Cloud&Heat Compass is a Kubernetes distribution designed for setting up and operating Kubernetes environments on OpenStack. It is provided by Cloud&Heat as part of installation services and can optionally be operated under support contracts.

Kubernetes is an open-source platform comprising core components such as the API server, controller manager, scheduler and etcd. However, for production use, additional components are required for installation, upgrades, security, monitoring, authentication and user access.

A distribution such as Cloud&Heat Compass offers exactly that: a pre-configured and tested version of Kubernetes, including all the necessary tools and standardised processes for release management. Cloud&Heat Compass combines Kubernetes with automated lifecycle management (Tarook) for installation, updates and operation. This enables productive Kubernetes environments to be set up and operated more efficiently and securely.

Cloud&Heat Compass is ideal for businesses or public sector organisations that wish to run containerised applications efficiently on their own on-premises cloud infrastructure. A Kubernetes environment based on Cloud&Heat Compass can be a particularly suitable solution for SaaS or platform providers who develop and deploy their applications on their own infrastructure. It is especially advantageous for the following requirements:

• Scalability and flexibility
• High availability
• Time saved through automated updates and maintenance
• Multi-cloud strategies
• Clear separation of workloads

The distribution adheres to established cloud standards for interfaces, security, interoperability and portability. Cloud&Heat Compass is based on Tarook, a Kubernetes distribution certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. This ensures that applications running on standards-compliant Kubernetes will also work on Cloud&Heat Compass without any modifications.

Yes, existing infrastructure can usually be integrated. We would be happy to assess the options for integrating Cloud&Heat Compass with your existing OpenStack infrastructure. If required, we can also provide you with a complete cloud stack, including our OpenStack distribution Cloud&Heat Patron, on which we install Cloud&Heat Compass.

If you would also like to find matching Hardware If you need this, we’d be happy to provide it for you. We also offer fully pre-configured On-Premises Cloud Appliance Including hardware, cloud services and support.

Cloud&Heat Compass uses OpenStack as its underlying IaaS platform. Kubernetes runs on virtual machines and, thanks to the additional layer of abstraction, offers a high degree of flexibility and easy scalability. Alternatively, Kubernetes can be run directly on bare metal, eliminating the need for a virtualisation layer and delivering benefits such as higher performance and offline operation. For this use case, we offer Cloud&Heat Forge, a Kubernetes distribution for bare-metal environments. Cloud&Heat Forge is also based on Tarook, making it easier to switch between different operating scenarios.

Yes. We can install, configure and commission your Cloud&Heat Compass. After that, you can take over operations entirely yourself, provided you have the necessary resources and expertise. We can also provide on-demand support in this case. Alternatively, we are also happy to manage the environment for you, with a range of service packages and SLA options available.

Open source lifecycle management Tarook Kubernetes, which is hosted by the non-profit open-source association ALASCA, can be used free of charge to build your own Kubernetes environment. Community support resources are available for this purpose.