Building Production Kubernetes Clusters with RKE2 and Longhorn

Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Production Kubernetes Cluster with Rancher RKE2 & Longhorn

Step 1: Install RKE2

1. Download the RKE2 installer from the official Rancher website.
2. Run curl -sfL https://get.rke2.io | sh - on each node.
3. Start the RKE2 service: systemctl enable rke2-server && systemctl start rke2-server

Step 2: Deploy Longhorn for Storage

1. Install Helm: curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/helm/helm/master/scripts/get-helm-3 | bash
2. Add Longhorn repo: helm repo add longhorn https://charts.longhorn.io
3. Install Longhorn: helm install longhorn longhorn/longhorn --namespace longhorn-system --create-namespace

Architecture Diagram

Tech Notes

• Use SSD storage for best performance.
• Ensure all nodes have unique hostnames and static IPs.
• Configure firewalls to allow Kubernetes ports.

How To: Verify Cluster Health

kubectl get nodes
kubectl get pods -A
kubectl get storageclass

Best YouTube Video Guides

• Kubernetes Tutorial for Beginners [TechWorld with Nana]
• Kubernetes Full Course - Learn Kubernetes in 8 Hours | Kubernetes Tutorial | Edureka
• Rancher RKE2 Kubernetes Cluster Setup [Rancher Labs]
• Longhorn Storage for Kubernetes [TechWorld with Nana]
• Kubernetes Explained in 15 Minutes [Academind]
• Kubernetes Networking Deep Dive [Google Cloud Tech]
• Longhorn Storage for Kubernetes [TechWorld with Nana]
• Kubernetes Security Best Practices [TechWorld with Nana]

Video Walkthroughs

Extra Resources

• Rancher RKE2 Official Documentation
• Longhorn Storage Official Docs
• Kubernetes Official Documentation

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

• Node not joining: Check firewall and token.
• Longhorn pods not running: Verify storage class and node labels.
• Network issues: Review CNI plugin configuration.