Deploy a cluster
This how-to covers the deploy-and-verify steps shared across all NIC-managed providers: validating your config, provisioning with nic deploy, retrieving a kubeconfig, and confirming the cluster is healthy. For how nic provisions a cluster, see NKP architecture.
These steps are the same across all providers. For prerequisites, configuration, and cost notes specific to your environment, see your provider's page.
Configuration
Download a starter config from your provider's page. For the full schema, see the NIC configuration reference.
Deploy
From the directory containing your config file and .env:
# Quick syntax and shape check; no provider API calls.
nic validate -f <config-file>
# Validates config and credentials; no resources are created.
nic deploy -f <config-file> --dry-run
# Actually provision.
nic deploy -f <config-file>
If you need to extend the default timeout (large clusters, slow network), pass --timeout 1h.
Retrieve the kubeconfig
nic deploy does not set your kubectl context. Generate a kubeconfig for the new cluster and point kubectl at it:
# Write the kubeconfig to a file (omit -o to print to stdout).
nic kubeconfig -f <config-file> -o kubeconfig.yaml
export KUBECONFIG=$(pwd)/kubeconfig.yaml
Verify
The steps below use kubectl. Install it if you don't have it.
Check that the cluster is responsive:
kubectl get nodes
kubectl get pods -A
Then check the foundational ArgoCD applications are syncing:
kubectl get applications -n argocd
All ArgoCD applications should reach Healthy within a few minutes (some may briefly show Progressing or OutOfSync — this is normal).
For an interactive view of all cluster resources (especially handy while watching ArgoCD apps sync), install k9s and run it after setting KUBECONFIG.