yaml

Step 4: Monitoring and Maintenance

Use Kubernetes-native tools like Prometheus and Grafana to monitor your ArangoDB deployment. Enable metrics collection by annotating your pods:

yaml

Summary

Integrating ArangoDB with Kubernetes offers an elegant solution for managing complex database workloads. By leveraging Kubernetes' orchestration capabilities, you can ensure your database is scalable, resilient, and easy to manage. Whether you're a seasoned DevOps professional or new to container orchestration, this setup will provide a reliable foundation for your ArangoDB deployment.

Happy deploying!