Extending Kubernetes with Multi-Container Pods: Adding Fluentd for Log Collection

In our previous articles, we covered how to deploy a simple C# API to Kubernetes using Minikube and Docker. This time, we’ll take it a step further by introducing Multi-Container Pods to our setup. Specifically, we’ll add a Fluentd sidecar container that collects logs from our C# API and demonstrates how to handle logging in a production-like environment.

By the end of this tutorial, you will:

• Understand the use of Multi-Container Pods.
• Learn how to set up a Fluentd sidecar to collect logs from the API.
• Be able to monitor and verify log collection through Kubernetes.

Recap: What We’ve Done So Far

In the previous articles, we built a C# API that returns the current time, deployed it locally with Minikube, and containerized it with Docker. Now, we’ll enhance that deployment by adding Fluentd as a sidecar container to handle log collection.

Why Multi-Container Pods?

A Multi-Container Pod allows containers to share storage, networking, and other resources while running in the same Pod. In this case, we use a sidecar container pattern, where one container (Fluentd) supports the main application container (C# API) by handling logging.

This approach is beneficial because it:

• Separates concerns: The API remains focused…