On-premises Kubernetes and hybrid cloud.

Cloudfleet brings a managed Kubernetes experience to on-premises and hybrid cloud environments. Simplify your infrastructure footprint and reduce operational overhead with Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine

The future of hybrid cloud: a unified Kubernetes platform for on-premises and edge environments

The hybrid cloud is rapidly emerging as the future of enterprise computing. Organizations are shifting from all-in cloud migrations to viewing data centers as strategic assets. This transition is driven by cost optimization efforts, increased data sovereignty requirements, and growing expectations for global availability.

Cloudfleet eliminates the complexity of managing Kubernetes clusters. It is specifically designed for on-premises infrastructure and containerized workloads. Cloudfleet seamlessly supports hyperconverged environments, bare metal, and any type of virtualization, offering unmatched ease of use and resilience. The platform is built to meet the container management needs of companies of all sizes, with a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine (CFKE) is a fully managed Kubernetes service that allows you to run applications in your own data center, on any cloud provider, and in any region - all from a single control plane. Cloudfleet runs the Kubernetes control plane in a managed, secure environment, ensuring that all critical components remain available and up to date. No matter the size of your cluster or where your infrastructure is located - whether in an on-premises data center in Asia or an AWS region in the US - you can focus on your workloads and pay only for the resources your applications use.

Easiest rollout with just one command

Adding nodes to your Cloudfleet Kubernetes clusters is as easy as executing a single CLI command. All you need is a Linux machine with SSH access - no Kubernetes expertise required. With Cloudfleet, managing and operating on-premises Kubernetes clusters has never been simpler. Say goodbye to the complexity of maintaining a stack of management tools for each environment - Cloudfleet handles everything for you.

No upfront costs, free clusters up to 48 CPUs

Getting started with Cloudfleet is easy. No contracts, no upfront payments. Create a cluster with three nodes, each with up to 16 CPUs - for free - without needing to attach a payment method. For larger production deployments, you only pay for the servers managed by Cloudfleet, with per-second billing. If your organization has specific requirements or needs assistance with a proof of concept, our team is ready to help.

Simplified Day-2 operations

Cloudfleet handles the most challenging aspects of Kubernetes control plane management, including networking, security, updates, scaling, monitoring, and high availability. By simplifying platform management, Cloudfleet removes operational barriers, enabling organizations to get up and running in minutes instead of weeks.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine comes with a state-of-the-art stack of foundational components pre-installed, pre-configured, and tested. The best infrastructure is the one you don’t have to manage - Cloudfleet provides the easiest way to run global Kubernetes clusters.

Designed for intermittent connectivity

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine is built for the most demanding networking environments, including edge computing, IoT deployments, and remote locations with unstable internet connectivity. If connectivity between application servers and the Cloudfleet control plane is lost, workloads continue running until the connection is restored.

Automated failover to the public cloud can be configured in case of connectivity disruptions in edge or on-prem environments. Once the connection is re-established, the cluster automatically restores its intended state using highly available, durable persistent storage.

apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: example-app
spec:
  nodeSelector:
    topology.kubernetes.io/region: dc-washington-1
  containers:
  - name: example-app
    image: nginx
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: "256Mi"
        cpu: "1000m"
      limits:
        memory: "512Mi"
        cpu: "2000m"

Kubernetes manifest example

Specific on-premises data center

This manifest deploys an Nginx pod in a specific on-premises data center, ensuring it runs only on servers located in 'dc-washington-1' with at least 256 MiB of memory and 1 CPU core.

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: example-app
spec:
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: nginx
  replicas: 2
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: nginx
    spec:
      affinity:
        nodeAffinity:
          requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
            nodeSelectorTerms:
              - matchExpressions:
                - key: "cfke.io/provider"
                  operator: "In"
                  values: ["gcp", "on-premises"]
        podAntiAffinity:
          requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
            - labelSelector:
                matchExpressions:
                  - key: app
                    operator: In
                    values:
                      - nginx
              topologyKey: cfke.io/provider
      containers:
        - name: nginx
          image: nginx:1.24
          resources:
            requests:
              cpu: 50m
              memory: 56Mi

Kubernetes manifest example

Spread across on-remises and public cloud

This manifest deploys an Nginx application with two replicas, distributing them across both on-premises infrastructure and Google Cloud (GCP). It uses node affinity to restrict scheduling to nodes labeled as either GCP or on-premises, while pod anti-affinity ensures that replicas are spread across different environments to improve resilience.

Cloudfleet solves the biggest challenges

Operating Kubernetes - especially at scale and in distributed environments - requires specialized expertise and can be complex. Cloudfleet provides out-of-the-box features to accelerate time to production for containerized workloads on-premises, in the cloud, in hybrid deployments, and at the edge.

No inbound networking

Adding your on-premises servers to a Cloudfleet cluster does not require opening your network to the internet or allowing inbound connections. A single outgoing port is used to synchronize cluster state, and all traffic between servers and the control plane is end-to-end encrypted.

Integrates into your stack

Available on all plans, including the free tier, Cloudfleet works with any server provisioning tools and NAS solutions. It also supports SSO integration with your IdP via SAML and LDAP protocols, enabling compatibility with Microsoft Active Directory, Google Directory, and Okta.

Open source standards

Cloudfleet runs a CNCF-conformant distribution of vanilla Kubernetes, ensuring that all applications deployed on Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine are fully compatible with standard Kubernetes environments. What does this mean for you? Seamless migration of Kubernetes applications on and off Cloudfleet - without major code modifications.

Automated upgrades

Cloudfleet handles continuous software updates and patching for cluster components. Updates are triggered on a defined schedule, requiring no manual intervention, keeping your applications up to date with the latest features and security patches.

Public cloud bursting

Leverage public cloud resources when needed. Run the majority of your Kubernetes workloads in your own data center to maintain cost control, while seamlessly adding burst capacity from any public cloud provider as demand increases.

Unified control plane

Cloudfleet delivers truly global clusters - eliminating the need to build separate Kubernetes clusters for each site or cloud provider. Say goodbye to ‘cluster of clusters’ architectures, complex multi-cloud management, and vendor lock-in.

Cloudfleet infrastructure providers

Bare metal or virtualization deployments

With Cloudfleet, you can use both bare metal and virtualized infrastructure within a Kubernetes cluster. There are no fixed requirements on the number of servers or resources - you can dynamically scale your cluster based on your organization’s needs. With virtualization platforms like vSphere and Proxmox VE, you don’t even need to predefine infrastructure - CFKE automatically provisions and scales virtual machines based on workload demand.

Bare metal infrastructure

Self-managed nodes

Cloudfleet allows you to deploy highly available Kubernetes clusters on bare metal and edge environments. With Cloudfleet’s API-first design, you can seamlessly integrate your existing technology stack and upgrade it to cloud-native infrastructure. This enables rapid, cost-effective adoption of enterprise-grade cloud technologies - without disruption or downtime.

VMware vSphere

Self-managed nodes | Node auto-provisioning

With Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine and VMware vSphere, you get the best of both worlds. Cloudfleet creates highly available Kubernetes clusters within your VMware vSphere environment, allowing you to easily deploy and scale clusters of any size. Clusters automatically scale up or down based on workload demands, ensuring optimal resource utilization.

Proxmox VE

Self-managed nodes | Node auto-provisioning

Deploying Kubernetes on-premises or at the edge doesn’t have to be complex. By combining Cloudfleet Kubernetes with Proxmox VE, you get a seamless, cost-effective solution for managing containerized workloads. Proxmox VE provides a robust, open-source virtualization platform, while Cloudfleet Kubernetes simplifies cluster deployment, scaling, and management.

Equinix Metal

Self-managed nodes

Cloudfleet is the simplest way to deploy highly available Kubernetes clusters on Equinix Metal. With Cloudfleet, you get a fully managed Kubernetes experience on Equinix, enabling you to effortlessly manage workloads across multiple locations. Leverage Equinix Metal’s unmatched global reach and connectivity ecosystem to ensure high performance, scalability, and seamless multi-region operations.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes adoption

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On-premises Kubernetes and hybrid cloud questions and answers

A hybrid cloud is an IT architecture that integrates public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises infrastructure, enabling seamless workload portability, automation, and orchestration across environments. It optimizes costs by leveraging public cloud scalability while maintaining control over sensitive workloads in private infrastructure. This approach ensures flexibility, resilience, and regulatory compliance without vendor lock-in.

By unifying multiple cloud environments, a hybrid cloud enhances operational efficiency through intelligent workload distribution and dynamic scaling. It enables businesses to implement a cloud strategy tailored to performance, security, and budgetary requirements while supporting multi-cloud deployments. With automation and centralized management, hybrid cloud architectures reduce complexity, streamline DevOps workflows, and improve business continuity.

Hybrid cloud and multi-cloud are both cloud strategies but serve distinct purposes. A hybrid cloud integrates private cloud, public cloud, and on-premises infrastructure into a unified environment, enabling seamless workload mobility and centralized management. It optimizes costs by keeping sensitive workloads in private environments while leveraging public cloud resources for scalability. Hybrid cloud is ideal for organizations that require flexibility, security, and compliance without sacrificing automation and efficiency.

Multi-cloud, on the other hand, involves using multiple public cloud providers without necessarily integrating them into a single architecture. This approach mitigates vendor lock-in, enhances resilience, and optimizes performance by selecting the best cloud services for specific workloads. While hybrid cloud focuses on interoperability between private and public resources, multi-cloud emphasizes diversification across multiple cloud platforms. Many enterprises adopt both strategies to maximize cost efficiency, availability, and control.

Kubernetes is ideal for hybrid cloud deployments because it provides a consistent, automated platform for managing workloads across on-premises, private, and public cloud environments. Its container orchestration capabilities ensure seamless workload portability, allowing applications to run anywhere without modification. With built-in automation for scaling, self-healing, and resource optimization, Kubernetes reduces operational overhead while improving performance and reliability.

Its declarative infrastructure management, combined with robust networking and security policies, enables organizations to enforce governance and compliance across hybrid environments. Kubernetes’ support for multi-cloud strategies ensures workload distribution based on cost, performance, or regulatory requirements, preventing vendor lock-in. By unifying hybrid cloud operations, Kubernetes streamlines DevOps workflows, accelerates innovation, and enhances overall infrastructure efficiency.

Companies adopt a hybrid cloud strategy to maximize flexibility, cost efficiency, and security while avoiding vendor lock-in. By combining private infrastructure with public cloud resources, organizations can scale workloads dynamically, optimizing costs without sacrificing control over sensitive data. This approach ensures compliance with regulatory requirements while leveraging cloud elasticity for peak demand and innovation-driven workloads.

Hybrid cloud also enhances resilience and performance by distributing workloads across multiple environments based on latency, security, or operational needs. With automation and centralized management, businesses can streamline DevOps workflows, improve disaster recovery, and accelerate deployment cycles. By adopting a hybrid model, companies gain the agility to innovate while maintaining governance, optimizing IT spending, and ensuring business continuity.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine (CFKE) simplifies hybrid cloud management by providing a fully managed Kubernetes experience across on-premises, cloud, and edge environments. It eliminates the complexity of running distributed Kubernetes clusters by automating deployment, scaling, and infrastructure provisioning. With CFKE, organizations can reduce operational overhead while ensuring seamless workload portability and unified management across hybrid environments.

Operating Kubernetes at scale requires specialized expertise, especially in hybrid and edge deployments. Cloudfleet streamlines this process with out-of-the-box automation, enabling faster time to production for containerized workloads. Whether running on bare metal, virtualized infrastructure, or a combination of both, CFKE optimizes resource utilization without rigid infrastructure requirements. Organizations can dynamically scale their clusters based on workload demands, ensuring cost efficiency and high availability.

CFKE integrates natively with virtualization platforms like vSphere and Proxmox VE, eliminating the need for manual infrastructure planning. Instead of predefining server resources, CFKE automatically provisions and scales virtual machines as needed, allowing IT teams to focus on application development rather than infrastructure management. This intelligent automation ensures that hybrid cloud environments remain agile, resilient, and cost-effective.

By consolidating Kubernetes operations into a single, cohesive platform, Cloudfleet enhances DevOps workflows, accelerates cloud adoption, and improves overall infrastructure efficiency. Its flexibility and automation make it an ideal choice for enterprises looking to modernize their IT strategy while maintaining full control over their hybrid cloud deployments.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine requires no inbound network access, ensuring secure on-premises deployments without exposing infrastructure to the internet. A single outgoing port synchronizes cluster state, with all traffic fully encrypted end-to-end. Designed for intermittent connectivity, Cloudfleet supports edge computing, IoT, and remote locations where internet stability is a challenge. If connectivity to the control plane is lost, workloads continue running without disruption. Automated failover to the public cloud can be enabled for high availability, with clusters seamlessly restoring their intended state once the connection is re-established.

Deploying Kubernetes on-premises with Cloudfleet takes just minutes. Creating a new account and launching your first cluster is fast and frictionless, with no Kubernetes expertise required. Adding nodes is as simple as running a single CLI command on any Linux machine with SSH access - Cloudfleet automates the rest. Unlike traditional deployments that require complex tooling and manual configuration, Cloudfleet provides a fully managed experience, eliminating operational overhead and accelerating time to production.

Yes, Cloudfleet fully supports hybrid cloud deployments, enabling seamless integration of public cloud with on-premises infrastructure in a single Kubernetes cluster. By connecting your data center to Cloudfleet, you can unify cloud-native applications with existing workloads, unlocking use cases such as hybrid cloud bursting, disaster recovery, and edge computing. This allows organizations to optimize resources dynamically, ensuring scalability and resilience without sacrificing control.

Cloudfleet Kubernetes Engine (CFKE) is purpose-built for on-premises infrastructure, supporting hyperconverged, bare metal, and virtualized environments with a fully managed control plane. It provides high availability, security, and automation, regardless of where clusters are deployed - whether in a private data center or across multiple cloud regions. By eliminating operational complexity and enabling hybrid workload orchestration, Cloudfleet simplifies hybrid cloud management while maximizing performance and cost efficiency.

Learn more about multi-cloud Kubernetes and Cloudfleet

Documentation

Use cases

Tutorials

Enterprise-ready container platform

SLAs and dedicated support

Data processing and service level agreements (SLAs), dedicated account manager

Identity federation

Flexible Single Sign-On (SSO), SAML support, and role-based access control (RBAC)

Enterprise-grade security

Governance, audit logging, and SOC 2 and ISO 27001 (pending) certifications

Contact sales

Built to empower. Designed to scale.

Multi-cloud

Comprehensive support for major cloud providers and regions, ready for multi-cloud deployments.

Unlimited scalability

Expand servers, increase storage, or migrate to a different provider with zero downtime - at the push of a button.

99.99% uptime

High availability is included in the open-source feature set, ensuring reliability for mission-critical applications.

Integrations

Monitor and manage your cloud infrastructure effortlessly with your preferred tools.

World-class support

Expert 24/7 support, available 365 days a year. We're here whenever you need us.

Built-in security

End-to-end encryption, isolated networking, dedicated VMs, and full compliance certifications.

Kubernetes 1.31 Release: Key Features, Enhancements, and Deprecations

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