Rancher

Rancher 2.13.1 on Ubuntu 24.04 with Free Maintenance Support by Pcloudhosting

This AZURE Marketplace image delivers a production-ready Rancher deployment on Ubuntu 24.04. Rancher provides a centralized Kubernetes management platform that enables organizations to operate, govern, and secure Kubernetes clusters at scale within their own AZURE account.

One Platform for Kubernetes Management

Rancher acts as a management and control layer on top of upstream Kubernetes clusters. It does not replace native Kubernetes APIs, but enhances them by adding lifecycle management, access control, observability, and application operations.

Key Characteristics

• Does not fork Kubernetes
• Uses standard upstream Kubernetes APIs
• Adds governance, management, and visibility layers
• Preserves cluster portability and vendor neutrality

Why Use Rancher for Kubernetes Management

• Centralized authentication and authorization across clusters
• Unified UI and API for multi-cluster operations
• Standardized cluster and application lifecycle management
• Enables Kubernetes-as-a-Service operating models

Platform Architecture

Rancher Control Plane Components

• Rancher API Server
• Embedded Kubernetes API Server
• Embedded etcd datastore
• Web-based management UI
• Cluster agents deployed to managed Kubernetes clusters

All Rancher control plane components run entirely within the customer’s AZURE account, ensuring full data ownership and infrastructure control.

Application & Workload Management

Application Deployment

• Helm-based application catalogs
• Reusable application templates
• Namespace grouping using Rancher projects
• Cross-cluster application visibility

Continuous Delivery

• Git-based deployment workflows
• Multi-cluster application targeting
• Declarative configuration management
• Reduced manual operational effort

AZURE Deployment Model

Infrastructure

• Runs entirely within the customer’s AZURE account
• Compatible with virtual networks, security groups, and IAM
• Supports private and restricted network topologies
• No external SaaS dependency

Scaling

• Independent scaling of the Rancher control plane
• Supports horizontal and vertical scaling
• No coupling between control plane and workload cluster scaling

Why Choose Pcloudhosting for Rancher on AZURE

• AZURE Marketplace validated Rancher deployment
• Pre-configured, clean, and auditable setup
• Self-managed, open-source platform
• No hidden services or external SaaS dependencies
• Designed for real-world Kubernetes production workloads
• Predictable infrastructure-based cost model

User Instructions

sudo su
docker ps
kubectl get nodes
kubectl version
  

Rancher is deployed as a system-managed service. Use the Rancher web UI, Kubernetes CLI tools, and standard APIs to manage clusters, workloads, access control, and application lifecycles.

Disclaimer:
Rancher is open-source software distributed under its respective license. This AZURE Marketplace image is independently packaged, maintained, and supported by Pcloudhosting.