Introduction

Kubernetes is an open-source platform designed for automating deployment, scaling, and operation of application containers. Running Kubernetes on Google Compute Engine (GCE) is a popular choice due to its flexibility and powerful features. This guide will walk you through setting up Kubernetes on an Ubuntu server hosted on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the setup process, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

1. Google Cloud Account: A valid Google Cloud account with billing enabled.
2. Google Cloud SDK: Installed and configured locally for interacting with GCP.
3. Basic Linux and Kubernetes Knowledge: Familiarity with command-line operations and basic Kubernetes concepts.
4. Ubuntu VM Instance: A virtual machine instance running Ubuntu 18.04 LTS or later.

Setting Up Kubernetes on Ubuntu

Step 1: Set Up Google Compute Engine

1. Create a Google Cloud Project: Start by creating a new project in the Google Cloud Console.
2. Enable Billing: Make sure that billing is enabled for your project.
3. Enable Required APIs:
   • Compute Engine API
   • Kubernetes Engine API

To enable these APIs, use the following commands in your terminal:

• Image: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
• Machine Type: e2-medium or higher
• Firewall: Allow HTTP and HTTPS