Check connection to a vCluster or host cluster

When working with Kubernetes clusters, you can determine if you're connected to a vCluster or host cluster using the following methods:

• Method 1: Check node labels - Examine node labels for vCluster-specific indicators
• Method 2: Examine the current context - Look for vCluster naming patterns in your kubectl context
• Method 3: List all contexts - Get a comprehensive view of available vCluster contexts

Check for vCluster node labels

Retrieve the nodes and check for a vCluster node label:

kubectl get nodes --show-labels | grep vcluster

If this command returns results, you're likely connected to a vCluster. This method works in most cases but might not be entirely reliable.

Examine the current context

For scripting purposes, you can check the current context:

kubectl config current-context

If the output contains "vcluster" (for example, vcluster_vcluster-xx5gk), you're connected to a vCluster.

Parse all contexts

To get a more comprehensive view, you can list all contexts and search for "vcluster":

kubectl config get-contexts | grep vcluster

This shows all vCluster contexts available.

Implement check in a script

Here's a simple bash script that combines these methods:

#!/bin/bash
# Check current context
current_context=$(kubectl config current-context)
if [[ $current_context == *"vcluster"* ]]; then
    echo "Connected to vCluster: $current_context"
    exit 0
fi

# Check for vCluster node labels
vcluster_nodes=$(kubectl get nodes --show-labels | grep vcluster)
if [ ! -z "$vcluster_nodes" ]; then
    echo "Connected to vCluster (detected via node labels)"
    exit 0
fi

echo "Connected to host cluster"
exit 1

This script first checks the current context name. If that doesn't indicate a vCluster, it then checks for vCluster node labels. If neither method detects a vCluster, it assumes you're connected to the host cluster.

Additional tools

While not directly applicable for scripting, the following tools can help with manual context switching and management:

• Install kubectl plugins using Krew
• Use kubectx for easier context switching

These tools are particularly useful when working with multiple clusters or contexts in a development environment.