A Step-by-Step Guide to Kube-green: Optimizing Kubernetes for Sustainability

Introduction As Kubernetes adoption skyrockets, so does its energy consumption. Running non-essential workloads 24/7 not only increases costs but also leaves a larger carbon footprint. Enter Kube-green—a Kubernetes operator that helps reduce energy consumption by automatically shutting down workloads when they are not needed, such as during off-hours or weekends. In this guide, we’ll explore what Kube-green is, how it helps optimize Kubernetes workloads for sustainability, and a step-by-step process to set it up and execute it in your cluster. Why Kube-green? Reduces Energy Consumption – Shuts down non-essential workloads when not in use. Lowers Cloud Costs – Minimizes resource usage, reducing bills from cloud providers. Enhances Sustainability – Supports green computing by cutting down unnecessary CPU and memory usage. Automates Scaling – Ensures resources are dynamically allocated based on real needs. Prerequisites Before setting up Kube-green, ensure you have: A Kubernetes cluster (Minikube, Kind, or a cloud-based cluster) kubectl installed and configured Helm installed for easier deployment Step 1: Install Kube-green Kube-green can be installed using Helm. First, add the Kube-green Helm repository: helm repo add kube-green https://kube-green.github.io/helm-charts/ helm repo update Now, install Kube-green using: helm install kube-green kube-green/kube-green -n kube-green --create-namespace Verify the installation: kubectl get pods -n kube-green Step 2: Configure Kube-green for Workload Auto-Shutdown Kube-green uses a SleepInfo resource to define which namespaces or deployments should be shut down at specific times. Create a SleepInfo YAML file (e.g., sleepinfo.yaml): apiVersion: kube-green.com/v1alpha1 kind: SleepInfo metadata: name: off-hours-sleep namespace: default spec: weekdays: - "Monday" - "Tuesday" - "Wednesday" - "Thursday" - "Friday" sleepAt: "19:00" wakeUpAt: "07:00" excludeRef: deployments: - name: critical-app Apply the configuration: kubectl apply -f sleepinfo.yaml This configuration will shut down workloads at 7 PM and restart them at 7 AM, excluding critical-app. Step 3: Monitor Kube-green Check if the shutdown schedule is working as expected: kubectl get sleepinfo -A View the logs to debug any issues: kubectl logs -n kube-green -l app=kube-green Step 4: Fine-Tuning and Best Practices Use multiple SleepInfo objects to define different schedules for different namespaces. Integrate with CI/CD pipelines to ensure green deployments follow your energy efficiency policies. Monitor using Prometheus and Grafana to visualize savings and optimize workload scheduling. Conclusion Kube-green is an excellent tool for making Kubernetes clusters more energy-efficient and cost-effective. By implementing Kube-green, organizations can align their cloud-native strategies with sustainability goals while saving money. Give it a try and contribute to a greener future for cloud computing! Need more guidance? Drop your questions below, and let’s optimize Kubernetes the sustainable way!

Feb 18, 2025 - 06:37

A Step-by-Step Guide to Kube-green: Optimizing Kubernetes for Sustainability

Introduction

As Kubernetes adoption skyrockets, so does its energy consumption. Running non-essential workloads 24/7 not only increases costs but also leaves a larger carbon footprint. Enter Kube-green—a Kubernetes operator that helps reduce energy consumption by automatically shutting down workloads when they are not needed, such as during off-hours or weekends.

In this guide, we’ll explore what Kube-green is, how it helps optimize Kubernetes workloads for sustainability, and a step-by-step process to set it up and execute it in your cluster.

Why Kube-green?

Reduces Energy Consumption – Shuts down non-essential workloads when not in use.

Lowers Cloud Costs – Minimizes resource usage, reducing bills from cloud providers.

Enhances Sustainability – Supports green computing by cutting down unnecessary CPU and memory usage.

Automates Scaling – Ensures resources are dynamically allocated based on real needs.

Prerequisites

Before setting up Kube-green, ensure you have:

A Kubernetes cluster (Minikube, Kind, or a cloud-based cluster)

kubectl installed and configured

Helm installed for easier deployment

Step 1: Install Kube-green

Kube-green can be installed using Helm. First, add the Kube-green Helm repository:

helm repo add kube-green https://kube-green.github.io/helm-charts/ helm repo update

Now, install Kube-green using:

helm install kube-green kube-green/kube-green -n kube-green --create-namespace

Verify the installation:

kubectl get pods -n kube-green

Step 2: Configure Kube-green for Workload Auto-Shutdown

Kube-green uses a SleepInfo resource to define which namespaces or deployments should be shut down at specific times.

Create a SleepInfo YAML file (e.g., sleepinfo.yaml):

apiVersion: kube-green.com/v1alpha1 kind: SleepInfo metadata: name: off-hours-sleep namespace: default spec: weekdays: - "Monday" - "Tuesday" - "Wednesday" - "Thursday" - "Friday" sleepAt: "19:00" wakeUpAt: "07:00" excludeRef: deployments: - name: critical-app

Apply the configuration:

kubectl apply -f sleepinfo.yaml

This configuration will shut down workloads at 7 PM and restart them at 7 AM, excluding critical-app.

Step 3: Monitor Kube-green

Check if the shutdown schedule is working as expected:

kubectl get sleepinfo -A

View the logs to debug any issues:

kubectl logs -n kube-green -l app=kube-green

Step 4: Fine-Tuning and Best Practices

Use multiple SleepInfo objects to define different schedules for different namespaces.

Integrate with CI/CD pipelines to ensure green deployments follow your energy efficiency policies.

Monitor using Prometheus and Grafana to visualize savings and optimize workload scheduling.

Conclusion

Kube-green is an excellent tool for making Kubernetes clusters more energy-efficient and cost-effective. By implementing Kube-green, organizations can align their cloud-native strategies with sustainability goals while saving money. Give it a try and contribute to a greener future for cloud computing!

Need more guidance? Drop your questions below, and let’s optimize Kubernetes the sustainable way!