Automation of TrueCharts or HelmCharts on Scale

[flmmartins]

Hello,

I am thinking of migrating from Core to Scale but I want to be able to install Helm Charts or True Charts even (if such is possible) using automation (GitOps for example) instead of clicking through the UI.

Is it possible to do such a thing with k3s on Truenas? Can someone point me to some tutorials? Thanks.

 

[sretalla]

I'm not aware of any tutorials, but the API documentation would be the place to start.

SCALE API Reference

Instructions to access built-in TrueNAS SCALE API documentation and links to static copies of the API documentation.

www.truenas.com

What you're looking for specifically is chart.release and the associated functions.

 

[flmmartins]

Hey @sretalla, thanks for the reply. I took a look on the link you gave me. I like to use helm and yaml on my day to day and for me it's very easy to automate something like that. Using the Scale API would require me to get familiar and use Python which would require a bigger effort. Is it possible to install pure helm charts on k3s on truenas at least?

Thanks,

 

[morganL]

Hey @sretalla, thanks for the reply. I took a look on the link you gave me. I like to use helm and yaml on my day to day and for me it's very easy to automate something like that. Using the Scale API would require me to get familiar and use Python which would require a bigger effort. Is it possible to install pure helm charts on k3s on truenas at least?

Thanks,

There are many different approaches, but they can require developer level skills.
Is this for a home lab or a business?
What is the high level goal?

As an example, you can setup your own K8 cluster, using any helmchart and then use CSI driver to use TrueNAS storage.
If you want everything integrated in one system, then using the TrueNAS APIs is much more reliable.

 

[flmmartins]

There are many different approaches, but they can require developer level skills.
Is this for a home lab or a business?
What is the high level goal?

As an example, you can setup your own K8 cluster, using any helmchart and then use CSI driver to use TrueNAS storage.
If you want everything integrated in one system, then using the TrueNAS APIs is much more reliable.

It's my home lab

My goal is to have both compute (Kubernetes) and storage managed by Truenas for now.

However one day I would like to have another machine dedicated for Kubernetes. So my idea right now is to deploy my helm charts in an automated way so if one day I would like to move away from Truenas it would be easier therefore using Truenas API is not ideal. I also would like to practice helm charts automation with ArgoCD.

I know I could have VMs and install my own Kubernetes there but at the same time there's this k3s just "sitting there" and I was wondering if I could leverage it instead of installing VMs.

Thanks!

 

[morganL]

It's my home lab

My goal is to have both compute (Kubernetes) and storage managed by Truenas for now.

However one day I would like to have another machine dedicated for Kubernetes. So my idea right now is to deploy my helm charts in an automated way so if one day I would like to move away from Truenas it would be easier therefore using Truenas API is not ideal. I also would like to practice helm charts automation with ArgoCD.

I know I could have VMs and install my own Kubernetes there but at the same time there's this k3s just "sitting there" and I was wondering if I could leverage it instead of installing VMs.

Thanks!

For this type of devtest environment.. the VM is better.

TrueNAS imposes rules to make it safer for production environments with Shares, VMs and Container workloads.

 

[flmmartins]

Thanks. Right now I decided to install apps through the UI just to get familiar with Truenas.

In the future I will probably move to VM. Thanks!