# Container orchestrators

> A container orchestrator connects Cloud Management Platform (CMP) to a cluster so that blueprints can deploy and manage containerized objects

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Two technologies are supported: **Kubernetes** and **OpenShift**. A hosted service such as Google Kubernetes Engine or Azure Kubernetes Service is added as a Kubernetes orchestrator. Once a cluster is connected, a blueprint can include a container object, and CMP deploys it to the cluster and manages it alongside the rest of the resource.

## Add a container orchestrator

Managing container orchestrators needs the `containerorchestrator.manage` permission.

1. Go to **Admin** > **Container Orchestrators**.
1. Select **Add**, then choose a technology.
1. Fill in the connection details, then select **Save**.

### Connection details

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Name** | The name under which the orchestrator is listed. |
| **Protocol, IP address, Port** | How CMP reaches the cluster's API. |
| **Account username, Password** | An account authorized to run commands on the cluster. OpenShift labels the username field **Username** and requires both. |
| **Environments** | The environments in which this orchestrator is available. |

The rest of the form depends on the technology:

- **Kubernetes** offers an **Authentication Type** of **Password**, **Bearer Token**, or **Certificate**, and reveals the corresponding credential fields for the chosen type. A **URL Path Prefix** is available for clusters served under a path.
- **OpenShift** offers **SSL Verification**, which is off by default. Turn it on to verify the cluster's certificate.

## Verify and sync a cluster

Open an orchestrator to reach **Edit**, **Verify Connection**, **Sync Container Resources**, and **Delete**. Syncing queues a job that reads the cluster's namespaces, deployments, nodes, and pods, which then appear on the **Deployments**, **Nodes**, and **Pods** tabs.

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The **Sync Container Orchestrators Resources Metadata** recurring job keeps that information up to date every 30 minutes, but it is **disabled by default**. Until you enable it, the tabs only reflect the last manual sync.
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## Add containers to a blueprint

On a blueprint's **Build** tab, select **Container Object**. Each container object carries a config file and the cluster it deploys to.

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If **Container Object** is missing from the Build tab, no orchestrator is available to deploy to. Connect one, or make sure an existing one is available in the environments the blueprint uses.
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Kubernetes objects are deployed from a YAML config file. CMP can generate one from parameters you set, which is limited to the Pod object type and a few parameters, or you can supply your own by upload or from a remote URL. For other object types, write the config file yourself; see the [Kubernetes documentation](https://kubernetes.io/docs/).

**Deploy new cluster** on the container object determines where it lands. When disabled, you choose one or more existing clusters to deploy to. When enabled, CMP creates a cluster in a new environment and deploys the object to it. This requires a build item earlier in the blueprint to produce the cluster.

### Templating a config file

When you supply your own config file, CMP scans it for variables written as `{{ variable }}` and creates a file input for each one it finds. An administrator sets default values for those inputs when editing the build item, and a user can override them on the order form. CMP substitutes the values before deploying.

Standard context such as `{{ group }}` and `{{ job }}` is also available. Adding `namespace: {{ group.kubernetes_namespace }}` under the config file's `metadata` section, for example, takes the namespace from a `kubernetes_namespace` parameter on the ordering user's group.

## View, edit, and delete containers

A resource deployed with container objects gains a **Kubernetes** tab listing what was created. With the Change Attributes permission for that resource, you can also edit a deployed object's YAML, similar to using `kubectl edit`.

Deleting the resource deletes its container objects. CMP also tries to delete sub-objects, such as the pods created by a deployment, though it cannot detect the children of every object type. Objects created outside CMP are not shown.

## Related

- [Build configuration](/docs/cmp/use/blueprints/build/build-configuration/): The other build items a blueprint can deploy.
- [Environments](/docs/cmp/configure/infrastructure/environments/): The environments an orchestrator is available in.
- [Built-in recurring jobs](/docs/cmp/use/orchestration/recurring-jobs/built-in/): The sync job and its schedule.