Optimizing Resource Utilization: the Benefits and Challenges of Bin Packing in Kubernetes
Tags: kubernetes, devops, productivity
Published: 2023-11-28 08:39:41

_By: Omer Hamerman, Principal DevOps Engineer at Zesty_

## Key Takeaways

- Challenges in bin packing include balancing density versus workload isolation and distribution, as well as the risks of overpacking a node, which can lead to resource contention and performance degradation.


- Kubernetes provides scheduling strategies such as resource requests and limits, pod affinity and anti-affinity rules, and pod topology spread constraints.


- Examples of effective bin packing in Kubernetes include stateless applications, database instances, batch processing, and machine learning workloads, where resource utilization and performance can be optimized through strategic placement of containers.


- Best practices for bin packing include careful planning and testing, right-sizing nodes and containers, and continuous monitoring and adjustment.


- Implementing bin packing in Kubernetes can also have a positive environmental impact by reducing energy consumption and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.


Given Kubernetes' status as the de facto standard for container orchestration, organizations are continually seeking ways to [optimize resource utilization](https://zesty.co/) in their clusters. One such technique is bin packing: the efficient allocation of resources within a cluster to minimize the number of nodes required for running a workload. Bin packing lets organizations save costs by reducing the number of nodes necessary to support their applications.

The concept of bin packing in Kubernetes involves strategically placing containers, or "bins," within nodes to maximize resource utilization while minimizing wasted resources. When done effectively, bin packing can lead to more efficient use of hardware resources and lower infrastructure costs. This is particularly important in cloud environments where infra spend makes up a significant portion of IT expenses.

In this article, we will explore the complications of bin packing in Kubernetes, discuss the challenges and trade-offs associated with this approach, and provide examples and best practices for implementing bin packing in your organization.

## Challenges of Bin Packing in Kubernetes

While bin packing in Kubernetes offers significant benefits in terms of resource utilization and cost savings, it also presents some challenges that need to be addressed.

**Density vs. Workload Isolation and Distribution**

One of the main issues when implementing bin packing is finding a balance between maximizing resource density and maintaining workload isolation while ensuring the distribution of workloads across systems and availability zones (AZs) for resilience against hardware failures. Packing containers tightly onto nodes can lead to better resource utilization, but it can also increase the risk of contention for shared resources, such as CPU and memory.

This can result in performance degradation and potentially affect the stability of the entire cluster. Moreover, excessive bin packing can contradict the concept of distribution, presenting dangers to the system's ability to sustain hardware failures. Therefore, it is essential to apply bin packing strategies judiciously and only when the use case makes sense, taking into account both resource optimization and system resilience.

To further understand the implications of this trade-off, it's worth considering the impact of increasing density on the fault tolerance of your cluster. When containers are packed tightly onto a smaller number of nodes, the failure of a single node can have a more significant impact on the overall health and availability of your applications. This raises the question: how can you strike a balance between cost savings and ensuring your workloads are resilient to potential failures?

**Risks of Over Centralizing Applications in the Node**

The risk of excessively bin-packing applications in a node, is the opposite of maintaining the "best-practice" of a distributed deployment. It's the classic risk management mistake of having all your eggs in one basket. It's an operational risk so that if your node dies, it means a bigger chunk of your deployment will be down with it. Therefore, on the one hand, you want to be distributed as possible for the sake of resiliency. On the other hand, you want to keep your costs under control and bin packing is a good solution for this. The magic is in finding the sweet spot in this balance of considerations.

These issues become more pronounced when multiple containers vie for the limited resources, like memory or CPU, available on a single node, resulting in resource starvation and suboptimal application performance. Additionally, scaling the system in a non-gradual manner or in bursts can also cause unwanted failures, further exacerbating these challenges. To manage these inconsistencies it helps to set policy limits, where you can ensure the reliable supply of resources to applications.

Another aspect to consider when overpacking a node is the potential effect on maintenance and updates. With more containers running on a single node, the impact of maintenance tasks or software updates can be magnified, possibly leading to more extended periods of downtime or reduced performance for your applications. How can you manage updates and maintenance without negatively affecting the performance of your workloads when using bin packing is a critical question to consider.

**Scheduling Strategies to Address the Challenges**

Kubernetes provides several scheduling strategies to help remediate issues related to bin packing:

- [Resource requests and limits](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/manage-resources-containers/) let you configure the Kubernetes scheduler to consider the available resources on each node when making scheduling decisions. This enables you to place containers on nodes with the appropriate amount of resources.

- [Pod affinity and anti-affinity rules](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/scheduling-eviction/assign-pod-node/#affinity-and-anti-affinity) allow you to specify which nodes a pod should or should not be placed on based on the presence of other pods. This can help ensure that workloads are spread evenly across the cluster or grouped together on certain nodes based on specific requirements. For example, data-critical systems, such as those handling essential customer data for production functionality, need to be distributed as much as possible to enhance reliability and performance. This approach can reduce the risk of single points of failure and promote better overall system resilience.

- [Pod topology spread constraints](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/scheduling-eviction/topology-spread-constraints/) enable you to control how pods are distributed across nodes, considering factors such as zone or region. By using these, you can ensure that workloads are evenly distributed, minimizing the risk of overloading a single node and improving overall cluster resilience.

By carefully considering and implementing these scheduling strategies, you can effectively address the challenges of bin packing in Kubernetes while maintaining optimal resource utilization and performance.

## Examples of Bin Packing in Kubernetes

There are various examples of how Kubernetes can effectively implement bin packing for different types of workloads, from stateless web applications to database instances and beyond. We'll explore some of them below.

**Stateless Applications**

Kubernetes can pack multiple instances of stateless applications into a single node while ensuring that each instance has sufficient resources. By using resource requests and limits, you can guide the Kubernetes scheduler to allocate the appropriate amount of CPU and memory for each instance. As long as the instances have enough resources, they will be up and running and ensure high availability for stateless applications such as web or client-facing apps

**Database Instances**

When dealing with databases, Kubernetes can effectively pack individual instances of different stateful applications into nodes to maximize throughput and minimize latency. By leveraging pod affinity rules, you can ensure that database instances are placed on nodes with the necessary volumes and proximity to other components, such as cache servers or application servers. This can help optimize resource usage while maintaining high performance and low latency for database operations.

**Batch Processing and Machine Learning Workloads**

Bin packing can also be beneficial for batch processing and machine learning workloads. Kubernetes can use pod topology spread constraints to ensure these workloads are evenly distributed across nodes, preventing resource contention and maintaining optimal performance.

**Large Clusters with Many Nodes**

In cases where a service needs to be distributed to a large number of nodes (e.g., 2,000 nodes), resource optimization remains a priority. While spreading these services out is essential for tolerance, bin packing should still be considered for the remaining services to increase the utilization of all nodes.

Kubernetes can manage this through topology spread configurations such as [PodTopologySpreadArgs](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/scheduling-eviction/topology-spread-constraints/) if specific resources from nodes are used. Cluster admins and cloud providers should ensure nodes are provisioned accordingly to balance the spread-out services and the bin-packed services.

By understanding and applying these examples in your Kubernetes environment, you can leverage bin packing to optimize resource utilization and improve the overall efficiency of your cluster.

## Cost Efficiency Benefits of Bin Packing in Kubernetes

By efficiently allocating resources within a cluster and minimizing the number of nodes necessary to support workloads, bin packing can help reduce your infrastructure costs. This is achieved by consolidating multiple containers onto fewer nodes, which reduces the need for additional hardware or cloud-based resources. As a result, organizations can save on hardware, energy, and maintenance.

In cloud environments, where infrastructure costs are a significant portion of IT expenses, the cost savings from bin packing can be particularly impactful. Cloud providers typically charge customers based on the number and size of nodes used, so optimizing resource utilization through bin packing can directly translate to reduced cloud infrastructure bills.

## Best Practices for Bin Packing in Kubernetes

To fully harness the benefits of bin packing in Kubernetes, it's essential to follow best practices to ensure optimal resource utilization while preventing performance problems. We highlight three below.

**Careful Planning and Testing**

Before implementing bin packing in your Kubernetes environment, it's crucial to carefully plan and test the placement of containers within nodes. This may involve analyzing the resource requirements of your workloads, determining the appropriate level of density, and testing the performance and stability of your cluster under various scenarios. Additionally, setting hard limits for memory is essential, as memory is a non-compressible resource and should be allocated carefully to avoid affecting surrounding applications. It is also important to account for potential memory leaks, ensuring that one leak does not cause chaos within the entire system.

By taking the time to plan and test, you can avoid potential pitfalls associated with bin packing, such as resource contention and performance degradation.

**Right Sizing Nodes and Containers**

Properly sizing nodes and containers is a key aspect of optimizing resource utilization in your Kubernetes environment. To achieve this, first assess the resource requirements of your applications, taking into account CPU, memory, and storage demands. This information helps in determining the most suitable node sizes and container resource limits to minimize waste and maximize efficiency. It is crucial to size nodes and containers appropriately for the workload because if your containers are too large and take up a significant proportion of the node, then you won't be able to fit additional containers onto the node. If you're running a very large container that takes up 75% of every node, for example, it will essentially force 25% waste regardless of how many bin packing rules were set. The resources allocated to a container and the resources a machine offers are critical factors to consider when optimizing your Kubernetes environment.

**Monitoring and Adjusting Over Time**

Continuous monitoring and adjustment are essential for maintaining optimal resource utilization in your Kubernetes clusters. As workloads and requirements evolve, you may need to reassess your bin packing strategy to ensure it remains effective.

Regular monitoring can help you identify issues early on, such as resource contention or underutilized nodes, allowing you to make adjustments before a problem escalates.

**Utilizing Kubernetes Features for Bin Packing**

Resource quotas allow you to limit the amount of resources a namespace can consume, ensuring that no single workload monopolizes the available resources in your cluster.
Resource requests and limits for your pods, already noted above, let you guide the Kubernetes scheduler to place containers on nodes with the appropriate amount of resources. This helps ensure workloads are allocated efficiently and resource contention is minimized.

One more aspect to consider is the environmental impact of your infrastructure. By optimizing resource utilization through bin packing, you can potentially reduce your organization's carbon footprint. Running fewer nodes means consuming less energy and generating less heat, which can contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions and a smaller environmental impact. This raises an important question: How can businesses balance their goals for cost efficiency and performance with their social responsibility to reduce their environmental footprint?

## Conclusion

Bin packing in Kubernetes plays a crucial role in optimizing resource utilization and reducing infrastructure costs. But it's also important to achieve the right balance between efficiency and performance when optimizing Kubernetes resources.

By strategically allocating resources within a cluster, organizations can minimize the number of nodes required to run workloads, ultimately resulting in lower spend and more efficient infrastructure management.

However, as discussed, there are some performance-related challenges and trade-offs associated with bin packing, as well as best practices for effectively employing bin packing in your Kubernetes environment. By understanding and leveraging these techniques, you can maximize resource utilization in your cluster, save on infrastructure costs, and improve overall efficiency.

This articles was originally published on [InfoQ](https://www.infoq.com/articles/kubernetes-bin-packing/)