Kconnect: Simplifying Kubernetes Connectivity With a Powerful CLI

Kconnect is a simple CLI tool that quickly connects to Kubernetes clusters like EKS, AKS, and RKS, saving time by generating kubeconfig files instantly.

Sai Sandeep Ogety

Nov. 27, 24 · Tutorial

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Let's assume that if you want to connect to a Kubernetes cluster with multiple CSPs (EKS/AKS/RKS), you have to use respective CLI to generate kubeconfig and use kubectl commands. What if I say there is a better way for Cloud/Platform/DevOps and SRE Engineers to connect to clusters using kconnect?

What Is kconnect?

kconnect is a Command-Line Interface (CLI) utility that can be used to discover and securely access Kubernetes clusters across multiple operating environments.

Based on the authentication mechanism chosen, the CLI will discover Kubernetes clusters you are allowed to access in a target hosting environment and generate a kubeconfig for a chosen cluster. Currently, kconnect supports the following platforms: EKS, AKS, and Rancher.

Resolution

Using kconnect, you can easily connect to multiple clusters and multiple regions seamlessly. This is a powerful tool for any troubleshooting, automating workloads like routine tasks, generating reports, etc. Below are some features, and we will go through detailed steps on how to use kconnect.

Features

Authenticate using SAML, Azure Active Directory, AWS IAM, and Rancher Token.
Discover clusters in EKS, AKS, and Rancher.
Generate a kubeconfig for a cluster.
Query history of connected servers.
Regenerate the kubeconfig from your history by using an ID or an alias.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, we need to have below dependencies for EKS and AKS:

Installation

MacOS/Linux

The latest release contains the binaries here.

Alternatively, you can use the command below:

    Shell
   
   brew install fidelity/tap/kconnect

Windows

The latest release contains the binaries here.

Install the Binaries in One Go

Use the command below to install the binaries, i.e., kubectl, helm and aws-iam-authenticator:

    Shell
   
   curl -fsSL -o install-kconnect.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fidelity/kconnect/main/scripts/install-kconnect.sh
chmod 700 install-kconnect.sh
./install-kconnect.sh

Connecting to EKS Using Kconnect

Use the commands below to connect to the EKS cluster and authenticate to the cluster:

    Shell
   
 

   sh-3.2# kconnect use eks --idp-protocol saml
info	kconnect - the Kubernetes Connection Manager CLI	{"version": "0.5.18"}
info	authenticating user	{"app": "kconnect", "provider": "saml"}
? Select your identity provider ADFS
? Enter the endpoint for the IdP https://enteryouridpendpoint.yourcompanydomain.com
? Select an AWS region us-east-1
? Username: sogety
? Password: **************


sh-3.2# kubectl get pods -A
NAMESPACE     NAME                                 READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
kube-system   aws-node-5rjcg                       2/2     Running   0          46m
kube-system   aws-node-jglpd                       2/2     Running   0          46m
kube-system   aws-node-jtcm6                       2/2     Running   0          46m
kube-system   coredns-6556f9967c-spmcl             1/1     Running   0          50m
kube-system   coredns-6556f9967c-xhkjg             1/1     Running   0          50m
kube-system   ebs-csi-controller-8df7f678f-4zg2w   6/6     Running   0          46m
kube-system   ebs-csi-controller-8df7f678f-65h7n   6/6     Running   0          46m
kube-system   ebs-csi-node-422fg                   3/3     Running   0          46m
kube-system   ebs-csi-node-khwwq                   3/3     Running   0          46m
kube-system   ebs-csi-node-vtxkn                   3/3     Running   0          46m
kube-system   kube-proxy-6kcgr                     1/1     Running   0          46m
kube-system   kube-proxy-qk7gj                     1/1     Running   0          46m
kube-system   kube-proxy-r8f9p                     1/1     Running   0          46m
  

Connecting to AKS Using Kconnect

Use the commands below to connect to the AKS cluster and authenticate to the cluster:

    Shell
   
 

   sh-3.2# kconnect use aks --idp-protocol aad
info	kconnect - the Kubernetes Connection Manager CLI	{"version": "0.5.18"}
info	authenticating user	{"app": "kconnect", "provider": "aad"}
? Username: sogety
? Password: **************
? Enter the Azure tenant ID **************
? Enter the Azure client ID **************
? Enter the Azure client secret **************


sh-3.2# kubectl get pods -A
  

Connecting to RKS Using Kconnect

Use the commands below to connect to the RKS cluster and authenticate to the cluster:

    Shell
   
 

   sh-3.2# kconnect use rancher
info	kconnect - the Kubernetes Connection Manager CLI	{"version": "0.5.18"}
info	using static token for authentication	{"app": "kconnect", "provider": "static-token"}
? Enter authentication token **************
? Enter the Rancher API endpoint **************
info	discovering clusters	{"app": "kconnect", "provider": "rancher"}
info	discovering clusters via Rancher	{"app": "kconnect", "provider": "rancher"}


sh-3.2# kubectl get pods -A
  

Conclusion

Authenticating multiple Kubernetes clusters across EKS, AKS, and RKS can be challenging, especially for platform engineers, DevOps teams, and SREs. This tool streamlines the process by generating kubeconfig files on the fly, saving valuable time and effort. It’s particularly useful for automating workflows and managing clusters across different regions and environments. Based on my experience with EKS, AKS, and RKS, this approach has greatly simplified cluster authentication and improved efficiency across platforms.

Command-line interface Kubernetes cluster

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