How to Order a Kubernetes Cluster

This guide describes how to order the “Kubernetes Cluster” service based on the Servermall Cloud Services (SMCS) cloud infrastructure.

I. Make sure that the prerequisites are met

The following requirements must be met before you can order a Kubernetes cluster:

1. You must have an account (user account) in the SMCS Control Panel. For information about how to register an account, see the “Creating an Account“.
   
2. You must be able to pay for the service using one of the following methods: bank card, bank transfer, PayPal, or SEPA.
   
3. You must sign in to your account on the SMCS website:
   1. If 2FA (two-factor authentication) is not enabled, follow the instructions in “Signing in to the Control Panel“.
   2. If 2FA is enabled, follow the instructions in “2FA Signing in to the Control Panel“.
      

II. Go to the Kubernetes cluster configurator

You can open the Kubernetes cluster configurator in either of the following ways:

From “Dashboard”

1. Open the “Dashboard” page by selecting the corresponding item in the main menu.

2. In the “Place a New Order” section, find the “Kubernetes Cluster” tile and click “Deploy cluster“.
   

   

   
   
   You will be taken to the “Kubernetes” configurator page.

From the main menu

1. From the main menu, select “New order“.
   A list of products available to order opens.
   
2. Select “Kubernetes“.
   

   

   
   
   You will be taken to the “Kubernetes” configurator page.
   

III. Select the cluster configuration

When ordering a cluster, you specify the required configuration. You will be charged for all these resources, whether or not they are actually used. Any subsequent reduction or increase in the resources available to the cluster must be requested through SMCS Support.

1. Select a cluster profile.
   Under “K8s Cluster Preset“, select a cluster profile. The cluster profile determines the number of control planes (Control Plane) and worker nodes (Worker Nodes) in the cluster, as well as the node configurations available in the “Node Size” list.
   

   

2. Set the node configuration.
   From the “Node Size” list in the “Nodes” section, select the node configuration, including the number of virtual CPU cores (vCPU) and the amount of RAM. This configuration will be applied to both the control planes (Control Plane) and the worker nodes (Worker Nodes).
   

   

   
   
3. Select the Kubernetes version.
   From the “Kubernetes version” list in the “Nodes” section, select a Kubernetes version. The CRI-O version will match the Kubernetes version you select. These versions will be installed on both the control planes (Control Plane) and the worker nodes (Worker Nodes).
   

   

   
   
4. Specify the cluster storage settings.
   Under “Storage“, in the “Disk type” field, select a disk type for the nodes:
   • Hybrid Storage – combines fast SSDs with high-capacity HDDs. Intelligent caching balances storage speed and cost. It is the best choice when you need a large amount of disk space for a range of workloads without paying extra for raw performance.
     
   • All-Flash Storage – NVMe SSD-based storage that guarantees high speed and fast response times under heavy loads and when working with demanding databases. With no mechanical parts, it provides consistently low latency and high reliability during intensive operation.
     
   Then, in the same “Storage” section, set the disk size for the nodes by moving the “Disk size (GB)” slider. The selected “Disk type” and “Disk size” values will apply to all nodes in the cluster.
   

   

   
   
5. Enable an external IP address.
   If your cluster requires access from outside, assign an external IP address to the cluster by selecting the “Use public IP” checkbox.
   

   

   
   
6. Confirm the order.
   Check that the selected cluster configuration is correct and make changes if necessary. Then click “Order for…“.
   
   You can reduce the average monthly cost of the service by selecting a payment period of 3, 6, or 12 months (the list is available above the “Order for…” button) and paying for the full period upfront.
   

   

   
   
   If the balance of your SMCS account is sufficient to pay for the order, the specified amount will be deducted automatically after you click “Order for…“, and you will be redirected to the SMCS service control panel.
   
   If the account balance is insufficient, you will be redirected to the “Checkout” page to pay the invoice.

IV. Pay for the order

After confirming the order, you must pay for it using one of the methods below.

Payment by bank card

1. Enter your bank card details in the “Card Number“, “Expiry Date“, “CVV/CVC2” fields.
   
2. Click “Make payment“.
   

   

   
   
   Your card will be charged the amount shown in the “Total Due” field. Automatic payments will also be enabled at the end of each subsequent payment period and will continue until you stop using the service.
   
   After a successful payment, you will be redirected to the SMCS service control panel. A notification confirming the successful Kubernetes cluster order will be sent to the email address linked to the account.

Payment by bank transfer, PayPal, or SEPA

1. Open the “My Invoices” section. You will be taken to the unpaid invoice for the most recent order.
   

   

   
   
2. Select a suitable payment method and follow the instructions for the selected option:

   

   
   
   Once SMCS receives payment, it deploys the Kubernetes cluster automatically. A notification is sent to the account email address and shown in the Control Panel.
   
   1. PayPal or SEPA – from the “Payment Method” list, select “PayPal” and click “Pay Now“. In the window that opens, select “Pay with PayPal” or “Pay with SEPA“.
   2. Bank Transfer – click “Download“, save the invoice, and pay it by bank transfer.