Full-Stack Edge Kubernetes for the AI Era
ZEDEDA Kubernetes App Flows is a full-stack edge Kubernetes-as-a-Service solution that extends a cloud-native deployment experience to distributed edge environments, by automating the entire edge application lifecycle – from packaging and configuration to delivery and observability – and eliminating the need to manually manage edge Kubernetes infrastructure.
Simplify
Streamline edge operations by delivering consistent app management across distributed locations, minimizing expensive manual intervention or truck rolls at each remote site.
Automate
Orchestrate large-scale edge infrastructure and application deployment – enforcing desired state for thousands of edge clusters, even with unreliable network connectivity.
Grow
Increase your revenue and efficiency by locating AI processing close to operational data sources, reducing expensive sensor data backhaul to the cloud.
Edge Kubernetes is Different
Kubernetes is a mature, proven technology for cloud deployments, and well-understood by many infrastructure teams. But you can’t use cloud Kubernetes tools for the edge.
Cloud Kubernetes
- Servers concentrated in data centers
- Small number of large clusters of servers
- Reliable, fast network connectivity
- Compute resources available on demand
Edge Kubernetes
- Edge devices geographically dispersed
- Large number of small clusters of devices
- Connectivity often slow or unreliable
- Compute constrained by small devices
Architected for the Edge
ZEDEDA Kubernetes App Flows keeps everything good about Kubernetes, while adapting it for the realities of the edge.
App Definition and Marketplace
Deploy customizable application definitions consistently across distributed edge locations.
App Packaging and Distribution
Builds and distributes manifests tailored for edge requirements.
GitOps-Based Continuous Delivery
Automates deployments through approved Git workflows for full auditability.
Edge AI Ready
Support for bare metal and GPU compute required for edge AI applications, such as automated detection of manufacturing flaws and predictive maintenance.
Adaptive Observability
Monitors deployment and performance, even with intermittent connectivity and limited bandwidth.
Zero-Trust Security
Continuous validation of edge devices, applications, and communications.
Offline Resilience
Graceful handling of intermittent connectivity and disconnected operations.
Edge Scale
Support for tens of thousands of clusters and unattended edge devices.
Zero-Touch Deployment
No onsite expertise required for remote management of Kubernetes deploy
Stress Free Modernization Path
Orchestration Partners
ZEDEDA’s partnerships and integrations with industry-leading orchestrators, such as IBM Edge Application Manager, Rafay, Red Hat OpenShift, SUSE Rancher, and VMware Tanzu, provide a robust solution for the modern edge landscape.
Broad K3s Support
SUSE Rancher, IBM Edge Application Manager, Red Hat OpenShift, Rafay, and VMware Tanzu options
Migration Flexibility
Support legacy apps and containers side by side with modern Kubernetes, leveraging current infrastructure investments.
Integrates with your Kubernetes stack
ZEDEDA integrates with leading Kubernetes tooling and technologies, including:
Longhorn
Fleet
Docker
Kubevirt
K3S
Helm
Containered
Terraform
Argo
Github
Gitlab
Kubernetes at the Edge Explained
Determine if Kubernetes at the edge is the right choice for your application, unveil proven edge computing solutions, and be equipped with proven strategies to conquer common Kubernetes challenges at the edge in this free eBook.
FAQ
What is ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows?
It is a comprehensive application lifecycle management solution for Kubernetes at the edge. It automates packaging, configuration, continuous delivery, and observability for edge applications while addressing challenges unique to edge devices, such as intermittent connectivity and limited compute and memory resources.
Who is ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows for?
Application architects and developers in enterprises with distributed or multi-site operations — such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and retail — as well as smaller organizations building AI and edge workloads.How is ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows different from other Kubernetes workflow solutions?
Unlike cloud-native tools, ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows is purpose-built for the edge. It handles intermittent connectivity, disconnected operations, and scales to tens of thousands of clusters, inheriting ZEDEDA Edge Platform’s zero-trust management capabilities.What problems does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows solve?
It eliminates the complexity of manually configuring, packaging, and deploying Kubernetes applications across distributed locations — providing consistent, auditable, secure workflows without the operational burden of managing orchestration at edge scale.What benefits can customers expect from ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows?
Simplified, automated lifecycle management that’s secure, auditable, and resilient — reducing manual effort while improving reliability and compliance.Does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows support AI applications?
Yes. ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows supports AI application deployment via GitOps workflows across both AMD and ARM CPUs and NVIDIA GPUs.How does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows handle connectivity challenges?
Built on ZEDEDA Edge Platform, it inherits zero-trust device management designed specifically to handle intermittent or disconnected operations. Edge nodes automatically pull updates when connectivity is available, ensuring continuous operation.How does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows integrate with existing ZEDEDA deployments?
ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows runs on ZEDEDA Edge Platform, leveraging its device management, security, and connectivity capabilities.When will ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows be available?
ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows is generally available now.How is ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows a “full-stack” Kubernetes solution?
ZEDEDA Edge Platform manages the entire stack required to run applications — from the edge node’s operating system (EVE-OS) and hypervisor, to Kubernetes cluster lifecycle management (K3s), to application deployment via GitOps workflows. It’s a single, managed solution from bare metal to application.What Kubernetes distribution does ZEDEDA use?
ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows deploys and manages standard, lightweight Kubernetes distributions — specifically K3s — rather than a proprietary fork. This provides flexibility and avoids vendor lock-in while maintaining upstream compatibility.How does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows implement zero-trust?
Every edge node running EVE-OS has a hardware-backed identity using a Trusted Platform Module (TPM). All connections are authenticated and encrypted, with no inbound ports required. The edge node pulls updates and manifests after authentication — the controller cannot push to nodes. This architecture prevents a compromised control plane from attacking the edge fleet.What is the edge hardware requirement for ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows?
For a comfortable deployment with headroom, we recommend 12-core CPUs, 16 GB of RAM, and enterprise-grade NVMe SSDs for EVE persistent storage. This assumes memory for virtualization, storage replication, and any third-party AI applications for traffic monitoring and vision-based use cases.Can ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows clusters run on heterogeneous hardware devices?
Yes, we support different devices (mix and match, but they must be the same hardware architecture type, e.g., ARM/AMD.What is the supported number of nodes in a ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows cluster?
We support clusters with one node or three or more nodes, going up as high as your switch connectivity can handle. In reality, most of our customers are looking to deploy three to 10 nodes on average.How do ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows clusters interact with the ZEDEDA cloud services? Can they be behind a firewall?
Yes, clusters can be behind a firewall. ZEDEDA agents run in the cluster, and they form a secure outbound WebSocket connection to ZEDEDA cloud.How many clusters does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows support? Is there a limit?
There is no theoretical limit, as we can horizontally scale our Kubernetes solution via a dynamic sharding architecture.Does ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows have a REST API and Terraform provider support?
We are an API-first company. Yes, we have a Terraform provider and a REST API to access our services. Please refer to our documentation for details.How do you onboard edge devices with ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes App Flows?
All the device needs is EVE-OS; no configuration is required. You can have EVE-OS installed at the device manufacturer, or you can install it yourself in your lab.Simply enter the device’s serial number in ZEDEDA Cloud. When EVE-OS boots up, it will reach out to ZEDEDA Cloud, provide its serial number, and download its entire configuration.
EVE-OS handles Day Zero attestations via a measured boot process. On the first boot, EVE collects all cryptographic boot measurements, and we upload the PCR (Platform Configuration Register) values to our TPM cloud for attestation, ensuring the device hasn’t been tampered with.
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