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Before provisioning a Linode Kubernetes Engine (LKE) cluster, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the LKE dashboard. Understanding this interface clarifies the resources LKE manages on your behalf.
The image shows a Kubernetes cluster management interface with details about a cluster named "kodekloud01," including its version, resources, and node pool status. Two nodes are listed, both running with their respective IP addresses.
Exploring the LKE dashboard first gives you context on what happens behind the scenes when you later create and manage clusters.

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Cluster Details

FieldDescription
NameRename your cluster at any time for better identification.
Kubernetes VersionShows the control plane version (e.g., v1.22).
ResourcesTotal CPU cores, RAM, and storage allocated.
RegionData center location (e.g., us-east-1).
PriceEstimated monthly cost for the control plane and nodes.

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API Endpoint

LKE exposes your cluster’s API endpoint publicly. If you query it without valid credentials, you’ll see a 403 Forbidden error: 
{
  "kind": "Status",
  "apiVersion": "v1",
  "status": "Failure",
  "message": "Forbidden: User \"system:anonymous\" cannot get path \"/\"",
  "reason": "Forbidden",
  "code": 403
}

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Kubeconfig File

Download your cluster’s Kubeconfig from the dashboard and save it to ~/.kube/config (or merge with your existing file). It includes:
  • Certificate Authority data
  • API server URL
  • User credentials (token)
  • Context settings
apiVersion: v1
kind: Config
clusters:
- name: lke61870
  cluster:
    server: https://6834d9a9-6416-4d00-9a87-aa36d4df7040.east-2.linodek...
    certificate-authority-data: LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBDRVJVS...
users:
- name: lke61870-admin
  user:
    token: eyJhbhGciOiJS...
contexts:
- name: lke61870-ctx
  context:
    cluster: lke61870
    user: lke61870-admin
    namespace: default
current-context: lke61870-ctx
If your Kubeconfig is ever compromised, regenerate it immediately to revoke the old credentials.
The image shows a confirmation dialog box asking if the user wants to reset the cluster Kubeconfig, warning that this action will delete and regenerate the file and cannot be undone. There are options to "Cancel" or "Reset Kubeconfig."

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Kubernetes Dashboard & Node Pools

In the LKE dashboard, you’ll also find quick links for:
  • Accessing the Kubernetes Dashboard
  • Managing cluster tags
  • Deleting the entire cluster
The Node Pools section lists each worker node, showing its IP address and status. You can:
  • Recycle individual nodes or all nodes at once
  • Enable autoscaling for dynamic scaling
  • Resize node plans
  • Delete individual nodes or entire node pools
  • Create additional node pools
ResourcePurposeExample Command
PodBasic unit of deploymentkubectl run nginx --image=nginx
DeploymentManaged pods with scalingkubectl create deployment nginx --image=nginx
ServiceNetwork access to podskubectl expose deployment nginx --port=80
NodePoolWorker node managementConfigure via LKE dashboard or Terraform provider

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