k8s-vagrant-multi-node: The magic behind this project

The GitHub repository can be found here: galexrt/k8s-vagrant-multi-node.

Intro

The Vagrant VirtualBox provider can't start VMs in parallel (--parallel flag for vagrant up). It is possible to do so, but you need to "invest" in Vagrantfile and Makefile.

Solution

Use Makefile to run NODE=X vagrant up, where NODE=X is the "number" of the node you want to be started. To tell Makefile to start these "many" targets you use a "hack" like this:

[...]
nodes: $(shell for i in $(shell seq 1 $(NODE_COUNT)); do echo "node-$$i"; done)

node-%:
    VAGRANT_VAGRANTFILE=Vagrantfile_nodes NODE=$* vagrant up
[...]

Wanting to start 10 VMs in parallel using this method would be done like this: make -j 10 nodes NODE_COUNT=10.

Simple but powerful.

NOTE When you use this method with Makefile you can make a "dependency" tree using Makefile targets. Instead of relying on Vagrant.

For a full example Makefile and Vagrantfile, see the Makefile and Vagrantfile_nodes files in the galexrt/k8s-vagrant-multi-node project repository.

Have Fun!