The open-source cloud-native container orchestration platform Kubernetes gets a major update in version 1.14, one adding 10 enhancements including production-level support for Windows Nodes.
Kubernetes has supported Windows containers in beta since version 1.19, but the 1.14 release brings production support for Windows Nodes as a stable feature. Such support allows users to schedule and manage Windows operating system containers with Kubernetes, bringing the ability to orchestrate workloads on hybrid operating system clusters.
The update also brings about enhancements to the kubectl (pronounced "Kube-cuddle") command line interface. These includes a plugin mechanism enabling developers to share custom commands and the integration of Kustomize commands allowing customisation of YAML (Yet Another Markup Language) configurations for Kuberenetes. YAML is the core definition language for Kubernetes configuration setup.
Another update brings support for persistent local volumes, making it easier to plug Kubernetes into external storage services such as Rook and Gluster. Containers with access to local storage promise better performance than cloud provider block storage platforms, but previously the option required a workaround due to a lack of native support. Rook makes part of the same Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) hosting the Kubernetes project, and brings file, block and object storage systems to Kubernetes clusters.
A final significant addition in Kubernetes 1.14 provides a hardened set of default role-based access control (RBAC) policies designed to improve cluster privacy and security. They do so by removing discovery from the set of APIs allowing for unauthenticated access by default, limiting attack vectors targeted at flaws. These include the critical flaw discovered in Kubernetes 1.13 giving access to full administrative privileges to any compute node run in a Kubernetes cluster.
Kubernetes 1.14 is available now for download.