KubeClipper vs Mirantis Kubernetes Engine

KubeClipper is a free, open-source service for managing Kubernetes clusters on an organization’s own infrastructure. Its web interface, APIs, and kcctl command-line tool support cluster deployment and lifecycle operations across cloud, hypervisor, and bare-metal environments. Users can create, delete, upgrade, back up, restore, and scale clusters, and register clusters built elsewhere. Deployment can be online, offline, or through a proxy; a graphical wizard helps set up clusters and required plugins. Node tools include automatic registration, information collection, and a terminal. Access controls include role-based and custom permissions, with OIDC login for external users. Backups cover etcd data and Kubernetes resource objects, using filesystem or S3 storage such as NFS or MinIO; files produced by resources and files on persistent volumes are outside that backup scope. The project lists x86/64 and arm64 support and extensible management of CRI, CNI, CSI, and CRD components. Worker-node addition and removal are the currently supported node changes.

Mirantis Kubernetes Engine (MKE 4) is a self-hosted enterprise Kubernetes platform built on the open-source k0s distribution. It supports deployment across public and private clouds, multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments, and bare-metal infrastructure. Teams manage cluster lifecycle with the mkectl command-line tool and a declarative mke4.yaml configuration file; standardized APIs and GitOps-based lifecycle management are also listed. A cluster combines k0s, a container network interface, the MKE control plane, system services, and user services. Calico is installed by default, with other network interface options supported. The web dashboard manages Kubernetes resources in an MKE-managed cluster. Backup and restore are supported, and the CLI upgrade process includes automated backups. Authentication through Dex supports OIDC, SAML, and LDAP, but not MFA. MKE 4 requires x86_64 and Linux manager/control-plane nodes; supported operating systems include specified Ubuntu, RHEL, and Rocky Linux versions, plus Windows Server worker nodes. A valid license is required, and a trial license is available on request. Mirantis offers 24/7 proactive support or managed services.