Flatcar Linux: A Modern OS for the Always-On Infrastructure

In this episode, we dive deep into Flatcar Linux, an immutable Linux distribution designed for always-on infrastructures. The discussion covers the architecture and features of Flatcar, including its self-updating capabilities and minimal attack surface. We explore the use of Ignition for provisioning, the role of Systemd and its extensions, and the detailed update process via an update server. The Flatcar maintainers also highlight the benefits of full-disk encryption, node-level metrics, and operational insights available through tools like Nebraska and Node exporter. Guest speakers include Flatcar maintainers and engineers from Microsoft, who share their experiences and insights on managing and maintaining Flatcar at scale.

Creators & Guests

• David Flanagan - Host
• :thilo: - Guest
• Mathieu Tortuyaux - Guest
• James Le Cuirot - Guest

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (01:59) - Guest Introductions
• (03:10) - What is Flatcar?
• (12:30) - Kernel modules and Flatcar
• (17:41) - Getting started with Flatcar
• (21:27) - Encryption with Flatcar
• (29:40) - Kubernetes Upgrades with Flatcar
• (35:14) - Flatcar k8s node upgrades
• (38:08) - Flatcar Metrics
• (40:42) - Operating at scale
• (44:25) - Recap
• (45:07) - Quick-fire questions