k8s: configMap does not work in deployment - kubernetes

Question

We ran into an issue recently as to using environment variables inside container.
OS: windows 10 pro
k8s cluster: minikube
k8s version: 1.18.3
1. The way that doesn't work, though it's preferred way for us
Here is the deployment.yaml using 'envFrom':
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: db
labels:
app.kubernetes.io/name: db
spec:
replicas: 1
selector:
matchLabels:
app.kubernetes.io/name: db
template:
metadata:
labels:
app.kubernetes.io/name: db
spec:
serviceAccountName: default
securityContext:
{}
containers:
- name: db
image: "postgres:9.4"
ports:
- name: http
containerPort: 5432
protocol: TCP
envFrom:
- configMapRef:
name: db-configmap
here is the db.properties:
POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust
step 1:
kubectl create configmap db-configmap ./db.properties
step 2:
kebuctl apply -f ./deployment.yaml
step 3:
kubectl get pod
Run the above command, get the following result:
db-8d7f7bcb9-7l788 0/1 CrashLoopBackOff 1 9s
That indicates the environment variables POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD is not injected.
2. The way that works (we can't work with this approach)
Here is the deployment.yaml using 'env':
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: db
labels:
app.kubernetes.io/name: db
spec:
replicas: 1
selector:
matchLabels:
app.kubernetes.io/name: db
template:
metadata:
labels:
app.kubernetes.io/name: db
spec:
serviceAccountName: default
securityContext:
{}
containers:
- name: db
image: "postgres:9.4"
ports:
- name: http
containerPort: 5432
protocol: TCP
env:
- name: POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD
value: trust
step 1:
kubectl apply -f ./deployment.yaml
step 2:
kubectl get pod
Run the above command, get the following result:
db-fc58f998d-nxgnn 1/1 Running 0 32s
the above indicates the environment is injected so that the db starts.
What did I do wrong in the first case?
Thank you in advance for the help.
Update:
Provide the configmap:
kubectl describe configmap db-configmap
Name: db-configmap
Namespace: default
Labels: <none>
Annotations: <none>
Data
====
db.properties:
----
POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust

Answer 1

For creating config-maps for usecase-1. please use the below command
kubectl create configmap db-configmap --from-env-file db.properties

Answer 2

Are you missing the key? (see "key:" (no quotes) below) And I think you need to provide the name of the env-variable...which people usually use the key-name, but you don't have to. I've repeated the same value ("POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD") below as the environment variable NAME and the keyname of the config-map.
#start env .. where we add environment variables
env:
# Define the environment variable
- name: POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD
#value: "UseHardCodedValueToDebugSometimes"
valueFrom:
configMapKeyRef:
# The ConfigMap containing the value you want to assign to environment variable (above "name:")
name: db-configmap
# Specify the key associated with the value
key: POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD
My example (trying to use your values)....comes from this generic example:
https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/configure-pod-configmap/#define-container-environment-variables-using-configmap-data
pods/pod-single-configmap-env-variable.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
name: dapi-test-pod
spec:
containers:
- name: test-container
image: k8s.gcr.io/busybox
command: [ "/bin/sh", "-c", "env" ]
env:
# Define the environment variable
- name: SPECIAL_LEVEL_KEY
valueFrom:
configMapKeyRef:
# The ConfigMap containing the value you want to assign to SPECIAL_LEVEL_KEY
name: special-config
# Specify the key associated with the value
key: special.how
restartPolicy: Never
PS
You can use "describe" to take a looksie at your config-map, after you (think:) ) you have set it up correctly.
kubectl describe configmap db-configmap --namespace=IfNotDefaultNameSpaceHere

Answer 3

See when you do it like you described.
deployment# exb db-7785cdd5d8-6cstw
root#db-7785cdd5d8-6cstw:/# env | grep -i TRUST
db.properties=POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust
the env set is not exactly POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD its actually taking filename in env.
create configmap via
kubectl create cm db-configmap --from-env-file db.properties and it will actually put env POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD in pod.