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Setting Up a Custom HTTPD Server on Kubernetes with Minikube on Ubuntu

In this article, we’ll walk through the steps to set up a Kubernetes cluster on Ubuntu using Minikube and deploy a custom Apache HTTP server (`httpd`) with your own `index.html` file. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to refresh your skills, this guide will help you get started with Kubernetes and Docker.

What You’ll Need


- An Ubuntu system
- Basic knowledge of the command line
- Installed tools: `curl`, `apt-transport-https`, `virtualbox` (or another virtualization tool)

Step 1: Prepare Your Environment


First, let’s ensure your system is up-to-date and has the necessary packages.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl apt-transport-https virtualbox

Step 2: Install Minikube


Minikube is a tool that makes it easy to run Kubernetes locally. Here’s how to install it:

1. Download the Minikube binary:

   curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/minikube/releases/latest/minikube-linux-amd64


2. Install Minikube:

   sudo install minikube-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/minikube


3. Verify the installation:

   minikube version


Step 3: Install kubectl


`kubectl` is the command-line tool used to interact with Kubernetes. Let’s install it:

1. Download the kubectl binary:

curl -LO -L "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -s -L https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"


2. Install kubectl:

   chmod +x ./kubectl
   sudo mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl


3. Verify the installation:

   kubectl version --client


Step 4: Start Minikube


Now that you have Minikube and kubectl installed, let’s start your Minikube cluster.

1.Start Minikube:

   minikube start


2. Check the status:

   minikube status


Step 5: Create Your Custom `index.html`


Next, we’ll create a simple `index.html` file that our HTTP server will serve.

1.Create a directory for your HTML file:

   mkdir ~/my-httpd
   cd ~/my-httpd


2. Create the `index.html` file:
   

   echo "<html><h1>Hello from My Custom HTTPD</h1></html>" > index.html
  

Step 6: Create a Dockerfile


Now, we need to package our `index.html` file into a Docker image using a `Dockerfile`.

1. Create the Dockerfile with following using vi/nano/any IDE:
 

FROM httpd:2.4

COPY index.html /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/" > Dockerfile


2. Build the Docker image:
   Ensure Docker is available in Minikube:

   eval $(minikube docker-env)
   docker build -t my-httpd-image .


Step 7: Deploy Your HTTPD Application


With the Docker image ready, let’s deploy it to our Kubernetes cluster.

1.Create a deployment:

   kubectl create deployment my-httpd --image=my-httpd-image


2. Expose the deployment:
      kubectl expose deployment my-httpd --type=NodePort --port=80
  

Step 8: Access Your Application


Now it’s time to access your custom HTTP server!

Method 1: Using Minikube IP


1. Get the Minikube IP address:
      minikube ip
  
2. Access the service:
   Use the URL you get from:

   minikube service my-httpd --url

   Open this URL in your web browser.

Method 2: Using a Tunnel for Localhost Access


For direct access via `localhost`:

1.Open a new terminal and run:
      minikube tunnel

   (You might need elevated privileges for this.)

2. Access your service:
   Now you can access your HTTPD service at:
   

   http://localhost:80


Step 9: Stop and Delete Minikube Cluster


When you’re done, you can stop and delete the Minikube cluster.

1. Stop the cluster:

   minikube stop


2. Delete the cluster:

   minikube delete


Conclusion


Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up a Kubernetes cluster using Minikube, deployed a custom Apache HTTP server, and accessed it both via Minikube's IP and `localhost`. This exercise lays the foundation for exploring more advanced Kubernetes features. If you have any questions or want to dive deeper, feel free to reach out or leave a comment! Happy Kubernetes learning!

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