Kubernetes
Kubernetes & Cloud-Native Platform Architecture
I design Kubernetes platforms as production infrastructure — secure, observable, GitOps-driven, and ready for multi-tenant growth. Not just cluster maintenance.
Typical outputs
A platform blueprint and practical rollout plan your team can implement and operate.
- Reference Kubernetes platform architecture
- GitOps structure and environment strategy
- Ingress/Gateway modernization plan
- Istio/service mesh boundary design
- Observability and reliability baselines (SLOs)
When Kubernetes becomes a risk instead of a platform
Kubernetes problems usually aren’t about Kubernetes — they’re about missing platform boundaries: unclear ownership, weak delivery discipline, and inconsistent security and observability.
Fragile deployments
Releases are stressful: config drift, environment differences, manual changes, and rollback uncertainty.
Ingress and policy sprawl
Auth, rate limits, and routing rules live in inconsistent places, making edge security difficult to manage.
Low visibility
You lack reliable signals: traces, golden metrics, SLOs, and actionable alerts across workloads.
Scaling pain
Multi-tenant isolation, multi-cluster expansion, and operational maturity weren’t designed from day one.
What I deliver
You get an implementable platform architecture: patterns, boundaries, and a rollout plan that reduces operational risk and accelerates delivery.
Production Platform Foundations
Design a cluster baseline that is secure, scalable, and maintainable.
- Cluster strategy (single vs multi-cluster) and environment topology
- Identity, RBAC, and namespace/tenant isolation model
- Resource governance (quotas, limits, admission policies)
- Upgrade strategy and operational readiness baseline
GitOps Delivery & Environment Strategy
Turn deployments into predictable, repeatable delivery workflows.
- Argo CD architecture and repo structure patterns
- Promotion workflows (dev → staging → prod)
- Secrets strategy and configuration boundaries
- Release discipline and rollback strategies
Traffic, Ingress & Gateway Modernization
Treat ingress as a control plane: security, compliance, and developer experience.
- Ingress controller strategy and migration planning
- Gateway API adoption path where applicable
- Rate limiting, auth, routing, and policy placement
- External vs internal traffic boundary definition
Service Mesh & East–West Security
Introduce mesh capabilities with clear responsibilities and measurable outcomes.
- Istio design (incl. ambient/sidecar approaches when relevant)
- mTLS and policy enforcement boundaries
- Service-to-service access control patterns
- Traffic shaping and resilience patterns
Observability & Reliability Baseline
Make reliability measurable and actionable.
- Metrics, logs, and tracing integration strategy
- SLO definitions and error budgets for critical services
- Alert hygiene and actionable dashboards
- Incident readiness and postmortem feedback loops
Engagement models
Most teams start with a platform architecture sprint and then execute with advisory or oversight.
Platform Architecture Sprint (2–4 weeks)
Assess current state, define target platform design, and create a rollout plan.
Output: platform blueprint + standards + migration plan
Advisory Retainer
Ongoing support as your team implements and evolves the platform safely.
Output: reviews, decisions, guardrails, governance
Implementation Oversight
Hands-on supervision to reduce risk during migrations or critical platform upgrades.
Output: execution alignment, quality gates, risk reduction
FAQ
Is this Kubernetes administration?
No. Administration is day-to-day ops. This is platform architecture: designing foundations, boundaries, and delivery workflows so operations become predictable and scalable.
Do you work with specific clouds?
Yes. I commonly work with managed Kubernetes (e.g., AKS) and cost-efficient providers (Hetzner/OVH) as well as hybrid setups. The design is provider-aware but not provider-locked.
Can you help migrate from an old ingress controller?
Yes. Ingress is often a security and governance layer. Migration planning includes policy mapping, compatibility checks, rollout strategy, and regression risk reduction.
Do you implement the platform?
Yes. I design and implement when needed. My default role is architecture leadership, but I can work hands-on to unblock critical infrastructure, accelerate delivery, or guide complex migrations. Implementation always follows a defined architecture — not ad-hoc fixes.
Turn Kubernetes into a platform you can rely on
If your clusters feel fragile or hard to evolve, I can help design a Kubernetes platform architecture that scales with your product and team.