# Cluster Provisioning with CAPI **URL:** \ **Category:** microk8s\ **Tags:** docs\ **Created:** [March 8, 2023, 10:05am UTC](https://discuss.kubernetes.io/t/cluster-provisioning-with-capi/23366 "2023-03-08T10:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Konstantinos\_Tsakalo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discuss.kubernetes.io/konstantinos_tsakalo/32/3387_2.png) [@Konstantinos\_Tsakalo](https://discuss.kubernetes.io/u/Konstantinos_Tsakalo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 10:05am UTC](https://discuss.kubernetes.io/t/cluster-provisioning-with-capi/23366/1 "2023-03-08T10:05:19Z")
This page covers how to deploy a MicroK8s multi-node cluster using the Cluster API. ### Install clusterctl The clusterctl CLI tool handles the lifecycle of a Cluster API management cluster. To install it follow the [upstream instructions](https://cluster-api.sigs.k8s.io/user/quick-start.html#install-clusterctl). Typically this involves fetching the executable that matches your hardware architecture, and placing it in your PATH. For example, at the time this HowTo was authored for AMD64 you would: ```auto curl -L https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api/releases/download/v1.7.0/clusterctl-linux-amd64 -o clusterctl sudo install -o root -g root -m 0755 clusterctl /usr/local/bin/clusterctl ``` ### Setup a management cluster The management cluster hosts the CAPI providers. You can use a MicroK8s cluster as a management cluster: ```bash sudo snap install microk8s --classic sudo microk8s status --wait-ready mkdir -p ~/.kube/ sudo microk8s.config > ~/.kube/config sudo microk8s enable dns ``` When setting up the management cluster place its kubeconfig under `~/.kube/config` so other tools such as `clusterctl` can discover and interact with it. ### Prepare the infrastructure provider Before generating a cluster, you have to configure the infrastructure provider. Each such provider has its own prerequisites. Please, follow the [Cluster API instructions](https://cluster-api.sigs.k8s.io/user/quick-start.html#initialization-for-common-providers) on the additional infrastructure specific configuration. #### Example using AWS The AWS infrastructure provider requires the `clusterawsadm` tool to be installed: ```bash curl -L https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api-provider-aws/releases/download/v2.0.2/clusterawsadm-linux-amd64 -o clusterawsadm chmod +x clusterawsadm sudo mv clusterawsadm /usr/local/bin ``` With `clusterawsadm` you can then bootstrap the AWS environment that CAPI will use. Start by setting up environment variables defining the AWS account to use, if these are not already defined ```bash export AWS_REGION= export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID= export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY= ``` If you are using multi-factor authentication, you will also need: ```bash export AWS_SESSION_TOKEN= # If you are using Multi-Factor Auth. ``` The `clusterawsadm` uses these details to create a CloudFormation stack in your AWS account with the correct IAM resources: ```bash clusterawsadm bootstrap iam create-cloudformation-stack ``` The credentials should also be encoded and stored as a kubernetes secret ```bash export AWS_B64ENCODED_CREDENTIALS=$(clusterawsadm bootstrap credentials encode-as-profile) ``` ### Initialse the management cluster To initialise the management cluster with the latest released version of the providers and the infrastructure of your choice: ```auto clusterctl init --bootstrap microk8s --control-plane microk8s -i ``` ### Generate a cluster spec manifest As soon as the bootstrap and control-plane controllers are up and running you can apply the cluster manifests with the specifications of the cluster you want to provision. For MicroK8s there are example manifests in the [bootstrap provider examples](https://github.com/canonical/cluster-api-bootstrap-provider-microk8s/tree/main/templates) directory on GitHub. Alternatively, you can generate a cluster manifest for a selected set of commonly used infrastructures via templates provided by the MicroK8s team. Visit the usage [instructions](https://github.com/canonical/cluster-api-bootstrap-provider-microk8s#usage) for a list of different providers and their deployment. Make sure you have initialised the desired infrastructure provider and fetch the MicroK8s bootstrap provider repository: ```bash git clone https://github.com/canonical/cluster-api-bootstrap-provider-microk8s ``` Review list of variables needed for the cluster template: ```bash cd cluster-api-bootstrap-provider-microk8s clusterctl generate cluster microk8s- --from ./templates/cluster-template-.yaml --list-variables ``` Set the respective environment variables by editing the rc file as needed before sourcing it. Then generate the cluster manifest: ```bash source ./templates/cluster-template-.rc clusterctl generate cluster microk8s- --from ./templates/cluster-template-.yaml > cluster.yaml ``` Each provisioned node is associated with a `MicroK8sConfig`, through which you can set the cluster’s properties. Please, review the available options in the [respective definitions](https://github.com/canonical/cluster-api-bootstrap-provider-microk8s/blob/main/apis/v1beta1/microk8sconfig_types.go#L44) file and edit the cluster manifest (`cluster.yaml` above) to match your needs. Note that the configuration structure followed is similar to that of kubeadm - in the `MicroK8sConfig` you will find a `ClusterConfiguration` and an `InitConfiguration` section. ### Deploy the cluster Deploying the cluster is achieved by running: ```auto sudo microk8s kubectl apply -f cluster.yaml ``` To see the deployed machines: ```auto sudo microk8s kubectl get machine ``` After the first control plane node is provisioned you are able to get the kubeconfig of the workload cluster: ```auto clusterctl get kubeconfig > kubeconfig ``` You can then see the workload nodes using: ```auto KUBECONFIG=./kubeconfig kubectl get node ``` ### Delete the cluster To get the list of provisioned clusters: ```auto sudo microk8s kubectl get clusters ``` To delete one ```auto microk8s kubectl delete cluster ```