The Challenge: Managing Kubernetes in Classified Environments
In a world where security is paramount for government and military operations, Rancher Government Solutions (RGS) announced the general availability of IC Cloud Support—a capability purpose-built for teams operating in classified cloud environments.
Organizations working in classified cloud regions face fundamentally different challenges than commercial clouds. These environments are completely air-gapped by design, with no connectivity to the internet. Teams often still burn discs with needed resources, carry them into SCIFs, and manually load them—a cumbersome, labor-intensive process.
The Solution: Keyless Kubernetes Provisioning
IC Cloud Support empowers organizations operating in air-gapped or restricted AWS regions to deploy and manage Kubernetes clusters without access keys, custom API integrations, or manual provisioning workflows. Using instance-level credentials and a hardened, differentiated build through Rancher Government, the offering lets users provision Kubernetes clusters directly in classified regions without custom SDKs, manual secrets, or degraded functionality.
How It Works: The Carbide Instance Credential
Simplified Access Management
When creating clusters in classified environments, users simply toggle the “Carbide Instance Credential” option in the Rancher Government control panel. This approach eliminates the need for manually managing access and secret keys by using the instance’s own IAM role instead.
Native Compatibility with Classified APIs
The offering is fully compatible with classified API endpoints (such as .gov domains instead of .com), allowing Rancher Government to communicate natively without requiring custom code development. This solves a major hurdle—classified environments use different API endpoints that are incompatible with standard libraries and SDKs.
Key Features and Capabilities
What IC Cloud Support Delivers
- Enhanced Provisioned Cluster Support: Improved support for RKE2 and EKS in classified cloud regions
- Carbide Instance Credential: Keyless authorized access using organizations’ native IAM roles
- Native API Compatibility: Works with classified cloud region endpoints without custom integrations
- UI/UX Parity: Same user experience across AWS Commercial, GovCloud, and classified clouds
- Improved Day-2 Operations: Node management, certificate rotation, snapshot/restore, and encryption key rotation
- Direct Resource Access: AWS Load Balancers and EBS Volumes accessible within Kubernetes clusters
Expanded Management Capabilities
Before IC Cloud Support, customers in classified environments were limited to manually creating clusters and importing them into Rancher Government, which severely restricted management capabilities. With provisioned clusters, users now gain:
- Complete node management (adding, removing, scaling)
- Shell access to cluster nodes
- Automated certificate rotation
- Cluster backup and restore functionality
- Encryption key rotation
- Full lifecycle management
Industry Impact and Leadership
Executive Perspective
“Our customers in classified environments deserve the same operational simplicity and resiliency they get in commercial cloud,” said Adam Toy, Chief Technology Officer at RGS. “With IC Cloud Support, RGS brings that consistency to the most secure environments in government.”
Technical Innovation
The core innovation is a differentiated build of Rancher Government that works with classified environment constraints. It uses the existing EC2 instance role to interact with the cloud provider API, eliminating the need for manually created access keys and secrets.
Who Benefits from IC Cloud Support
Target Users
- Government Agencies: Enhanced security and streamlined operations for mission-critical infrastructure
- Military Teams: Improved efficiency in classified cloud environments for defense applications
- Intelligence Community: Secure Kubernetes management meeting IC requirements
- DevSecOps Teams: Reduced manual work and increased automation for faster deployment
- Federal Contractors: Simplified infrastructure management in restricted environments
RGS: Leading Secure Kubernetes for Government
Proven Track Record
Rancher Government Solutions delivers secure, certified open-source and cloud-native software for the U.S. Government. The company secured Defense Information Systems Agency clearance for its Kubernetes distribution platform in November 2022, and in April entered a strategic alliance with Curtiss-Wright to bring Kubernetes to the tactical edge.
Recent Strategic Partnerships
- Oracle Partnership (June 2025): Delivering edge-to-cloud capabilities using OCI Roving Edge Infrastructure
- Kasm Technologies (May 2025): Cloud-native, Kubernetes-powered workspace solutions
- Sequoia Holdings (February 2025): Enhanced software supply chain security for DOD and IC
Technical Architecture
Security and Compliance
IC Cloud Support maintains alignment with federal cybersecurity mandates including:
- STIG compliance
- FIPS 140-2/3 standards
- Zero Trust frameworks
- Custom certificate authority handling
- Air-gapped operation requirements
Supported Kubernetes Distributions
- RKE2: Rancher Kubernetes Engine 2, hardened for government workloads
- Amazon EKS: Elastic Kubernetes Service in classified regions
Implementation and Availability
Current Status
IC Cloud Support is now generally available for Rancher Government Solutions customers operating in classified AWS regions, with continued expansion to additional classified cloud regions planned.
Getting Started
Organizations interested in IC Cloud Support can contact RGS’s U.S.-based team of cleared Kubernetes experts who support missions across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and civilian agencies with 24/7/365 support.
Key Takeaways
- Eliminates manual processes for Kubernetes in classified clouds through instance-level credentials
- Carbide Instance Credential enables keyless access using native IAM roles
- Full parity with commercial clouds in UI/UX and operational capabilities
- Native API compatibility with classified endpoints without custom code
- Enhanced Day-2 operations including node management, certificate rotation, and backup/restore
- DISA-cleared platform meeting stringent federal security requirements
The Future of Government Kubernetes
IC Cloud Support represents a paradigm shift for government Kubernetes management. By bringing commercial cloud operational simplicity to the most secure environments, RGS enables DevSecOps teams to focus on innovation and mission-critical tasks rather than wrestling with infrastructure complexity.
As government agencies accelerate cloud adoption and application modernization, solutions like IC Cloud Support become essential infrastructure. The ability to provision and manage Kubernetes clusters in classified environments with the same ease as commercial clouds removes a major barrier to digital transformation in defense and intelligence operations.
Ready to transform your Kubernetes management in classified environments? Visit Rancher Government Solutions to learn more about IC Cloud Support and connect with their team of cleared Kubernetes experts.
