Apply native Kubernetes commands for macOS VMs on genuine Apple hardware
Orka (Orchestration with Kubernetes on Apple) is a new virtualization layer for Mac build infrastructure based on Docker and Kubernetes technology. Orka offers the first and only solution for orchestrating macOS in a cloud environment using Kubernetes on genuine Apple hardware.
With Orka and MacStadium, moving your Mac infrastructure to the cloud is just as easy and powerful as using AWS, Azure, or GCP. Orka brings the simplicity and scalability of large cloud providers to developers building for Apple devices. Spend less time dealing with operating systems, managing servers, or installing applications, and spend more time building great apps.
Kubernetes has rapidly become the preferred choice for anyone managing cloud infrastructure. Docker has made building applications faster and easier with container technology. For the first time, Orka brings that set of powerful tools to iOS and Mac app developers and the DevOps teams that support them. With Orka, Apple OS development teams can use container technology features just like they do for non-Apple workloads. Because it’s built on Kubernetes, Orka provides access to standard tools like KubeCTL, KubeDashboard, Autoscaling, etc. to drive Mac infrastructure with built-in tools that you already have.
Orka takes a standard macOS VM, puts it inside of a Docker container, and then uses Kubernetes to orchestrate everything. Spin up a virtual machine in seconds with any version of macOS, then orchestrate pods of those VMs across a Kubernetes cluster. What makes Orka unique is that all of this is built on top of genuine Apple hardware, required any time you have a workload that requires macOS (i.e., Xcode or Safari).
Orka gives developers the power to create and scale the cloud environment they need to build and test their app without having to learn new or complex tools to manage the backend.
Orka is built to make it easy for DevOps teams to support developers using the same Kubernetes-based tools and workflows that they use to support every other development team in the company.
Since iOS, iPad, watchOS, tvOS, and Mac apps can only be compiled and tested on macOS, which only runs on genuine Apple Mac hardware, developers need access to a large pool of Macs to run their CI-driven development pipelines. To harness the power of MacStadium’s scalable, reliable, and secure Mac infrastructure, we built a new virtualization technology specifically designed for Apple hardware but based on standard cloud orchestration tools. With Orka, MacStadium users get a more software-driven, reliable, and high-performance experience with their MacStadium hardware.
Orka clouds are built on genuine Apple Mac Pro hardware with MacStadium's enterprise upgrades providing 10G redundant fiber ethernet and SAN storage connectivity.
Don’t have Kubernetes experience? No problem. Orka’s simple, easy-to-learn commands make getting started a breeze. Already have a robust CI pipeline built on Kubernetes? Orka can bring iOS and Mac app development into your existing workflow.
Use easy-to-learn commands similar to Docker or Kubernetes command line
Integrate with other platforms using Orka’s RESTful API
Visualize and execute Orka functionality through a web interface
Orka’s plugins allow developers to use the tools they already know and love to work seamlessly with their build infrastructure. More plugins are in the works, including Bamboo, Teamcity, and more. Tell us your favorite and we’ll roll that one out first!
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