Using Prometheus with Kubernetes

Libraries: If you want this lab, consider one of these libraries.
Cloud

Using Prometheus with Kubernetes

This lab guides the student through basic Prometheus Queries (PromQL) and demonstrates how the Kubernetes architecture may be interrogated. The lab also introduces a simple means of stressing a cluster and demonstrates how those techniques affect the metrics being stored in the time series database.

Get started Contact sales

Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Sep 20, 2025

Duration

1h 0m

Challenge

Check that your lab environment is ready.
Log in to the master node:
```
ssh cloud_user@[Public IP here]
```
List the home directory contents:
```
ls -l 
```
Verify that stress-test.yaml is present.
Challenge

Access Prometheus from your browser.
Access Prometheus from your browser:
```
http://[Master Node public ip address]:9090
```
You may also access the sAdvisor dashboard at the following address:
```
http://[Worker Node Public IP Address]:8080
```

Challenge

Use the provided PromQL queries to interrogate your cluster.

The following are the suggested PromQL queries you may perform.

To measure CPU utilization:

node_cpu_seconds_total

irate(node_cpu_seconds_total{job="node"}[5m])

avg(irate(node_cpu_seconds_total{job="node"}[5m])) by (instance)

avg(irate(node_cpu_seconds_total{job="node",mode="idle"}[5m])) by (instance) * 100

100 - avg(irate(node_cpu_seconds_total{job="node",mode="idle"}[5m])) by (instance) * 100

To measure memory, use:

(node_memory_MemTotal_bytes - (node_memory_MemFree_bytes + node_memory_Cached_bytes + node_memory_Buffers_bytes)) / node_memory_MemTotal_bytes * 100

Challenge

Deploy the stress test and vary its replicas to examine changes.
In the terminal emulator session that is established to the Master Node:

Deploy the Stress-Test Deployment:
```
kubectl create -f stress-test.yaml
```
Interrogate the number of replicas deployed:
```
kubectl get deployments
```
Interrogate the pods running:
```
kubectl get pods
```
Challenge

Refresh your Prometheus graphs and scale the deployment up and down to vary metrics.
Use refresh on your browser to see the time series metrics change over time.

Use the following command to increase and decrease the number of replicas running in the stress-test deployment.
```
kubectl scale deployment.v1.apps/stress-test --replicas=[from 1 to 50 here]
```

About the author

Pluralsight Skills

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

Real skill practice before real-world application

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Learn by doing

Engage hands-on with the tools and technologies you’re learning. You pick the skill, we provide the credentials and environment.

Follow your guide

All labs have detailed instructions and objectives, guiding you through the learning process and ensuring you understand every step.

Turn time into mastery

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you take time to practice. Hands-on labs set you up for success to make those skills stick.