Portainer, a widely recognized tool for managing containerized applications, has released its latest version, 2.21, introducing the concept of Long Term Support to the Portainer suite.
Designed to be the backbone of your mission-critical infrastructure, this LTS version solidifies existing features rather than introducing new ones. This strategy ensures that everything from the previous Short Term Support (STS) release, version 2.20, operates seamlessly and securely.
An overhauled menu structure is among the first things youโll notice in the new version. This revamp aims to streamline navigation, making it simpler for new users to dive into containerization while enhancing the workflow for experts, especially those working in Kubernetes environments.
On the performance side, Portainer has integrated additional caching and shifted more components to the React framework to hasten page loading.
This release also introduces a toggle for front-end data caching in Kubernetes, configurable through user accounts, ensuring that crucial information is prioritized over less immediately necessary data.
Moreover, Portainer 2.21 brings experimental support for streaming activity and authentication logs to external Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems. This feature facilitates compliance and monitoring without needing custom API solutions.
Additionally, various interfaces have added new buttons to refresh image update indicators, providing real-time insights into container statuses.
The new version also expands the range of manageable Kubernetes objects with new UI sections for managing cluster roles and bindings. Administrators can now enforce restricted access to Kubernetes secrets, bolstering security within the cluster environment.
Portainer 2.21 significantly enhances edge computing capabilities. The new Edge Templates feature allows for easy application deployment using predefined or custom templates directly from the UI. A new Edge Administrator role has also been introduced, providing granular control over edge resources without full administrative privileges.
But Portainer 2.21 isnโt just about new featuresโit also includes updates to third-party binaries and libraries to address security vulnerabilities and improve performance.
Support for the latest Kubernetes versions ensures compatibility with current and future deployments, and the integration of Helm functionality into the main Applications system streamlines Kubernetes operations.
For more information about all changes in the new version, refer to the announcement or check out the release notes.
Lastly, just a quick note: if you need guidance on getting started with Portainer, check out our step-by-step guide. It’s designed to simplify the process, allowing you to quickly containerize your ideas without having to deal with complicated setups.
