What is Harvester?

Harvester is a modern, open-source hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solution designed to simplify the deployment and management of virtualization and containerized workloads. By combining compute, storage, and networking resources into a single, scalable platform, Harvester enables organizations to efficiently manage their infrastructure while reducing costs and improving operational efficiency.

Main Benefits of Harvester

Harvester offers several key benefits, including simplified infrastructure management, improved scalability, and enhanced security. By providing a single, integrated platform for managing virtualized and containerized workloads, Harvester helps organizations to streamline their operations and reduce the complexity associated with managing multiple, disparate systems.

Key Components of Harvester

Harvester is built on top of several key components, including Longhorn, a distributed block storage system, and Kubernetes, a container orchestration platform. By leveraging these components, Harvester provides a robust and scalable platform for deploying and managing virtualized and containerized workloads.

Installation Guide

Step 1: Prepare the Environment

Before installing Harvester, you will need to prepare your environment by ensuring that you have a compatible operating system and sufficient resources. Harvester supports a variety of operating systems, including Ubuntu, CentOS, and RHEL.

Step 2: Install Harvester

Once you have prepared your environment, you can install Harvester using the provided installation script. The script will guide you through the installation process and ensure that all necessary components are installed and configured correctly.

Step 3: Configure Harvester

After installing Harvester, you will need to configure the platform to meet your specific needs. This includes configuring the storage, networking, and security settings, as well as deploying any necessary virtual machines or containers.

Technical Specifications

System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

• Ubuntu 20.04+
• CentOS 8+
• RHEL 8+

Harvester Snapshot and Restore Workflow

Creating Snapshots

Harvester provides a snapshot feature that allows you to create point-in-time copies of your virtual machines and containers. This feature is useful for creating backups and rolling back to a previous state in case of an issue.

Restoring Snapshots

To restore a snapshot, simply select the desired snapshot and click the restore button. Harvester will then restore the snapshot to the original state, including all data and configuration settings.

Harvester vs Alternatives

Comparison with Other HCI Solutions

Harvester is a relatively new player in the HCI market, but it has already gained significant traction due to its ease of use, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. When compared to other HCI solutions, such as VMware vSAN and Nutanix, Harvester offers several key advantages, including a lower cost of ownership and improved scalability.

Comparison with Container Orchestration Platforms

Harvester also competes with container orchestration platforms, such as Kubernetes and Docker Swarm. While these platforms offer robust container management capabilities, they often require additional infrastructure and management complexity. Harvester, on the other hand, provides a streamlined and integrated platform for deploying and managing both virtualized and containerized workloads.

FAQ

What is Harvester?

Harvester is a modern, open-source HCI solution designed to simplify the deployment and management of virtualization and containerized workloads.

How do I install Harvester?

Harvester can be installed using the provided installation script, which guides you through the installation process and ensures that all necessary components are installed and configured correctly.

What are the system requirements for Harvester?

Harvester requires a minimum of 2x 64-bit CPU cores, 8 GB RAM, and 100 GB available disk space.