The State of Kubernetes Errors in 2023

Kubernetes is a powerful tool for managing containerized applications, but it's not immune to errors. In this blog post, we'll discuss the state of Kubernetes errors in 2023. We'll cover the two most commonly searched errors, trends in troubleshooting, and a graph of error severity.

We'll also discuss some tips for preventing Kubernetes errors and how to troubleshoot them when they do occur. By the end of this blog post, you'll have a better understanding of the state of Kubernetes errors and how to keep your applications running smoothly.

This post is written by the team at Botkube. Botkube is a collaborative troubleshooting tool designed specifically for Kubernetes users. With Botkube, you can seamlessly receive and act on alerts directly within your preferred messaging and collaboration platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, and Mattermost.

Two Commonly Seen K8s Errors

Kubernetes problems are often found in kubctl logs. As more clusters are deployed, developers are likely to encounter them. Here are two very common K8s issues, as well as links to articles where we cover them in more depth. The article may also mention using Botkube's automated tools that make solving these errors a whole lot easier!

OOMkilled Error (Out of Memory)

The OOMkilled error (Out Of Memory Killed) is a common issue that can occur when a process in a Kubernetes system consumes too much memory and causes the system to run out of available memory. This can lead to performance issues and can even cause the system to crash.

In Kubernetes, pods are the basic unit of deployment. Pods can contain one or more containers, and each container has its own memory limit. If a pod exceeds its memory limit, Kubernetes may terminate the pod and generate an OOMKilled error because the system is unable to allocate more memory to the pod.

The OOMkilled error is one of the most common errors encountered with Kubernetes Pods. There are a number of reasons why this error can occur, including:

• Misconfiguration: If the memory limit for a pod is set too low, the pod may exceed its limit and be terminated with an OOMKilled error.
• Memory leak: A memory leak is a bug in a container that causes it to continue to consume memory even after it is no longer needed. This can eventually lead to the pod exceeding its memory limit and being terminated with an OOMKilled error.
• Spike in traffic: If a pod is suddenly subjected to a large spike in traffic, it may temporarily exceed its memory limit and be terminated with an OOMKilled error.

We encourage you to learn more with our help article What is OOMkilled?

Create Container Config Error

The Create Container Config Error is a Kubernetes error that occurs when there is a problem with the configuration of a container. This error can occur for a variety of reasons, including:

• Misconfiguration: If the configuration for a container is incorrect, Kubernetes may be unable to create the container.
• Missing files: If the configuration for a container references files that do not exist, Kubernetes may be unable to create the container.
• Invalid syntax: If the configuration for a container contains invalid syntax, Kubernetes may be unable to create the container.

Once you have identified the cause of the Create Container Config Error, you can take steps to fix it. If the error is due to a misconfiguration, you can correct the configuration. If the error is due to missing files, you can copy the files to the pod's filesystem. If the error is due to invalid syntax, you can correct the syntax.

For more on the createcontainerconfigerror, check out our help article to troubleshoot your Kubernetes pods further.

Trends for Troubleshooting K8s Issues

The use of logging and monitoring tools is a trend in troubleshooting Kubernetes errors. These tools can help you to identify the root cause of an error, and they can also help you to track the progress of your troubleshooting efforts.

Another trend is the adoption of automated troubleshooting tools. These tools can help you to automate the troubleshooting process, which can save you time and effort.

Receiving Kubernetes alerts

The most important trend is to receive Kubernetes alerts about errors as soon as possible. This will allow you to troubleshoot the errors quickly and prevent them from causing downtime.

ChatOps is a method of using chat tools to automate and streamline DevOps workflows. By integrating Botkube with a chat tool like Slack, you can receive Kubernetes alerts directly in your chat app. This makes it easy to stay up-to-date on errors and take action quickly to fix them.

Effective K8s Troubleshooting Chart

Govardhana Miriyala Kannaiah wrote a great LinkedIn post where he outlined a chart for effective Kubernetes troubleshooting. The two axis of this chart are ‘ How effective it is’ and ‘How often to do it’. This shows the different troubleshooting techniques like checking logs or verifying pod configuration. We hope you enjoy his graph as much as we did!

Concluding Kubernetes Errors

In this blog post, we took a look at some common Kubernetes errors, such as the createcontainerconfig error. We also showed a chart from the community on common K8s error troubleshooting techniques and how effective they are.

We also mentioned that Botkube's software tools allow platform engineers and DevOps teams to stay on top of their Kubernetes errors. The tool lets you connect alerts to come into a single chat channel and then suggests common solutions to the errors being encountered.

If a company runs its applications in Kubernetes, they need to consider adding Botkube to their cluster to help prevent future Kubernetes errors. Botkube can help you to:

• Identify and troubleshoot errors quickly.
• Reduce the time it takes to resolve errors.
• Prevent future errors from occurring.
  

If you are looking for a way to improve your Kubernetes error management, then Botkube is a great option. Botkube is easy to use and can help you to save time and money. Thanks for taking the time to read about the state of K8s errors.