Overview
Cluster templates are reusable blueprints that define the configuration for Kubernetes clusters. A template captures the Kubernetes version, node image, instance flavor, network driver, and storage backend. Once created, a template can be used to deploy multiple clusters with consistent configurations. Your administrator can publish public templates shared across all projects; you can also create private templates for your own use.Prerequisites
- An active Xloud account with project access
- A keypair created in your project for node SSH access
- Compute quota sufficient for cluster nodes
- A project network with external access
Template Fields Reference
| Field | Required | Description | Recommended Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Unique template identifier | k8s-1.29-prod |
| Container Infra Driver | Yes | Cluster provisioning engine | kubernetes |
| Image | Yes | Boot image for cluster nodes | fedora-coreos-39 |
| Keypair | Yes | SSH key for node access | Your project keypair |
| Flavor | Yes | Instance size for worker nodes | m1.large (4 vCPU / 8 GB) |
| Master Flavor | Yes | Instance size for master nodes | m1.xlarge (8 vCPU / 16 GB) |
| Network Driver | Yes | Container network interface | calico (production) |
| Volume Driver | Yes | Persistent volume backend | cinder |
| External Network | Yes | Floating IP source | public |
| DNS Nameserver | Yes | Resolver for cluster nodes | 8.8.8.8 |
| Master LB Enabled | No | Load balance master nodes | True (HA) |
| Docker Volume Size | No | Container storage per node (GB) | 50 |
| Floating IP Enabled | No | Assign floating IPs to nodes | True |
Create a Cluster Template
- Dashboard
- CLI
Navigate to Cluster Templates
Log in to the Xloud Dashboard (
https://connect.<your-domain>) and navigate to
Project → Containers → Cluster Templates.Create the template
Click Create Cluster Template and fill in the required fields using the
reference table above.
Configure advanced options
Expand Advanced to set optional parameters:
- Insecure Registry: Internal container registry URL (if used)
- Fixed Network / Subnet: Pin cluster nodes to a specific project network
- Labels: Key-value labels for platform-specific options (e.g.,
auto_healing_enabled=true)
Network Driver Comparison
The network driver (CNI plugin) is configured at template creation and cannot be changed after cluster deployment.| Driver | Network Policy | Performance | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|---|
calico | Full NetworkPolicy enforcement | Moderate | Production workloads requiring pod isolation |
flannel | None | Higher (simpler overlay) | Development and test clusters |
Manage Existing Templates
- Dashboard
- CLI
Navigate to Project → Containers → Cluster Templates. From this view you can:
- Click a template name to view its full configuration
- Click Actions → Delete to remove unused templates (templates in use by clusters cannot be deleted)
Next Steps
Deploy a Cluster
Provision a Kubernetes cluster from your template in minutes.
Node Groups
Add specialized node pools with different flavors to your cluster.
Access Cluster
Download kubeconfig and connect kubectl to your cluster.
Kubernetes Admin Guide
Administrator reference for managing public templates and quotas.