Using queue workloads (Beta)

This topic describes how to create and install a supply chain for the queue workload type.

Overview

The queue workload type allows you to deploy applications that run continuously without network input on Tanzu Application Platform. Using an application workload specification, you can build and deploy application source code to a manually-scaled Kubernetes deployment with no network exposure.

The queue workload is a good match for applications that manage their own work by reading from a queue or a background scheduled time source, and don't expose any network interfaces.

Applications using the queue workload type have the following features:

Do not natively autoscale, but can be used with the Kubernetes Horizontal Pod Autoscaler
Do not expose any network services
Use health checks if defined by a convention
Use a rolling update pattern by default

When creating a workload with tanzu apps workload create, you can use the --type=queue argument to select the queue workload type. For more information, see Use the queue Workload Type later in this topic. You can also use the apps.tanzu.vmware.com/workload-type:queue annotation in the YAML workload description to support this deployment type.

Important: Beta features have been tested for functionality, but not performance. Features enter the beta stage so that customers can gain early access, and give feedback on the design and behavior. Beta features might undergo changes based on this feedback before the end of the beta stage. VMware discourages running beta features in production. VMware cannot guarantee that you can upgrade any beta feature in the future.

Prerequisites

Before using queue workloads on Tanzu Application Platform, you must:

Follow all instructions in Installing Tanzu Application Platform.
Follow all instructions in Set up developer namespaces to use installed packages.

Create a `queue` SupplyChain

This section decribes how to create a supply chain for the queue workload type.

Create supply chain templates

The queue supply chain replaces the config-template from the existing Out of the Box (OOTB) supply chain with two new templates:

The deployment-template defines Kubernetes Deployment and Service objects that represent the workload, instead of a Knative Service.
The apply-bindings template extends the deployment-and-service-template with requested ServiceBindings and ResourceClaims.

To create supply chain templates:

Create a file using the following YAML manifests:

apiVersion: carto.run/v1alpha1
kind: ClusterConfigTemplate
metadata:
  name: deployment-template
spec:
  configPath: .data
  ytt: |
    #@ load("@ytt:data", "data")
    #@ load("@ytt:yaml", "yaml")

    #@ def merge_labels(fixed_values):
    #@   labels = {}
    #@   if hasattr(data.values.workload.metadata, "labels"):
    #@     labels.update(data.values.workload.metadata.labels)
    #@   end
    #@   labels.update(fixed_values)
    #@   return labels
    #@ end

    #@ def delivery():
    apiVersion: apps/v1
    kind: Deployment
    metadata:
      name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name
      annotations:
        kapp.k14s.io/update-strategy: "fallback-on-replace"
      labels: #@ merge_labels({ "app.kubernetes.io/component": "run", "carto.run/workload-name": data.values.workload.metadata.name })
    spec:
      selector:
        matchLabels: #@ data.values.config.metadata.labels
      template: #@ data.values.config
    #@ end

    ---
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: ConfigMap
    metadata:
      name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name + "-base"
      labels: #@ merge_labels({ "app.kubernetes.io/component": "config" })
    data:
      delivery.yml: #@ yaml.encode(delivery())
---
apiVersion: carto.run/v1alpha1
kind: ClusterConfigTemplate
metadata:
  name: apply-bindings
spec:
  configPath: .data
  ytt: |
    #@ load("@ytt:data", "data")
    #@ load("@ytt:yaml", "yaml")
    #@ load("@ytt:json", "json")
    #@ load("@ytt:struct", "struct")

    #@ def get_claims_extension():
    #@   claims_extension_key = "serviceclaims.supplychain.apps.x-tanzu.vmware.com/extensions"
    #@   if not hasattr(data.values.workload.metadata, "annotations") or not hasattr(data.values.workload.metadata.annotations, claims_extension_key):
    #@     return None
    #@   end
    #@
    #@   extension = json.decode(data.values.workload.metadata.annotations[claims_extension_key])
    #@
    #@   spec_extension = extension.get('spec')
    #@   if spec_extension == None:
    #@     return None
    #@   end
    #@
    #@   return spec_extension.get('serviceClaims')
    #@ end

    #@ def merge_claims_extension(claim, claims_extension):
    #@   if claims_extension == None:
    #@     return claim.ref
    #@   end
    #@   extension = claims_extension.get(claim.name)
    #@   if extension == None:
    #@      return claim.ref
    #@   end
    #@   extension.update(claim.ref)
    #@   return extension
    #@ end

    #@ def param(key):
    #@   if not key in data.values.params:
    #@     return None
    #@   end
    #@   return data.values.params[key]
    #@ end

    #@ def merge_labels(fixed_values):
    #@   labels = {}
    #@   if hasattr(data.values.workload.metadata, "labels"):
    #@     labels.update(data.values.workload.metadata.labels)
    #@   end
    #@   labels.update(fixed_values)
    #@   return labels
    #@ end

    #@ def merge_annotations(fixed_values):
    #@   annotations = {}
    #@   if hasattr(data.values.workload.metadata, "annotations"):
    #@     # DEPRECATED: remove in a future release
    #@     annotations.update(data.values.workload.metadata.annotations)
    #@   end
    #@   if type(param("annotations")) == "dict" or type(param("annotations")) == "struct":
    #@     annotations.update(param("annotations"))
    #@   end
    #@   annotations.update(fixed_values)
    #@   return annotations
    #@ end

    #@ def claims():
    #@ claims_extension = get_claims_extension()
    #@ workload = struct.encode(yaml.decode(data.values.configs.app_def.config["delivery.yml"]))
    #@ for s in data.values.workload.spec.serviceClaims:
    #@ if claims_extension == None or claims_extension.get(s.name) == None:
    ---
    apiVersion: servicebinding.io/v1alpha3
    kind: ServiceBinding
    metadata:
      name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name + '-' + s.name
      annotations: #@ merge_annotations({})
      labels: #@ merge_labels({ "app.kubernetes.io/component": "run", "carto.run/workload-name": data.values.workload.metadata.name })
    spec:
      name: #@ s.name
      service: #@ s.ref
      workload:
        apiVersion: #@ workload.apiVersion
        kind: #@ workload.kind
        name: #@ workload.metadata.name
    #@ else:
    ---
    apiVersion: services.apps.tanzu.vmware.com/v1alpha1
    kind: ResourceClaim
    metadata:
      name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name + '-' + s.name
      annotations: #@ merge_annotations({})
      labels: #@ merge_labels({ "app.kubernetes.io/component": "run", "carto.run/workload-name": data.values.workload.metadata.name })
    spec:
      ref: #@ merge_claims_extension(s, claims_extension)
    ---
    apiVersion: servicebinding.io/v1alpha3
    kind: ServiceBinding
    metadata:
      name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name + '-' + s.name
      annotations: #@ merge_annotations({})
      labels: #@ merge_labels({ "app.kubernetes.io/component": "run", "carto.run/workload-name": data.values.workload.metadata.name })
    spec:
      name: #@ s.name
      service:
        apiVersion: services.apps.tanzu.vmware.com/v1alpha1
        kind: ResourceClaim
        name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name + '-' + s.name
      workload:
        apiVersion: #@ workload.apiVersion
        kind: #@ workload.kind
        name: #@ workload.metadata.name
    #@ end
    #@ end
    #@ end

    #@ def add_claims():
    #@ if hasattr(data.values.workload.spec, "serviceClaims") and len(data.values.workload.spec.serviceClaims):
    #@   new_data = struct.decode(data.values.configs.app_def.config)
    #@   new_data.update({"serviceclaims.yml":yaml.encode(claims())})
    #@   return new_data
    #@ else:
    #@   return struct.decode(data.values.configs.app_def.config)
    #@ end
    #@ end

    ---
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: ConfigMap
    metadata:
      name: #@ data.values.workload.metadata.name + "-claims"
      labels: #@ merge_labels({ "app.kubernetes.io/component": "config" })
    data: #@ add_claims()

Apply the YAML file by running the command:
```
kubectl apply -f FILENAME
```
Where FILENAME is the name of the file you created in the previous step.

Add RBAC permissions

Because the queue workload deployment creates different resources, you must extend the deliverable ClusterRole.

To add the additional role to the cluster:

Create a file using the following YAML:

apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: ClusterRole
metadata:
  name: additional-k8s-deliverable
  labels:
    apps.tanzu.vmware.com/aggregate-to-deliverable: "true"
rules:
- apiGroups: [""]
  resources: ["services"]
  verbs: ["get", "list", "watch", "create", "patch", "update", "delete", "deletecollection"]
- apiGroups: ["apps"]
  resources: ["deployments"]
  verbs: ["get", "list", "watch", "create", "patch", "update", "delete", "deletecollection"]

Apply the YAML file by running the command:
```
kubectl apply -f FILENAME
```
Where FILENAME is the name of the file you created in the previous step.

Define the ClusterSupplyChain

To define the ClusterSupplyChain:

Create a file using the following YAML and substitute in your registry values from your tap-values.yaml file:

apiVersion: carto.run/v1alpha1
kind: ClusterSupplyChain
metadata:
  name: tcp
spec:
  params:
  - default: main
    name: gitops_branch
  - default: supplychain
    name: gitops_user_name
  - default: supplychain
    name: gitops_user_email
  - default: supplychain@cluster.local
    name: gitops_commit_message
  - default: git-ssh
    name: gitops_ssh_secret
  resources:
  - name: source-provider
    params:
    - name: serviceAccount
      value: default
    - name: gitImplementation
      value: go-git
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterSourceTemplate
      name: source-template
  - name: deliverable
    params:
    - name: registry
      value:
        repository: REGISTRY-REPO
        server: REGISTRY-SERVER
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterTemplate
      name: deliverable-template
  - name: image-builder
    params:
    - name: serviceAccount
      value: default
    - name: clusterBuilder
      value: default
    - name: registry
      value:
        repository: REGISTRY-REPO
        server: REGISTRY-SERVER
    sources:
    - name: source
      resource: source-provider
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterImageTemplate
      name: kpack-template
  - images:
    - name: image
      resource: image-builder
    name: config-provider
    params:
    - name: serviceAccount
      value: default
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterConfigTemplate
      name: convention-template
  - configs:
    - name: config
      resource: config-provider
    name: app-config
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterConfigTemplate
      name: deployment-template
  - configs:
    - name: app_def
      resource: app-config
    name: apply-bindings
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterConfigTemplate
      name: apply-bindings
  - configs:
    - name: config
      resource: apply-bindings
    name: config-writer
    params:
    - name: serviceAccount
      value: default
    - name: registry
      value:
        repository: REGISTRY-REPO
        server: REGISTRY-SERVER
    templateRef:
      kind: ClusterTemplate
      name: config-writer-template
  selector:
    apps.tanzu.vmware.com/workload-type: tcp

Where:

REGISTRY-SERVER is the registry server from your tap-values.yaml file.
REGISTRY-REPO is the registry repository from your tap-values.yaml file.

Apply the YAML file by running the command:
```
kubectl apply -f FILENAME
```
Where FILENAME is the name of the file you created in the previous step.

Use the `queue` workload type

The spring-sensors-sensor workload in the getting started example using Service Toolkit claims is a good match for the queue workload type. This is because it runs continuously without a UI to report sensor information to a RabbitMQ topic.

If you have followed the Services Toolkit example, you can update the spring-sensors-sensor to use the queue supply chain by changing the workload type by running:

tanzu apps workload update spring-sensors-sensor --type=queue

This shows a diff in the workload label, and prompts you to accept the change. After the workload completes the new deployment, you'll notice a few differences:

The workload no longer has a URL. Because the workload does not present a web UI, this more closely matches the original intent.
The workload no longer autoscales based on request traffic. For the srping-sensors-sensor workload, this means that it does not scale down to zero instances when there is no request traffic.

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Using queue workloads (Beta)

Overview

Prerequisites

Create a `queue` SupplyChain

Create supply chain templates

Add RBAC permissions

Define the ClusterSupplyChain

Use the `queue` workload type

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Using queue workloads (Beta)

Overview

Prerequisites

Create a queue SupplyChain

Create supply chain templates

Add RBAC permissions

Define the ClusterSupplyChain

Use the queue workload type

Create a `queue` SupplyChain

Use the `queue` workload type