What is Kubernetes (K3s, Helm)

Where it helps a business

• The load jumps around: one server is enough on ordinary days, five are needed at peaks.
• Downtime is critical, and the service must survive a whole server failing.
• There are many services, and placing them on machines by hand is no longer possible.

How we use it

Kubernetes (the lightweight K3s, with ready-made configurations through Helm) is part of our infrastructure stack for projects where load jumps or downtime is unacceptable. All the projects in our cases (websites, bots, Peregovorka, VPN nodes) run on Docker Compose: each project has its own server or its own Docker network, and that is enough.

Common problems

• Complexity for its own sake. Kubernetes needs its own maintenance; on a single server it adds more work than it removes.
• Pointless without health checks. Automatic restarts only work if the system can tell a live service from a hung one.

When you do not need it

For a website, a few bots and a database on one server, Docker Compose is simpler, cheaper and more reliable. Kubernetes comes in once there are several servers and the load calls for it.