Edge-Ready Kubernetes: Scaling Apps Where They Matter Most

Kubernetes at the edge is no longer a future trend, it's happening now, and at a massive scale. In this episode of the Edge Tech Podcast, host David Kosloski is joined by Ant Newman and Pedro Oliveira from Spectro Cloud to explore how edge computing is transforming operations across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, QSR, and defense. They unpack: - Why Kubernetes is ideal for edge environments - The challenges of deploying and scaling AI at the edge - What 50% edge Kubernetes adoption tells us about industry shifts - Real-world use cases, from drones and submarines to 100K+ retail stores. - Hardware considerations, air-gapped environments, and connectivity hurdles - Whether you're an architect, operator, or innovator, this episode helps you understand the operational realities of modern edge infrastructure and how to prepare for them.

⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 - Intro & Guest Welcome
00:28 - What is Kubernetes in simple terms?
01:46 - Why microservices and containers matter
03:14 - Kubernetes: Deploying anywhere—from cloud to car trunk
04:08 - Why Kubernetes is dominating open source
05:22 - The edge opportunity: Why Kubernetes fits
07:05 - Benefits of Kubernetes at the edge: Resilience & Scale
08:18 - How hardware choices impact edge Kubernetes
10:13 - ARM vs. x86: The new challenge for ops
11:00 - Key insights from the "State of Production Kubernetes"
12:12 - AI at the edge: Why location matters
13:03 - Industries adopting edge: Retail, healthcare, defense & more
15:21 - The rise of tactical edge compute
16:10 - Kubernetes is driving AI deployment at scale
16:32 - Why edge is harder than cloud—at massive scale
18:16 - Real-world challenges: Security, scale, and cost
20:00 - Connectivity & bandwidth limitations
22:00 - Air gapped clusters & autonomous operations
23:00 - Automating edge operations: YAML, upgrades, and beyond
24:10 - Final thoughts: Scaling without breaking ops