Setting up Anthos
This section shows you how to set up Anthos on your chosen platform or platforms. The setup path that you choose depends on whether you want to use Anthos on Google Cloud only, with Google Distributed Cloud Virtual on-premises (either on VMware or bare metal), on another public cloud provider, or a combination of environments. For example, you can combine an Anthos deployment on Google Cloud with on-premises Anthos clusters to create a hybrid deployment, or you can have Anthos-managed clusters across multiple public clouds.
You can see details of the available features for each deployment option in our Deployment options guide.
Sample deployment
If you want to try a demo Anthos deployment on Google Cloud to explore Anthos features rather than a production installation, use the Anthos Sample Deployment on Google Cloud and follow our tutorial. This is a fully setup deployment with a sample application, and only requires you to create a Google Cloud project.
Anthos requirements
Regardless of your installation option, you need the following to use Anthos:
A Google Cloud project. You might have access to a project if your company already uses Google Cloud. A project is required to use Google Cloud APIs and enable billing.
Decide how you want to pay for Anthos:
- If you want to use Anthos on Google Cloud only, you can choose to pay for Anthos features individually.
- If you want to use Anthos outside Google Cloud, or if your deployment is Google Cloud-only but you want to use all Anthos features for a single charge, you must enable the Anthos API in your project. This entitles you to use the entire Anthos platform, including managing clusters outside Google Cloud and the use of all available Anthos features for a single per-vCPU charge. You can choose between paying this charge in advance by purchasing a subscription, or pay-as-you-go billing.
You can find out more about our pricing options in the Anthos Pricing guide.
All the clusters you want to use with Anthos must be registered to a fleet. If you have chosen to enable the entire Anthos platform, Anthos charges apply only to your registered clusters.
Additional APIs and permissions may be required for particular installation options and to enable Anthos features. For details, see the relevant prerequisite and installation guides.
Set up your Anthos environment
For each environment where you want to use Anthos, follow the appropriate setup guide to first set up and register your Anthos clusters, and then enable your chosen Anthos features.
Set up Anthos on Google Cloud: Anthos on Google Cloud is the simplest setup option and offers easy setup via the Anthos UI.
Set up Distributed Cloud Virtual (on-premises): Anthos provides two on-premises installation options: on VMware or on bare metal.
Set up Anthos on other public clouds: Anthos can manage clusters on other public clouds, letting you use consistent cluster management and Anthos features in a multi-cloud or hybrid deployment. Currently installation on AWS and Azure is supported, with the option to add attached clusters on AWS and Azure.
Add third-party Kubernetes clusters
While Anthos clusters with GKE form the foundation of the Anthos platform, you can also add non-managed Kubernetes clusters to Anthos. With attached clusters, you can take advantage of many Anthos features on your existing systems even without a full migration to Anthos clusters. Attaching clusters to your fleet lets you view them in the Google Cloud console along with your Anthos clusters, and enable a subset of Anthos features on them.
Set up Anthos attached clusters
Disable Anthos
If you are an Anthos platform pay-as-you-go customer, you can choose to disable Anthos and immediately stop your Anthos billing. This removes your entitlement to use Anthos features and components.