platform-eng
Bare Metal Kubernetes OS and Cluster Infrastructure
Choose Linux for your bare metal Kubernetes OS. Standalone supplies Kubernetes, vMetal orchestrates machine provisioning, and Private Nodes dedicate tenant workers.
Trusted by the fastest-growing AI cloud providers
Problem
Why Bare Metal K8s Deployments Stall
Traditional Kubernetes distributions add layers that cost performance, time, and revenue.
Kubernetes and Linux Need Ownership
Kubernetes runs on an operating system. Plan Linux maintenance separately from Kubernetes deployment and machine provisioning.
Provisioning Delays Tenant Onboarding
Manual infrastructure setup and disconnected cluster workflows delay the point when teams can run workloads.
Isolation Usually Costs Performance
Standard Kubernetes forces you to choose between tenant isolation and operational efficiency, leaving GPU workloads exposed or underutilized.
Solution
One Binary from Bare Metal to Kubernetes
vCluster Standalone is a CNCF-certified Kubernetes binary running on Linux, rather than an operating system. vMetal orchestrates machine and OS provisioning; Private Nodes supply dedicated workers for tenant environments. vCluster Labs serves 50+ GPU clouds & Fortune 500s.
Built for Bare Metal Kubernetes at GPU Scale
Every layer from hardware provisioning to workload isolation is purpose-built for GPU clouds running directly on bare metal.
Kubernetes Distribution
Kubernetes Binary Directly on Linux
vCluster Standalone runs Kubernetes as a CNCF-certified binary on Linux, without an existing Kubernetes cluster. It supplies a Kubernetes foundation for Linux-based Kubernetes deployments; vMetal separately orchestrates machine and OS provisioning.
- CNCF-certified Kubernetes binary
- Runs directly on Linux
- No existing Kubernetes cluster required
Hardware Lifecycle
Zero-Touch Bare Metal Provisioning
vMetal exposes one Machine API above bare metal and VM provisioning drivers. Registered inventory, images and credentials enable repeatable machine lifecycle workflows for Linux-based Kubernetes deployments. Network automation uses supported integrations such as Netris.
- Stable Machine API
- Bare metal and VM provisioning
- Driver-specific lifecycle automation
Dynamic Scaling
Auto-Provision GPU Nodes on Demand
Karpenter-based Auto Nodes requests worker capacity according to configured policies. With the vMetal provider, Machine requests provision available infrastructure for Linux-based Kubernetes deployments; inventory, driver readiness and release rules determine actual capacity.
- Karpenter-based node management
- Supported infrastructure provider integration
- Inventory-aware capacity policies
Workload Security
Kernel-Native Isolation on Bare Metal
vNode uses Linux user namespaces and seccomp to restrict workload privileges and system calls. It adds runtime hardening for Linux-based Kubernetes deployments without a guest kernel or hypervisor, complementing dedicated workers rather than allocating GPUs.
- Linux user namespaces and seccomp
- No guest kernel or hypervisor
- Helps limit workload breakout
Network Isolation
Hardware-Enforced Per-Tenant Networking
Tenant-owned CNI configuration and supported Netris integrations provide separate network controls for Linux-based Kubernetes deployments. Ethernet segmentation can use VLANs, VRFs and ACLs; InfiniBand isolation uses fabric partitions rather than Ethernet constructs.
- Tenant-owned worker network configuration
- Netris integration for supported fabrics
- Explicit segmentation and access policies
Why vCluster
This isn’t a side project. Behind every vCluster deployment is 5+ years of deep K8s engineering, security hardening, and battle-tested infrastructure work at massive scale.
100K+
GPUs Powered
50+
GPU Clouds & F500s
<45
Days to Launch
30K
GitHub Stars
Get Started in 3 Steps
1
Schedule a Demo
Talk to our team about your stack
2
Deploy vCluster
Deploy vCluster on your infra in minutes
3
Onboard Your Tenants
Go live with a hyperscaler-grade tenant experience in days
FAQs
Is vCluster Standalone a bare metal Kubernetes OS?
The phrase bare metal Kubernetes OS describes a search for Kubernetes running directly on physical servers. vCluster Standalone is a Kubernetes distribution delivered as a binary on Linux; it is not an operating system. Operators still select and maintain Linux. vMetal orchestrates machine and OS provisioning through configured drivers, and vCluster supplies tenant environments with dedicated Private Nodes.
Does vCluster Standalone require k3s, kubeadm, or any existing Kubernetes cluster?
vCluster Standalone runs as a Kubernetes binary directly on Linux without requiring another Kubernetes cluster, k3s or kubeadm. It can provide an initial Kubernetes foundation. vMetal is a separate infrastructure orchestration layer that requires vCluster Platform and a connected Kubernetes cluster for its Metal3/Ironic path. Hardware registration, images, credentials and driver setup remain prerequisites for machine provisioning.
How does vMetal handle bare metal GPU server provisioning at scale?
vMetal exposes a stable Machine API above infrastructure-specific drivers for bare metal and VMs. Drivers handle supported provisioning mechanics such as imaging, registration and cleaning. Operators configure inventory, credentials and images before automation runs. vCluster can then use provisioned machines as dedicated Private Nodes, connecting the infrastructure lifecycle to the tenant cluster that needs the capacity.
How does workload isolation work on a bare metal Kubernetes OS?
vNode uses Linux user namespaces and seccomp to restrict workload privileges and system calls, helping prevent container breakout. It uses the underlying Linux kernel rather than a separate guest kernel. Add it as runtime hardening alongside dedicated Private Nodes, patching and least-privilege policies. Validate kernel, container runtime, GPU access and workload compatibility; it is not a replacement for GPU allocation or application authorization.
Is vCluster's Kubernetes distribution CNCF-certified?
vCluster is a CNCF-certified Kubernetes distribution and exposes standard Kubernetes APIs in tenant environments. This supports familiar clients, Helm charts and cluster-scoped resources such as CRDs. Certification covers Kubernetes conformance rather than an entire AI platform or customer deployment. Validate the selected version, networking, storage, GPU drivers and runtime integrations for the workloads you plan to support.
How quickly can a GPU cloud provider go from bare metal hardware to serving tenants?
Boost Run went from decision to production launch in under 45 days for its managed Kubernetes service. That is a customer example rather than a promised implementation time. Your launch depends on machine inventory, driver configuration, networking, storage, templates and service integrations. vMetal and vCluster connect machine orchestration with tenant cluster delivery, reducing the infrastructure workflows you need to build yourself.
Launch Your Bare Metal Kubernetes Platform
See how GPU cloud providers run production tenant clusters on a single Kubernetes binary.
