FAQ

General

What is it?

Synadia Deploy for Kubernetes is a self-service, bring-your-own Kubernetes workflow that combines the simplicity of a managed solution with the control and flexibility of running on your own infrastructure. It allows you to deploy the full Synadia Platform stack (including NATS) in minutes on any Kubernetes cluster.

What's included?

NATS - The high-performance messaging and streaming system at the core of Synadia Platform
Control Plane - Unified interface for configuration, operations, and monitoring
Connectors - Out-of-the-box integrations for a variety of sources and sinks
Workloads - Deploy containers or JavaScript functions anywhere NATS runs
HTTP Gateway - Make HTTP calls to NATS endpoints
Standard Support SLA - Next business day response with access to NATS experts

What are the key benefits?

Deploy Synadia Platform in under 5 minutes
Run on your own infrastructure for data control and compliance
Avoid cloud egress charges by running in your VPC
Single-tenant deployments for security requirements
Deploy to edge locations and various Kubernetes distributions
Simplified upgrades without operational complexity
No usage limits beyond your infrastructure capacity

How is this different from Synadia Cloud and Synadia Platform?

Synadia Cloud is a fully-managed, multi-cloud, multi-geo SaaS that runs in Synadia's infrastructure. For many use cases, it is the most cost effective way to leverage NATS and Synadia Platform capabilities. However, some use cases that requires custom environments, configurations, or compliance requirements may not be suitable for Synadia Cloud. Similarily, for high traffic use cases, the cost of egress charges may be prohibitive.
Synadia Platform is offered as a fully managed BYOC offering or self-hosted solution. Our fully managed BYOC requires Synadia to have access to the customer's environment which may not be suitable for all use cases. The self-hosted solution requires operational expertise to deply, manage, and maintain the various components.
Deploy for Kubernetes is a hybrid approach which is fully self-service by the customer, but with operational logic built-in to the Deploy agent. This provides the ability to deploy Synadia Platform in minutes, while still running on your own infrastructure.

How do I get started?

Sign up for a 14-day free trial
Install the deployment agent via Helm
Configure your cluster through Control Plane
Deploy in under 5 minutes

Technical Details

How does it generally work?

Deploy for Kubernetes uses a lightweight agent that you install in your Kubernetes cluster. This agent connects to Synadia's Control Plane, allowing you to configure and manage your NATS cluster and Synadia Platform components through a user-friendly interface. The agent handles the deployment and management of all components, ensuring they run smoothly in your environment.

What Kubernetes distributions are supported?

Deploy for Kubernetes works with any compliant Kubernetes distribution, such as:

Cloud services (e.g. EKS, GKE, AKS)
Edge-focused (e.g. k3s, k0s, MicroK8s)

What are the minimum requirements for my Kubernetes cluster?

The specific resource requirements depend on your cluster size and usage. The workflow of deploying a new system will guide you through the necessary configurations.

How does the deployment agent work?

The deployment process involves:

Installing a lightweight agent via Helm to your Kubernetes cluster
The agent establishes a secure connection back to Synadia Control Plane
You configure your deployment through the Control Plane interface
The agent receives configuration and automatically creates all deployments
Your NATS cluster and Platform components are deployed automatically

Can I choose my NATS version?

Yes, you can select between the latest patch releases of NATS 2.10 or 2.11 when creating your cluster.

How do upgrades work?

Upgrades are streamlined through the Control Plane interface. The system will notify you of available upgrades, and the same agent-based deployment process handles updates automatically. Future releases will include automated health checks and upgrade recommendations.

Pricing and Support

What's the pricing model?

3-node cluster: $1,250/month
5-node cluster: $2,000/month
Includes Standard Support SLA with next business day response

What if I need more than 5 nodes or higher support?

For clusters larger than 5 nodes or higher support levels, please contact us to discuss.

Is there a trial available?

Yes, we offer a 14-day free trial.

What support is included?

All deployments include our Standard Support SLA, which provides:

Next business day response time for support tickets
Access to our team of NATS maintainers and experts
Upgrade notifications and guidance

Security and Compliance

How does my deployment communicate with Synadia Control Plane?

A component called Private Link is deployed alongside your NATS cluster, creating a secure tunnel to Control Plane. This enables:

Secure cluster management operations (creating accounts, users)
Metrics collection for monitoring
Key generation and storage in Synadia's environment

Is this suitable for compliance requirements?

Yes, Deploy for Kubernetes is designed to meet various compliance and security requirements:

Single-tenant deployments
Data residency control (runs on your infrastructure)
VPC deployment options
Secure communication channels

What data is sent to Synadia?

Cluster management metadata (accounts, users, configurations)
Performance metrics for monitoring
Log streaming for simple visualization in Control Plane

No application or log data is stored in Synadia's environment. Any data that can be visualized, such as with the stream viewer or log viewer is over the secure connection using Private Link and an ephemeral credential for the duration of the browser session.

Migration and Integration

Can I migrate from my existing NATS cluster?

Currently, Deploy for Kubernetes requires creating a new system. If you have questions or need assistance with migration, please contact us.

Can I integrate with existing monitoring and logging systems?

Yes, since the cluster runs in your environment, you can integrate with your existing observability stack. Control Plane also provides built-in monitoring capabilities.

How do I connect my applications?

Your applications connect to the NATS cluster using standard NATS client libraries, just as they would with any NATS deployment. The cluster runs on your network so you can choose to keep it private with co-located applications or make it public.

Troubleshooting

What if the deployment fails?

If a deployment fails, this is likely due to a lack of cluster resources or other constraints. This requires manual intervention to resolve using kubectl commands or other related tools to observe why the various components are failing to deploy.

If you need assistance, please contact us for support.

How do I monitor my cluster health?

The Control Plane provides comprehensive monitoring including:

Cluster status and performance metrics
Real-time logs from all components
Health checks and alerts
Resource utilization tracking

What happens if my Kubernetes cluster goes down?

Your NATS cluster and data are contained within your Kubernetes environment. Standard Kubernetes recovery procedures apply. Private Link will reconnect automatically to Control Plane when it becomes available.