In the era of heterogeneous computing, the ability to orchestrate diverse resources—ranging from supercomputers to cloud GPUs—within a unified framework is critical. Kubernetes has emerged as the de facto standard for container orchestration, but its integration with remote resources remains a challenge. This article explores how Interlink, combined with nodeSelector and Kubernetes, enables seamless abstraction of remote infrastructure, empowering users to leverage EuroHPC and other heterogeneous systems through a unified API. By addressing networking, storage, and authentication barriers, this approach bridges the gap between Kubernetes and distributed computing ecosystems.
Interlink acts as a middleware layer that abstracts remote resources—such as EuroHPC supercomputers, virtual machines, and GPU clusters—into Kubernetes-compatible virtual nodes. This abstraction is achieved through a plugin-based architecture, where each plugin serves as a REST API endpoint that translates Kubernetes workloads into operations on the target resource. For instance, a Pod specification can be transformed into a Supercomputing job, enabling users to manage heterogeneous resources via standard Kubernetes APIs.
The nodeSelector field in Kubernetes allows users to specify which nodes a Pod should run on. In this context, nodeSelector is extended to target virtual nodes created by Interlink. For example, a Pod annotated with nodeSelector: EuroHPC is automatically scheduled on the corresponding virtual node, which represents a remote supercomputer. This mechanism ensures precise control over resource allocation while maintaining Kubernetes' declarative model.
To establish secure communication between Kubernetes clusters and remote resources, OpenID Connect is employed. This standard ensures mutual authentication, enabling trusted access to EuroHPC and other systems without compromising security or operational overhead.
Interlink's plugin system supports extensibility, allowing developers to integrate new resource types—such as Zlur supercomputers or cloud GPU clusters—without modifying core components. Each plugin adheres to an open API standard, enabling custom resource transformations (e.g., converting Pods into distributed computing tasks).
Interlink supports both single-tenant and multi-tenant scenarios. In multi-tenant environments, multiple Kubernetes clusters can share EuroHPC resources, facilitated by role-based access control and resource quotas. This design aligns with cloud-native principles, enabling scalable and secure resource sharing.
A typical use case involves a local Kubernetes cluster integrated with EuroHPC. Users can deploy workloads that leverage EuroHPC's high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities by specifying nodeSelector: EuroHPC in Pod definitions. For example, a Ray distributed training cluster can be orchestrated to run on EuroHPC nodes, with logs and metrics accessible via the overlay network.
In multi-tenant setups, Interlink enables cross-cluster resource sharing. A user might submit a workflow via Argo Workflows to execute tasks on EuroHPC, with intermediate results stored in a shared remote filesystem. This model is ideal for collaborative scientific research or enterprise environments requiring shared infrastructure.
Interlink's extensibility allows integration with emerging domains like quantum computing and high-throughput computing (HTC). By abstracting quantum processors or HTC clusters as Kubernetes nodes, developers can experiment with hybrid workloads without rewriting orchestration logic.
Traditional Kubernetes deployments face challenges in networking and storage when interacting with remote resources. Interlink addresses these by:
Interlink aligns with the CNCF ecosystem, participating in the CNCF Sandbox Program to foster innovation. It integrates with tools like CubeFlow to enhance resource management efficiency, while its open-source design encourages community contributions. This alignment ensures compatibility with cloud-native standards and accelerates adoption.
By leveraging Interlink, nodeSelector, and Kubernetes, organizations can seamlessly integrate heterogeneous resources into a unified orchestration framework. This approach reduces operational complexity, enables scalable resource sharing, and opens new possibilities for HPC, quantum computing, and HTC workloads. As the CNCF ecosystem continues to evolve, Interlink's role in bridging Kubernetes with distributed infrastructure will become increasingly vital. For developers, adopting this model means embracing a future where diverse computing resources are as accessible as local Kubernetes nodes.