Cluster

A cluster is a group of computers or applications that work together towards a common goal. In the context of cloud native computing, the term is most often applied to Kubernetes. A Kubernetes cluster is a set of services (or workloads) that run in their own containers, usually on different machines. The collection of all these containerized services, connected over a network, represent a cluster.

Problem it addresses

Software that runs on a single computer presents a single point of failure — if that computer crashes, or someone accidentally unplugs the power cable, then some business-critical system may be taken offline. That’s why modern software is generally built as distributed applications, grouped together as clusters.

How it helps

Clustered, distributed applications run across multiple machines, eliminating a single point of failure. But building distributed systems is really hard. In fact, it’s a computer science discipline in its own right. The need for global systems and years of trial and error led to the development of a new kind of tech stack: cloud native technologies. These new technologies are the building blocks that make the operation and creation of distributed systems easier.