public/rancher-docs
1
0
Fork 0
mirror of https://github.com/rancher/rancher-docs.git synced 2026-05-14 17:13:33 +00:00
Code Issues Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity

Remove RKE references in launch-kubernetes-with-rancher.md (#1942)

Browse Source
This commit is contained in:
Lucas Saintarbor
2025-07-31 16:31:24 -07:00
committed by GitHub
parent 5928170579
commit 13d44fde15
4 changed files with 70 additions and 190 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files
versioned_docs/version-2.12/how-to-guides/new-user-guides/launch-kubernetes-with-rancher/launch-kubernetes-with-rancher.md
+8 -38
View File
@@ -6,41 +6,11 @@ title: Launching Kubernetes with Rancher
<link rel="canonical" href="https://ranchermanager.docs.rancher.com/how-to-guides/new-user-guides/launch-kubernetes-with-rancher"/>
</head>
You can have Rancher launch a Kubernetes cluster using any nodes you want. When Rancher deploys Kubernetes onto these nodes, you can choose between [Rancher Kubernetes Engine](https://rancher.com/docs/rke/latest/en/) (RKE) or [RKE2](https://docs.rke2.io) distributions. Rancher can launch Kubernetes on any computers, including:
- Bare-metal servers
- On-premise virtual machines
- Virtual machines hosted by an infrastructure provider
Rancher allows you to launch a Kubernetes cluster on different types of nodes, including bare-metal servers, on-premise virtual machines, and virtual machines from an infrastructure provider. When deploying Kubernetes to these nodes, Rancher gives you the option to use [RKE2](https://docs.rke2.io).
Rancher can install Kubernetes on existing nodes, or it can dynamically provision nodes in an infrastructure provider and install Kubernetes on them.
Rancher can also create pools of nodes. One benefit of installing Kubernetes on node pools hosted by an infrastructure provider is that if a node loses connectivity with the cluster, Rancher can automatically create another node to join the cluster to ensure that the count of the node pool is as expected.
## RKE
### Requirements
If you use RKE to set up a cluster, your nodes must meet the [requirements](../kubernetes-clusters-in-rancher-setup/node-requirements-for-rancher-managed-clusters.md) for nodes in downstream user clusters.
### Launching Kubernetes on New Nodes in an Infrastructure Provider
Using Rancher, you can create pools of nodes based on a [node template](use-new-nodes-in-an-infra-provider/use-new-nodes-in-an-infra-provider.md#node-templates). This node template defines the parameters you want to use to launch nodes in your cloud providers.
One benefit of installing Kubernetes on node pools hosted by an infrastructure provider is that if a node loses connectivity with the cluster, Rancher can automatically create another node to join the cluster to ensure that the count of the node pool is as expected.
For more information, refer to the section on [launching Kubernetes on new nodes.](use-new-nodes-in-an-infra-provider/use-new-nodes-in-an-infra-provider.md)
### Launching Kubernetes on Existing Custom Nodes
In this scenario, you want to install Kubernetes on bare-metal servers, on-prem virtual machines, or virtual machines that already exist in a cloud provider. With this option, you will run a Rancher agent Docker container on the machine.
If you want to reuse a node from a previous custom cluster, [clean the node](../manage-clusters/clean-cluster-nodes.md) before using it in a cluster again. If you reuse a node that hasn't been cleaned, cluster provisioning may fail.
For more information, refer to the section on [custom nodes.](../../../reference-guides/cluster-configuration/rancher-server-configuration/use-existing-nodes/use-existing-nodes.md)
### Programmatically Creating RKE Clusters
The most common way to programmatically deploy RKE clusters through Rancher is by using the Rancher2 Terraform provider. The documentation for creating clusters with Terraform is [here.](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/rancher/rancher2/latest/docs/resources/cluster)
Rancher can also create pools of machines. One benefit of installing Kubernetes on machine pools hosted by an infrastructure provider is that if a node loses connectivity with the cluster, Rancher can automatically create another node to join the cluster to ensure that the count of the machine pool is as expected.
## RKE2
@@ -56,9 +26,9 @@ If you use RKE2 to set up a cluster, your nodes must meet the [requirements](htt
RKE2 provisioning is built on top of a new provisioning framework that leverages the upstream [Cluster API (CAPI)](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api) project. With this new provisioning framework, you can:
- Provision RKE2 clusters onto any provider for which Rancher has a node driver
- Fully configure RKE2 clusters within Rancher
- Choose CNI options Calico, Cilium, and Multus in addition to Canal
- Provision RKE2 clusters onto any provider for which Rancher has a node driver.
- Fully configure RKE2 clusters within Rancher.
- Choose CNI options Calico, Cilium, and Multus in addition to Canal.
When you make changes to your cluster configuration in RKE2, this may result in nodes reprovisioning. This is controlled by CAPI controllers and not by Rancher itself. Note that for etcd nodes, the same behavior does not apply.
@@ -81,10 +51,10 @@ Windows Support for RKE2 Custom Clusters requires choosing Calico as the CNI.
### Launching Kubernetes on Existing Custom Nodes
RKE2 provisioning also allows you to install custom clusters on pre-provisioned VMs or bare-metal nodes.
RKE2 provisioning also allows you to install custom clusters on previously provisioned VMs or bare-metal nodes.
If you want to reuse a node from a previous custom cluster, clean the node before using it in a cluster again. If you reuse a node that hasn't been cleaned, cluster provisioning may fail.
If you want to reuse a node from a previous custom cluster, [clean the node](../manage-clusters/clean-cluster-nodes.md#cleaning-up-nodes) before using it in a cluster again. If you reuse a node that hasn't been cleaned, cluster provisioning may fail.
### Programmatically Creating RKE2 Clusters
The most common way to programmatically deploy RKE2 clusters through Rancher is by using the Rancher2 Terraform provider. The documentation for creating clusters with Terraform is [here.](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/rancher/rancher2/latest/docs/resources/cluster_v2)
The most common way to programmatically deploy RKE2 clusters through Rancher is by using the [Rancher2 Terraform provider](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/rancher/rancher2/latest/docs/resources/cluster_v2).