Tool
Kubernetes
Kubernetes is powerful, and it is not small. It suits organizations running many services at scale. For everyone else it can be a costly detour. We begin by asking whether you need it, and build it carefully where you do.
- 1,200+ clients helped
- Building since 2010
- 15 services, one team
- 50+ technologies
At a glance
What it is
Kubernetes is a system for running many containers across many machines, handling scaling, restarts, and rollouts automatically.
Problems it solves
Teams adopt Kubernetes because it is fashionable, then spend more time running the platform than building their product.
Who it suits
Teams running many services at scale, and technical leads deciding whether Kubernetes is worth its complexity.
How to choose
Adopt Kubernetes when many services, several teams, and real scale need it. Otherwise a managed container service is simpler and cheaper.
What it means
An operating system for containers
Kubernetes is an open-source system for running containers across a group of machines. You describe what should be running, and Kubernetes keeps it that way: starting copies, restarting failures, spreading load, and rolling out new versions.
That automation is valuable at scale, where nobody can manage hundreds of containers by hand. It comes with a lot of moving parts: networking, security, storage, upgrades, and tooling.
Most cloud providers offer managed Kubernetes, which takes away the hardest parts. It remains a platform your team must understand and look after.
Alternatives
Kubernetes compared with simpler options
Suits
A few applications, small teams, and steady or variable traffic.
- Trade-off
- Less control, but far less to look after.
Suits
Small systems with simple deployment needs.
- Trade-off
- Manual scaling and recovery.
Suits
Event-driven work with spiky use.
- Trade-off
- Awkward for long-running services.
Suits
Many services, many teams, and strong scaling needs.
- Trade-off
- Highest effort to learn, secure, and run.
Choosing the right approach
The hidden cost is people
A cluster does not run itself. Someone must upgrade it, secure it, understand its networking, and respond when it misbehaves. For a small team, that time is taken from building the product.
We make this cost explicit before you commit, including what it would take to run the platform in-house, with us, or on a managed service that removes most of it.
How it works
What a Kubernetes cluster looks like
The pieces are many, but the idea is simple: you state what you want, and the cluster makes it so.
What a Kubernetes cluster looks like
Layers from top to bottom. Your services; Deployment rules; The cluster; Platform services; Cloud account.
- Your servicesApplications packaged as containers.
- Deployment rulesHow many copies, what resources, how to roll out.
- The clusterMachines that run the containers and replace failed ones.
- Platform servicesNetworking, secrets, storage, and monitoring.
- Cloud accountThe provider's managed control layer and billing.
How we assess it
Deciding whether you need a cluster
Count what you run
We list services, deployment frequency, traffic patterns, and the number of teams involved.
What it produces
- Service inventory
- Traffic profile
Try the simpler options on paper
We estimate what a managed container service would cost and where it would struggle.
What it produces
- Option costs
- Gaps
Price the platform
If a cluster looks justified, we estimate the cloud bill and the people time to run it.
What it produces
- Cost and effort estimate
Recommend, with a way back
We recommend one route, and design it so you can change course if the need turns out different.
What it produces
- Recommendation
- Exit options
What DECHY can do
Working with Kubernetes
Assess
- An honest view of whether you need it.
- Cost estimates against simpler options.
Build
- Managed clusters on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
- Deployment pipelines and standard configurations.
Secure
- Access control, network rules, and secrets handling.
- Image scanning and policy checks.
Operate
- Monitoring, upgrades, and cost control.
- Training and documentation for your team.
Common questions
Questions about Kubernetes
Is Kubernetes the standard way to run containers?
It is very common at scale, but not the only or the simplest way. Many organizations run well on managed container services without it.
How much does it cost to run?
The cloud bill is only part of it. People time often dominates. We estimate both, and compare with simpler options.
Can you migrate us from a simpler set-up?
Yes, in stages, one service at a time, if there is a clear reason to. We also advise when staying put is the better choice.
Do we need Docker too?
You need containers, which are commonly built with Docker. Kubernetes then runs them.
Have a different question?
Tell us what you are weighing up and we will answer it plainly.
Ask a questionAlready a client? Email support@dechytech.com
Technical depth
How we build with Kubernetes
The detail a technical reviewer will ask about: foundation, delivery and configuration, and security and operations.
We use a managed control plane, define the cluster and its networking in code with Terraform, and keep node pools small, separate, and sized from measured use.
- Declarative manifests or packaged charts, applied through a pipeline or a GitOps tool.
- Resource requests and limits on every workload, plus autoscaling where it helps.
- Secrets from an external manager, not stored in plain manifests.
- Role-based access with least privilege, network policies between workloads, and image scanning.
- Metrics, logs, and alerts on what users feel, and a tested upgrade routine.
Describe the services you run
Tell us how many services you run, how they scale, and who looks after them. We will assess honestly whether Kubernetes is justified and what simpler options exist.