Kubernetes is an open source container orchestration system that enables applications to run on a cluster of hosts. It’s a critical part of cloud native architecture because it can work on public or private clouds and on-premises environments. With an orchestration layer on top of traditional infrastructure, Kubernetes allows the automated deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.

Helm is a deployment tool that simplifies installing, configuring, and managing Kubernetes clusters. Anyone familiar with writing Kubernetes manifests knows how tedious it is to create multiple manifest files using YAML. Even the most basic application has at least 3 manifest files. As the cluster grows, the more unwieldy the configuration becomes. Helm is one of the most useful tools in a developer’s tool belt for managing Kubernetes clusters.

Citrix Hypervisor, formerly known as Citrix XenServer, is a type 1 hypervisor that enables organizations to run and manage an entire virtual infrastructure—including VMs, virtual desktops, and virtual applications. Organizations can also use Citrix Hypervisor to optionally host these virtual workloads with higher availability and flexibility by implementing managed server groups called resource pools.