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Welcome to this comprehensive guide on deploying and managing Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). Whether you’re new to Kubernetes or looking to optimize your existing clusters, this lesson covers:
  • GKE cluster modes of operation
  • Cluster accessibility and management
  • Scaling and upgrading strategies
  • Monitoring and logging with Cloud Operations
We’ll also walk through hands-on lab activities so you can apply these concepts in real time.
The image is a slide titled "GKE Deployment and Administration," listing topics such as GKE modes of operation, cluster preparation, scaling, upgrading, and monitoring.

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What You’ll Learn

TopicDescription
GKE Modes of OperationCompare Autopilot, Standard, and private clusters
Cluster PreparationConfigure networking, IAM, and security
Scaling & UpgradesImplement cluster autoscaling, node auto-provisioning, and version upgrades
Monitoring & LoggingLeverage Cloud Operations to monitor, alert, and visualize cluster performance
Hands-On LabsCreate clusters, install kubectl, and apply labels/tags
GKE combines Google’s infrastructure with open-source Kubernetes, enabling you to focus on applications rather than managing control planes.
Learn more in the GKE Documentation.

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Detailed Topics

  1. GKE Cluster Modes of Operation
    Explore the differences between Standard, Autopilot, and Private clusters, and determine which mode aligns with your organizational needs.
  2. Preparing Your Cluster
    • Configure networking (VPC, firewall rules)
    • Set up IAM roles and policies
    • Enable private endpoint and master authorized networks
  3. Scaling and Upgrading
    • Cluster Autoscaling
    • Node Auto-Provisioning
    • Rolling and surge upgrades for both clusters and node pools
  4. Monitoring and Logging
    Integrate with the Cloud Operations suite to track metrics, set alerts, and visualize logs.
The image is a slide titled "GKE Deployment and Administration" with a list of lab tasks: creating a GKE cluster, installing kubectl, and applying labels and tags to GKE clusters.

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Hands-On Lab Exercises

  1. Create a GKE Cluster 
    gcloud container clusters create my-gke-cluster \
  --zone us-central1-c \
  --machine-type n1-standard-1
  2. Install kubectl 
    gcloud components install kubectl
  3. Apply Labels and Tags 
    kubectl label nodes <NODE_NAME> environment=production
gcloud compute instances add-tags <INSTANCE_NAME> --tags=k8s-node
By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a well-architected GKE environment and the skills to maintain it at scale. Let’s get started!

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