⛵Helm Chart

Overview

This guide explains how to deploy enVector services on an existing Kubernetes cluster using Helm. It focuses on configuring external dependencies (database, storage) and license management, plus options to manage sensitive values safely.

Running enVector on Kubernetes provides:

  • Parity: Closer to production-grade behavior than Docker Compose

  • Scalability: Horizontal Pod Autoscaling (HPA) and node pools

  • Security: Namespaces, RBAC, and network policies

  • Extensibility: Ability to integrate with Ingress controllers, TLS (e.g., cert-manager), storage classes, and monitoring stacks (to be installed separately)

Prerequisites

Prepare the following before deploying:

  • Kubernetes cluster running (local or managed, e.g. GKE, OKE, EKS)

  • kubectl v1.28+ and Helm v3.12+ installed

  • Administrative privileges on the cluster

  • 64GB+ RAM and 50GB+ free disk space available in the cluster

  • Docker Hub access token (for pulling private enVector images)

  • PostgreSQL service available (e.g., OCI Database with PostgreSQL, GCP Cloud SQL, or equivalent)

  • S3-compatible object storage service available (e.g., OCI Object Storage, AWS S3, MinIO, etc.)

  • (Optional) Ingress, TLS, Monitoring, StorageClass, NetworkPolicy — not included in the Helm chart; install separately if required

Step 1: Get the Helm Chart from GitHub

mkdir helm_chart

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/CryptoLabInc/envector-deployment.git

# Copy Helm chart directory
cp -r envector-deployment/kubernetes-manifests/helm ./helm_chart
cd helm_chart

Release naming & ServiceAccount (IRSA / Workload Identity)

Before editing values.yaml, decide how the release name and ServiceAccount should look:

  • nameOverride / fullnameOverride let you pin predictable resource names if your platform enforces naming rules.

  • labels adds custom labels to every Kubernetes object (helpful for cost allocation or policy engines).

  • serviceAccount.create, serviceAccount.name, and serviceAccount.annotations control the ServiceAccount shared by all Pods. Add IAM, IRSA, or Workload Identity annotations here instead of editing templates manually.

These knobs live near the top of values.yaml so you can align the deployment with your organization’s naming and IAM standards before moving on to the rest of the configuration.

Step 2: Configure values.yaml (DB, Storage, License)

The chart ships with a values.yaml. Update these keys to match your environment.

2.1 Metadata DB (PostgreSQL)

externalServices:
  metadatadb:
    # libpq DSN format
    url: "user=<user> password=<password> host=<host> port=<port> dbname=<database> sslmode=require options='-c search_path=public'"
    schema: "public"   # default schema

Notes:

  • Use a PostgreSQL endpoint reachable from the cluster.

  • Adjust sslmode to your security posture (require, verify-ca, verify-full, disable).

  • schema is passed as ES2_DB_SERVICE_SCHEMA.

2.2 Object Storage (S3-compatible, e.g., MinIO/S3/OCI)

externalServices:
  storage:
    host: <storage_host>             # e.g., minio.minio.svc, s3.amazonaws.com, <gateway>
    port: <storage_port>             # e.g., 9000 for MinIO, 443 for AWS S3
    user: <access_key>
    password: <secret_key>
    secure: true                     # true=https, false=http
    region: <region>                 # e.g., us-east-1, ap-seoul-1
    create: false                    # true=create bucket on startup
    bucket_name: <bucket_name>
    hasHealthcheckEndpoint: false    # true only for MinIO; false for AWS/OCI/etc.

Notes:

  • es2b waits for the storage endpoint (host:port) before starting.

  • For AWS S3, set secure: true, port: 443, and hasHealthcheckEndpoint: false.

  • For MinIO, set the MinIO service DNS/port and you may set hasHealthcheckEndpoint: true.

2.3 License (es2c)

The es2c component reads a license token from /es2/license/token.jwt. You have three ways to provide it:

  1. Chart-managed Secret (simple & secure by default)

es2c:
  license:
    enabled: true
    createSecret: true
    tokenPath: "/es2/license/token.jwt"
    token: ""          # leave empty in values; provide at install time via --set-file

First install (creates the Secret using your token file):

helm install envector . \
  --set es2c.license.enabled=true \
  --set es2c.license.createSecret=true \
  --set-file es2c.license.token=./token.jwt

Upgrades reuse the existing Secret automatically. To rotate the token:

helm upgrade envector . --set-file es2c.license.token=./new-token.jwt

  1. Use an existing Secret you manage

es2c:
  license:
    enabled: true
    createSecret: false
    existingSecret: my-license   # your Secret name
    secret:
      key: token.jwt             # key inside the Secret

Or via CLI:

helm upgrade --install envector . \
  --set es2c.license.enabled=true \
  --set es2c.license.createSecret=false \
  --set es2c.license.existingSecret=my-license

  1. External Secrets Operator (ESO) – recommended for centralized secret mgmt

See 2.4 below to enable ESO and map the token.

2.4 Managing sensitive values via External Secrets Operator (optional)

Set externalSecrets.enabled=true when you want ESO to write Kubernetes Secrets for the chart. Each credential type uses its own sub-block so you can mix and match:

externalSecrets:
  enabled: true
  secretStoreRef:
    kind: ClusterSecretStore
    name: my-secret-store
  dbSecret:
    enabled: true
    data:
      - secretKey: ES2_DB_SERVICE_URL
        remoteRef:
          key: prod/app/db
          property: db_url
  storageSecret:
    enabled: true
    data:
      - secretKey: ES2_STORAGE_SERVICE_USER
        remoteRef: { key: prod/minio, property: accessKey }
      - secretKey: ES2_STORAGE_SERVICE_PASSWORD
        remoteRef: { key: prod/minio, property: secretKey }
  license:
    enabled: true
    remoteRef:
      key: prod/es2/license
      property: token.jwt

Notes:

  • secretStoreRef is mandatory whenever any ESO block is enabled.

  • dbSecret.data and storageSecret.data mirror the env keys that Pods expect (ES2_DB_SERVICE_URL, ES2_STORAGE_SERVICE_USER, ES2_STORAGE_SERVICE_PASSWORD).

  • The license ExternalSecret only renders when both externalSecrets.enabled=true and externalSecrets.license.remoteRef.key are set, matching the template logic.

  • Need to mix AWS Parameter Store (for DB/storage) with Secrets Manager (for license)? Set externalSecrets.<name>.secretStoreRef under each block to point at different SecretStores; if omitted, each block falls back to the global secretStoreRef.

  • Non-sensitive values such as storage host, port, secure, region, bucket_name, and DB schema still live under externalServices.

2.5 Image pull secret

Create image pull secret (example name: regcred):

kubectl create secret docker-registry regcred \
  --docker-server=https://index.docker.io/v1/ \
  --docker-username="<YOUR_DOCKERHUB_USERNAME>" \
  --docker-password="<YOUR_DOCKERHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN>" \
  --docker-email="<YOUR_EMAIL>"

Required: set this to the Docker registry Secret you created with your Docker token. There is no default; configure it explicitly. Example using the Secret name regcred:

imagePullSecrets: [regcred]

2.6 Image tags (version alignment)

Set the image tags in values.yaml to match the ES2 version you plan to deploy. Avoid using latest in production. Example (v1.1.0):

es2e:
  image:
    tag: v1.1.0
es2b:
  image:
    tag: v1.1.0
es2o:
  image:
    tag: v1.1.0
es2c:
  # cpu or gpu; when set to gpu, the chart appends "-gpu" to the tag automatically
  variant: cpu
  image:
    tag: v1.1.0

Step 3: Dry-run (render & validate without installing)

helm upgrade --install envector . --dry-run --debug

Check for:

  • No template errors

  • Expected env vars including DB/Storage config

  • Image pull secret reference present (e.g., regcred)

Step 4: Install the chart

helm upgrade --install envector .

Verify resources:

kubectl get pods,svc

TLS/HTTPS (Ingress)

Optional: TLS/HTTPS is not required. The chart works over plain HTTP by default. Enable one of the options below only if you want HTTPS via Ingress, or terminate TLS at an external load balancer instead.

Prerequisites

  • Install an Ingress Controller (e.g., NGINX) and note the ingress.className.

  • Point your domain (DNS) to the Ingress Service EXTERNAL-IP.

  • Optional: Install cert-manager and create a ClusterIssuer (recommended).

Quick Setup: cert-manager + ClusterIssuer (if not installed)

# Install cert-manager with CRDs
helm repo add jetstack https://charts.jetstack.io && helm repo update
helm install cert-manager jetstack/cert-manager -n cert-manager --create-namespace --set installCRDs=true

# Create a staging ClusterIssuer (validate here first)
cat > letsencrypt-staging.yaml << 'EOF'
apiVersion: cert-manager.io/v1
kind: ClusterIssuer
metadata:
  name: letsencrypt-staging
spec:
  acme:
    email: [email protected]
    server: https://acme-staging-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory
    privateKeySecretRef:
      name: letsencrypt-staging
    solvers:
    - http01:
        ingress:
          class: nginx
EOF
kubectl apply -f letsencrypt-staging.yaml

# Verify
kubectl get clusterissuer

# After validation, create a production issuer similarly
# server: https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory

Option A) cert-manager automated issuance (recommended)

Enable Ingress in values.yaml and set the ClusterIssuer.

ingress:
  enabled: true
  className: nginx
  annotations:
    cert-manager.io/cluster-issuer: letsencrypt-prod
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/ssl-redirect: "true"
  hosts:
    - host: app.example.com
      paths:
        - path: /
          pathType: Prefix
          service:
            name: es2e
            port: 50050
  tls:
    - secretName: app-tls
      hosts:
        - app.example.com

Deploy/upgrade (namespace optional):

helm upgrade --install envector . -n <namespace> --create-namespace

# Note: when using --set, escape dots in annotation keys
helm upgrade --install envector . -n <namespace> \
  --set ingress.enabled=true \
  --set ingress.className=nginx \
  --set ingress.annotations."cert-manager\.io/cluster-issuer"=letsencrypt-prod \
  --set ingress.tls[0].secretName=app-tls \
  --set ingress.tls[0].hosts[0]=app.example.com \
  --set ingress.hosts[0].host=app.example.com

Option B) Manual TLS Secret (private CA or internal networks)

Create a TLS Secret from your PEM files, then reference it in values.yaml.

kubectl create secret tls app-tls \
  --cert=fullchain.pem --key=privkey.pem -n <namespace>
ingress:
  enabled: true
  className: nginx
  hosts:
    - host: app.example.com
      paths:
        - path: /
          pathType: Prefix
          service:
            name: es2e
            port: 50050
  tls:
    - secretName: app-tls
      hosts:
        - app.example.com

Testing

# DNS
nslookup app.example.com

# Pre-propagation HTTPS check
curl --resolve app.example.com:443:<LB_IP> https://app.example.com -vk

# Ingress status
kubectl get ingress -n <namespace>

# HTTPS response
curl -I https://app.example.com

# Certificate details
openssl s_client -connect app.example.com:443 -servername app.example.com -showcerts

# With cert-manager
kubectl get certificate,challenge,order -n <namespace>
kubectl logs -n cert-manager deploy/cert-manager

Troubleshooting

  • Port 80 blocked or pre-redirected: HTTP-01 fails → allow 80 or use DNS-01.

  • Ingress class mismatch: ingress.className must match your controller.

  • Hostname mismatch: spec.rules.host must match TLS hosts.

  • DNS propagation delay: wait for new records to propagate.

  • Secret format: kubernetes.io/tls with tls.crt / tls.key.

  • Private cluster: public ACME unreachable → issue via DNS-01.

  • Node clock skew: ACME errors → sync nodes with NTP.

Ingress health checks

If your Ingress or external load balancer requires an HTTP health‑check path (e.g., AWS ALB Target Group), the services expose lightweight health endpoints:

  • GET /healthz: always 200 OK (liveness)

  • GET /livez: alias of /healthz

  • GET /readyz: 200 OK when backend is healthy, 503 otherwise

  • GET /version: returns plain text version

  • GET /: 200 OK with body "ok"

Example (AWS Load Balancer Controller with ALB): set annotations and route /healthz to the backend service you expose via Ingress (commonly es2e).

ingress:
  enabled: true
  className: alb
  annotations:
    alb.ingress.kubernetes.io/scheme: internet-facing
    alb.ingress.kubernetes.io/target-type: ip
    alb.ingress.kubernetes.io/healthcheck-path: /healthz
    alb.ingress.kubernetes.io/healthcheck-interval-seconds: "15"
    alb.ingress.kubernetes.io/success-codes: "200"
  hosts:
    - host: es2.example.com
      paths:
        - path: /
          pathType: Prefix
          service:
            name: es2e
            port: 50050
        - path: /healthz
          pathType: Exact
          service:
            name: es2e
            port: 50050

Notes:

  • If you terminate TLS at the Ingress, keep the health‑check path under the same host and scheme.

  • For NGINX Ingress, backend Pod readiness typically controls endpoint health; you can still expose /healthz if your upstream L7 health checker needs a path.

Notes & tips

  • License: es2c mounts the license at /es2/license and reads ES2_LICENSE_TOKEN path from ConfigMap. Keep the Secret key name aligned with es2c.license.secret.key (default: token.jwt).

  • Storage: for MinIO, you may enable hasHealthcheckEndpoint: true. For AWS/OCI, keep it false.

  • Networking: ensure Pods can reach DB and storage endpoints (Security Groups/NetworkPolicies/Firewalls).

  • Upgrades: when using an external Secret for the license, you can force a rollout by bumping es2c.license.secret.checksum (e.g., sha256sum token.jwt | cut -d' ' -f1).

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