Helm Instance
A helm instance corresponds to the concept of Helm Release in the helm community. When a helm template is installed into a cluster, an instance is generated.
The Helm instance page shows detailed information about the Helm instances within the CCE cluster and namespace chosen by the user.
Install helm components in the cluster
This step is only required for old clusters with id starting with "c-". New CCE clusters with id starting with "cce-" have switched to helm v3, so this step is no longer required.
If the Helm server components are not installed in a CCE cluster, a message saying "Helm is not installed in the cluster" will be displayed on the Helm instance list page.
Click the Install button to add Helm server components (excluding the Helm client) to the cluster currently selected in the top-right corner.
Once installed, users can access Helm instance-related features in the cluster via the page.
List of instances
If the selected cluster namespace does not contain any instances, no data will be displayed; otherwise, a list of instances within the selected cluster namespace will appear.
The list provides details like deployment status, source template, and the last update time for each instance.
Instance details
Click on an instance name in the list to navigate to its details page.
The details page is divided into the following four sections:
- Basic Information: Includes key details such as instance name, cluster/namespace, version, update time, and description.
- Resource Information: Displays the Kubernetes resources associated with the instance.
- Versions: Lists all versions of the instance, both historical and current. You can review the status and parameters of each version and roll back to a specific version if needed.
- Parameters: Shows the instance parameters for the current version. By selecting the "View All" checkbox, you can see values for all parameters (including defaults); otherwise, only user-defined parameters are shown.
Update an instance
On the cluster list page, click the Update button for the relevant instance, or use the Edit button in the parameter text box on the instance details page. After making changes, click the Update button to save. Updating creates a new historical version of the instance.
Roll back an instance
You can roll back an instance by resetting its parameters to match a previous version. Performing a rollback generates a new version.
To roll back an instance, go to the instance details page and click the Rollback button next to the desired version. Confirm the parameters, and click OK to revert to that version.
Connect to Clusters via Helm Client
In new clusters (IDs starting with "cce-") and old clusters (IDs starting with "c-"), Helm versions differ, with Helm v3 used for new clusters and Helm v2 for old ones. The client versions and operations vary accordingly, so follow the specific instructions for your cluster version.
Connect to new clusters (id starting with "cce-")
Download the latest helm client from the Helm Github Page.
In environments with access to the cluster's API server, you can connect directly using the cluster's kubeconfig.
If the kubeconfig is not in the default path (~/.kube/config), specify the kubeconfig file using --kubeconfig.
Connect to old clusters (id starting with "c-")
Note: Since helm v2 does not support kubernetes RBAC, this connection method cannot restrict the permissions of the connector. Do not use the helm client for operations if you need to control in-cluster permissions.
Download the helm v2.12.3 client from the Helm Github Page.
As TLS verification is enabled during the installation of Helm Tiller in CCE, you must use the cluster's kubeconfig and the TLS certificates accompanying Helm Tiller for connection.
TLS certificates are stored on the file systems of cluster nodes and can be obtained by logging in to the nodes.
After signing into a cluster node, download the helm client and cluster kubeconfig, then specify the following env to connect to helm tiller in the cluster for operation:
1export HELM_TLS_ENABLE=true
2export HELM_TLS_CA_CERT=/etc/kubernetes/pki/ca.pem
3export HELM_TLS_CERT=/etc/kubernetes/pki/admin.pem
4export HELM_TLS_KEY=/etc/kubernetes/pki/admin-key.pem
Alternatively, you can download the necessary TLS certificate files and kubeconfig locally to connect and use the cluster.
FAQs
Can instances created with the template in the cluster still be used after deleting it
If a template is deleted, instances created from it will no longer be able to perform upgrade operations.
How to troubleshoot installation/upgrade/rollback instance failures
If the installation, upgrade, or rollback operation fails, the instance details page under "Basic Information" will display specific error details. Users can identify the cause of the failure based on the error information and make the necessary corrections.
Can I directly use a self-installed helm server component in the cluster
Since the helm components installed by CCE enable tls verification and helm clients and servers cannot communicate across versions, if you have self-installed helm server components in the cluster (e.g., executing the helm init command), they may be incompatible with the helm server components supported by CCE. You need to uninstall the helm components in the cluster and reinstall them via the [Instance List Page](#Install helm components in the cluster).
