Introducing Docker Kubernetes Service

Kubernetes is a powerful orchestration technology for deploying, scaling and managing distributed applications and it has taken the industry by storm over the past few years. However, due to its inherent complexity, relatively few enterprises have been able to realize the full value of Kubernetes; with 96% of enterprise IT organizations unable to manage Kubernetes on their own. At Docker, we recognize that much of Kubernetes’ perceived complexity stems from a lack of intuitive security and manageability configurations that most enterprises expect and require for production-grade software.

Docker Kubernetes Service (DKS) is a Certified Kubernetes distribution that is included with Docker Enterprise 3.0 and is designed to solve this fundamental challenge. It’s the only offering that integrates Kubernetes from the developer desktop to production servers, with ‘sensible secure defaults’ out-of-the-box. Simply put, DKS makes Kubernetes easy to use and more secure for the entire organization. Here are three things that DKS does to simplify (and accelerate) Kubernetes adoption for the enterprise:

Consistent, seamless Kubernetes experience for developers and operators

DKS is the only Kubernetes offering that provides consistency across the full development lifecycle from local desktops to servers. Through the use of Version Packs, developers’ Kubernetes environments running in Docker Desktop Enterprise stay in sync with production environments for a complete, seamless Kubernetes experience. With a quarterly release cycle for Kubernetes and new APIs getting added every release, different environments may end up running different versions of Docker and Kubernetes. Developers can switch between version packs with a single click to stay aligned to different resulting environments.

Streamlined Kubernetes lifecycle management (Day 1 and Day 2 operations) 

New cluster management tools enable operations teams to easily deploy, scale, backup and restore and upgrade a certified Kubernetes environment using a set of simple CLI commands. This delivers an automated way to install and configure Kubernetes applications across hybrid and multi-cloud deployment, including AWS, Azure, or VMware.

Enhanced security with ‘sensible defaults’

DKS comes hardened with “sensible defaults” that enterprises expect and require for production-level deployments. These include out-of-the-box configurations for security, encryption, access control, and lifecycle management — all without having to become a Kubernetes expert. DKS also allows organizations to integrate their existing LDAP and SAML-based authentication solutions with Kubernetes RBAC for simple multi-tenancy.

Take the next step to Kubernetes success

• Try it for yourself: Sign up for the Docker Enterprise 3.0 public beta
• Watch the webinar: How Docker Simplifies Kubernetes for the Masses