AI Docs

Configuring Kubernetes Data Sources

3 min read

image-20251112-142732.png

This guide explains how to connect your Kubernetes cluster to CerteroX for cost management and FinOps capabilities. The integration uses a Helm chart that deploys a metrics collector agent into your cluster.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Create the Kubernetes Data Source in CerteroX

  1. Log in to CerteroX and navigate to Settings > Data Sources.

  2. Click Actions and select Add and then Kubernetes.

  3. Click Connect.

  4. This will create the data source within CerteroX. Click in to the new data source and select Actions and then Kubernetes Integration to see a dialog showing the Helm installation commands with your unique dataSourceId pre-populated. Keep this dialog open or copy the commands for the next steps.

Note: CerteroX automatically detects your deployment type (SaaS vs self-hosted) and configures the correct API endpoint.

 

image-20260123-094602.png

Step 2: Add the CerteroX Helm Repository

Add the CerteroX Helm chart repository to your local Helm installation:

helm repo add certerox {REPLACE_WITH_REPO}
image-20260123-095540.png
image-20260123-095453.png

Step 3: Deploy the Metrics Collector Agent

Deploy the Helm chart using the values from the CerteroX dialog (Step 1).

Installation command

helm install kube-cost-metrics-collector certerox/kube-cost-metrics-collector \
--set prometheus.server.dataSourceId=<YOUR_DATA_SOURCE_ID> \
--set prometheus.server.username=<YOUR_USERNAME> \
--set prometheus.server.password=<YOUR_PASSWORD> \
--set prometheus.server.remote_write[0].url=<CERTERO_API_URL>/storage/api/v2/write \
--set prometheus.server.remote_write[0].name=certerox \
--namespace certerox \
--create-namespace

Parameter reference

Parameter

Description

Example

Parameter

Description

Example

prometheus.server.dataSourceId

Unique ID from CerteroX (auto-generated)

73f343d5-827a-43a3-a427-f10a44283ac6

prometheus.server.username

Username you specified in Step 1

k8s-collector@company.com

prometheus.server.password

Password you specified in Step 1

<your-secure-password>

prometheus.server.remote_write[0].url

CerteroX metrics ingestion endpoint

SaaS: <https://cloud.certero.com/storage/api/v2/write>

prometheus.server.remote_write[0].name

Connection identifier

certerox

--namespace

Kubernetes namespace for the collector

certerox

Important: Replace the placeholder values (<YOUR_DATA_SOURCE_ID>, <YOUR_USERNAME>, <YOUR_PASSWORD>, <CERTERO_API_URL>) with your actual values from the CerteroX dialog.

Step 4: Verify the Installation

Check deployment status

# Verify pods are running
kubectl get pods -n certerox

# Expected output:
# NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE
# kube-cost-metrics-collector-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxx 1/1 Running 0 2m

Check pod logs

kubectl logs -n certerox -l app=kube-cost-metrics-collector --tail=50

Look for successful connection messages and absence of authentication errors.

Verify in CerteroX

  1. Return to Settings > Data Sources in CerteroX.

  2. Click on your Kubernetes data source.

image-20260123-095404.png

  1. Check the Status indicator - it should show as connected.

  2. Navigate to the Advanced section to view detailed sync information.

Note: Initial metrics may take up to one hour to appear while the collector gathers and transmits data.

Managing Multiple Clusters

For organizations with multiple Kubernetes clusters, repeat this process for each cluster:

  1. Create a new Kubernetes Data Source in CerteroX for each cluster

  2. Use a descriptive name to identify each cluster

  3. Deploy the Helm chart with the unique dataSourceId and credentials for that cluster

Each cluster requires its own:

  • Data Source configuration in CerteroX

  • Helm release with unique credentials

  • dataSourceId