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Reorg helm chart docs
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126 changes: 19 additions & 107 deletions website/source/docs/platform/k8s/helm.html.md
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---
layout: "docs"
page_title: "Helm - Kubernetes"
page_title: "Helm Chart Reference - Kubernetes"
sidebar_current: "docs-platform-k8s-helm"
description: |-
The Consul Helm chart is the recommended way to install and configure Consul on Kubernetes. In addition to running Consul itself, the Helm chart is the primary method for installing and configuring Consul integrations with Kubernetes such as catalog syncing, Connect injection, and more.
Reference for the Consul Helm chart.
---

# Helm Chart

The [Consul Helm chart](https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-helm)
is the recommended way to install and configure Consul on Kubernetes.
In addition to running Consul itself, the Helm chart is the primary
method for installing and configuring Consul integrations with
Kubernetes such as catalog syncing, Connect injection, and more.

A step-by-step beginner tutorial and accompanying video can be found at the [Minikube with Consul guide](https://learn.hashicorp.com/consul/getting-started-k8s/minikube?utm_source=consul.io&utm_medium=docs).

This page assumes general knowledge of [Helm](https://helm.sh/) and
how to use it. Using Helm to install Consul will require that Helm is
properly installed and configured with your Kubernetes cluster.

-> **Important:** The Helm chart is new and
may still change significantly over time. Please always run Helm with
`--dry-run` before any install or upgrade to verify changes.

~> **Security Warning:** By default, the chart will install an insecure
configuration of Consul. This provides a less complicated out-of-box experience
for new users, but is not appropriate for a production setup. Make sure that
your Kubernetes cluster is properly secured to prevent unwanted access to
Consul, or that you understand and enable the
[recommended Consul security features](/docs/internals/security.html).
Currently, some of these features are not supported in the Helm chart and
require additional manual configuration.


## Using the Helm Chart

To install Consul using the Helm chart you must first install Helm onto
your Kubernetes cluster. See the
[Helm Install Guide](https://helm.sh/docs/using_helm/#installing-helm) for more information.

Once Helm is installed, determine the latest version of the Consul Helm chart
by visiting [https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-helm/releases](https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-helm/releases).

Clone the chart at that version, for example if the latest version is
`v0.8.1` you would run:

```bash
$ git clone --single-branch --branch v0.8.1 https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-helm.git
Cloning into 'consul-helm'...
...
You are in 'detached HEAD' state...
```

Ensure you've checked out the correct version with `helm inspect`:

```bash
$ helm inspect chart ./consul-helm
apiVersion: v1
description: Install and configure Consul on Kubernetes.
home: https://www.consul.io
name: consul
sources:
- https://github.com/hashicorp/consul
- https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-helm
- https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-k8s
version: 0.8.1
```

Now you're ready to install Consul! To install Consul with the default
configuration run:

```sh
$ helm install --name consul ./consul-helm
NAME: consul
...
Your release is named consul. To learn more about the release, try:

$ helm status consul
$ helm get consul
```

If you want to customize the installation,
create a `values.yaml` file to override the default settings.
You can learn what settings are available by running `helm inspect values ./consul-helm`
or by reading the below [Configuration](#configuration-values) section.

Once you've created your `values.yaml` file, run `helm install` with the `-f` flag:

```bash
$ helm install --name consul -f ./values.yaml ./consul-helm
```

~> **Warning:** By default, the chart will install _everything_: a
Consul server cluster, client agents on all nodes, feature components, etc.
This provides a nice out-of-box experience for new users, but may not be
appropriate for a production setup. Consider setting the `global.enabled`
value to `false` and opt-in to the various components.
# Helm Chart Reference

## Configuration (Values)

The chart is highly customizable using
[Helm configuration values](https://docs.helm.sh/using_helm/#customizing-the-chart-before-installing).
[Helm configuration values](https://helm.sh/docs/intro/using_helm/#customizing-the-chart-before-installing).
Each value has a sane default tuned for an optimal getting started experience
with Consul. Before going into production, please review the parameters below
and consider if they're appropriate for your deployment.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -432,16 +342,20 @@ kubectl create secret generic consul-ent-license --from-literal="key=${secret}"

-> **Note:** If you cannot find your `.hclic` file, please contact your sales team or Technical Account Manager.

In your `values.yaml`, change the value of `global.image` to one of the enterprise [release tags](https://hub.docker.com/r/hashicorp/consul-enterprise/tags).
In your `config.yaml`, change the value of `global.image` to one of the enterprise [release tags](https://hub.docker.com/r/hashicorp/consul-enterprise/tags).

```yaml
# config.yaml
global:
image: "hashicorp/consul-enterprise:1.4.3-ent"
```

Add the name of the secret you just created to `server.enterpriseLicense`.

```yaml
# config.yaml
global:
image: "hashicorp/consul-enterprise:1.4.3-ent"
server:
enterpriseLicense:
secretName: "consul-ent-license"
Expand All @@ -451,7 +365,7 @@ server:
Now run `helm install`:

```bash
$ helm install --wait --name consul -f ./values.yaml ./consul-helm
$ helm install --wait hashicorp ./consul-helm -f config.yaml
```

Once the cluster is up, you can verify the nodes are running Consul Enterprise by
Expand All @@ -461,7 +375,7 @@ First, forward your local port 8500 to the Consul servers so you can run `consul
commands locally against the Consul servers in Kubernetes:

```bash
$ kubectl port-forward service/consul-consul-server -n default 8500
$ kubectl port-forward service/hashicorp-consul-server 8500:8500
```

In a separate tab, run the `consul license get` command (if using ACLs see below):
Expand All @@ -483,9 +397,9 @@ Licensed Features:
Advanced Network Federation
$ consul members
Node Address Status Type Build Protocol DC Segment
consul-consul-server-0 10.60.0.187:8301 alive server 1.4.3+ent 2 dc1 <all>
consul-consul-server-1 10.60.1.229:8301 alive server 1.4.3+ent 2 dc1 <all>
consul-consul-server-2 10.60.2.197:8301 alive server 1.4.3+ent 2 dc1 <all>
hashicorp-consul-server-0 10.60.0.187:8301 alive server 1.4.3+ent 2 dc1 <all>
hashicorp-consul-server-1 10.60.1.229:8301 alive server 1.4.3+ent 2 dc1 <all>
hashicorp-consul-server-2 10.60.2.197:8301 alive server 1.4.3+ent 2 dc1 <all>
```

If you get an error:
Expand All @@ -498,7 +412,7 @@ Then you have likely enabled ACLs. You need to specify your ACL token when
running the `license get` command. First, get the ACL token:

```bash
$ kubectl get secrets/consul-consul-bootstrap-acl-token --template={{.data.token}} | base64 -D
$ kubectl get secrets/hashicorp-consul-bootstrap-acl-token --template={{.data.token}} | base64 -D
4dae8373-b4d7-8009-9880-a796850caef9%
```

Expand All @@ -523,12 +437,10 @@ Licensed Features:

## Helm Chart Examples

The below `values.yaml` results in a single server Consul cluster with a `LoadBalancer` to allow external access to the UI and API.
The below `config.yaml` results in a single server Consul cluster with a `LoadBalancer` to allow external access to the UI and API.

```yaml
global:
enabled: true
# config.yaml
server:
replicas: 1
bootstrapExpect: 1
Expand All @@ -538,14 +450,14 @@ ui:
type: LoadBalancer
```

The below `values.yaml` results in a three server Consul Enterprise cluster with 100GB of storage and automatic Connect injection.
The below `config.yaml` results in a three server Consul Enterprise cluster with 100GB of storage and automatic Connect injection.

Note, this would require a secret that contains the enterprise license key.

```yaml
# config.yaml
global:
image: "hashicorp/consul-enterprise:1.4.2-ent"
datacenter: dc1
server:
replicas: 3
Expand Down
20 changes: 6 additions & 14 deletions website/source/docs/platform/k8s/index.html.md
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Expand Up @@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ Kubernetes can choose to leverage Consul.

There are several ways to try Consul with Kubernetes in different environments.

Guides

- The [Consul and minikube guide](https://learn.hashicorp.com/consul/
getting-started-k8s/minikube?utm_source=consul.io&utm_medium=docs) is a quick walk through of how to deploy Consul with the official Helm chart on a local instance of Minikube.

Expand All @@ -63,17 +65,7 @@ There are several ways to try Consul with Kubernetes in different environments.
- The [Consul and Kubernetes Deployment](
https://learn.hashicorp.com/consul/day-1-operations/kubernetes-deployment-guide?utm_source=consul.io&utm_medium=docs) guide covers the necessary steps to install and configure a new Consul cluster on Kubernetes in production.

## "consul-k8s" Project

The dedicated [consul-k8s project](https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-k8s)
contains the integration functionality between Consul and Kubernetes.
You generally will not need to invoke this project directly since the
[Helm chart](/docs/platform/k8s/helm.html) automates the installation and
configuration of the project when necessary.

We may integrate this functionality directly into Consul in the future,
but the separate project allows us to iterate and version the Kubernetes
functionality separately. Additionally, a lot of the functionality works
across multiple Consul versions, so you're able to update and resolve any
Kubernetes integration issues without also upgrading Consul itself which
can be more difficult.
Documentation

- [Installing Consul](/docs/platform/k8s/run.html) covers how to install Consul using the Helm chart.
- [Helm Chart Reference](/docs/platform/k8s/run.html) describes the different options for configuring the Helm chart.
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