Understanding LlamaStack Distributions¶

This guide explains the different ways to deploy LlamaStack using the Kubernetes operator, focusing on the distinction between Supported Distributions and Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Distributions.

Distribution Types Overview¶

The LlamaStack Kubernetes Operator supports two main approaches for deploying LlamaStack:

🎯 Supported Distributions (Recommended)¶

Pre-configured, tested distributions maintained by the LlamaStack team with specific provider integrations.

🛠️ Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Distributions¶

Custom container images that you build and maintain yourself.

Supported Distributions¶

What are Supported Distributions?¶

Supported distributions are pre-built, tested container images that include: - ✅ Specific provider integrations (Ollama, vLLM, NVIDIA, etc.) - ✅ Optimized configurations for each provider - ✅ Tested compatibility with the operator - ✅ Regular updates and security patches - ✅ Documentation and examples

Available Pre-Built Distributions¶

The operator currently supports 7 pre-built distributions that are actively maintained and tested:

Distribution	Image	Use Case	Requirements
`starter`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-starter:latest`	Recommended default - General purpose LlamaStack	Basic Kubernetes resources
`ollama`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-ollama:latest`	Local inference with Ollama integration	Ollama server
`bedrock`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-bedrock:latest`	AWS Bedrock models	AWS credentials
`remote-vllm`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-remote-vllm:latest`	Remote vLLM server integration	External vLLM server
`tgi`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-tgi:latest`	Hugging Face Text Generation Inference	TGI server setup
`together`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-together:latest`	Together AI API integration	Together API key
`vllm-gpu`	`docker.io/llamastack/distribution-vllm-gpu:latest`	High-performance GPU inference with vLLM	GPU infrastructure

Distribution Selection

New users: Start with starter distribution
Ollama users: Use ollama distribution
GPU inference: Use vllm-gpu distribution
Cloud APIs: Use bedrock or together distributions

Using Supported Distributions¶

Basic Syntax¶

apiVersion: llamastack.io/v1alpha1
kind: LlamaStackDistribution
metadata:
  name: my-distribution
spec:
  server:
    distribution:
      name: "distribution-name"  # Use distribution name
    # ... other configuration

Example: Starter Distribution (Recommended)¶

apiVersion: llamastack.io/v1alpha1
kind: LlamaStackDistribution
metadata:
  name: my-llamastack
spec:
  replicas: 1
  server:
    distribution:
      name: "starter"
    containerSpec:
      port: 8321
      resources:
        requests:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: "2Gi"
        limits:
          cpu: "2"
          memory: "4Gi"
    storage:
      size: "20Gi"

Example: Ollama Distribution¶

apiVersion: llamastack.io/v1alpha1
kind: LlamaStackDistribution
metadata:
  name: ollama-llamastack
spec:
  replicas: 1
  server:
    distribution:
      name: "ollama"
    containerSpec:
      port: 8321
      resources:
        requests:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: "2Gi"
        limits:
          cpu: "2"
          memory: "4Gi"
      env:
      - name: OLLAMA_URL
        value: "http://ollama-server-service.ollama-dist.svc.cluster.local:11434"
    storage:
      size: "20Gi"

Example: vLLM GPU Distribution¶

apiVersion: llamastack.io/v1alpha1
kind: LlamaStackDistribution
metadata:
  name: vllm-gpu-llamastack
spec:
  replicas: 1
  server:
    distribution:
      name: "vllm-gpu"
    containerSpec:
      port: 8321
      resources:
        requests:
          cpu: "2"
          memory: "8Gi"
          nvidia.com/gpu: "1"
        limits:
          cpu: "4"
          memory: "16Gi"
          nvidia.com/gpu: "1"
      env:
      - name: MODEL_NAME
        value: "meta-llama/Llama-2-7b-chat-hf"
      - name: TENSOR_PARALLEL_SIZE
        value: "1"
    storage:
      size: "50Gi"

Benefits of Supported Distributions¶

🚀 Quick Setup: No need to build custom images
🔒 Security: Regular security updates from LlamaStack team
📚 Documentation: Comprehensive guides and examples
🧪 Tested: Thoroughly tested with the operator
🔧 Optimized: Pre-configured for optimal performance
🆘 Support: Community and official support available

Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Distributions¶

What are BYO Distributions?¶

BYO distributions allow you to use custom container images that you build and maintain: - 🛠️ Custom integrations not available in supported distributions - 🎨 Specialized configurations for your use case - 🔧 Custom dependencies and libraries - 📦 Private or proprietary model integrations

Using BYO Distributions¶

Basic Syntax¶

apiVersion: llamastack.io/v1alpha1
kind: LlamaStackDistribution
metadata:
  name: my-custom-distribution
spec:
  server:
    distribution:
      image: "your-registry.com/custom-llamastack:tag"  # Use custom image
    # ... other configuration

Example: Custom Image¶

apiVersion: llamastack.io/v1alpha1
kind: LlamaStackDistribution
metadata:
  name: custom-llamastack
spec:
  replicas: 1
  server:
    distribution:
      image: "myregistry.com/custom-llamastack:v1.0.0"
    containerSpec:
      port: 8321
      resources:
        requests:
          cpu: "2"
          memory: "4Gi"
        limits:
          cpu: "4"
          memory: "8Gi"
      env:
      - name: CUSTOM_CONFIG_PATH
        value: "/app/config/custom.yaml"
      - name: API_KEY
        valueFrom:
          secretKeyRef:
            name: custom-credentials
            key: api-key
    storage:
      size: "100Gi"
    podOverrides:
      volumes:
      - name: custom-config
        configMap:
          name: custom-llamastack-config
      volumeMounts:
      - name: custom-config
        mountPath: "/app/config"
        readOnly: true

Building Custom Images¶

Example Dockerfile¶

# Start from a supported distribution or base image
FROM llamastack/llamastack:latest

# Add your custom dependencies
RUN pip install custom-package-1 custom-package-2

# Copy custom configuration
COPY custom-config/ /app/config/

# Copy custom code
COPY src/ /app/src/

# Set custom environment variables
ENV CUSTOM_SETTING=value

# Override entrypoint if needed
COPY entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
RUN chmod +x /entrypoint.sh
ENTRYPOINT ["/entrypoint.sh"]

Building and Pushing¶

# Build your custom image
docker build -t myregistry.com/custom-llamastack:v1.0.0 .

# Push to your registry
docker push myregistry.com/custom-llamastack:v1.0.0

BYO Distribution Considerations¶

Advantages¶

🎯 Full Control: Complete customization of the stack
🔧 Custom Integrations: Add proprietary or specialized providers
📦 Private Models: Include private or fine-tuned models
⚡ Optimizations: Custom performance optimizations

Responsibilities¶

🔒 Security: You maintain security updates
🧪 Testing: You test compatibility with the operator
📚 Documentation: You document your custom setup
🆘 Support: Limited community support for custom images
🔄 Updates: You manage updates and compatibility

Key Differences Summary¶

Aspect	Supported Distributions	BYO Distributions
Setup Complexity	✅ Simple (just specify name)	🔧 Complex (build & maintain image)
Maintenance	✅ Handled by LlamaStack team	❌ Your responsibility
Security Updates	✅ Automatic	❌ Manual
Documentation	✅ Comprehensive	❌ You create
Support	✅ Community + Official	⚠️ Limited
Customization	⚠️ Limited to configuration	✅ Full control
Testing	✅ Pre-tested	❌ You test
Time to Deploy	✅ Minutes	⏱️ Hours/Days

Choosing the Right Approach¶

Use Supported Distributions When:¶

✅ Your use case matches available providers (Ollama, vLLM, etc.)
✅ You want quick setup and deployment
✅ You prefer maintained and tested solutions
✅ You need community support
✅ Security and updates are important

Use BYO Distributions When:¶

🛠️ You need custom provider integrations
🔧 You have specialized requirements
📦 You use proprietary or private models
⚡ You need specific performance optimizations
🎯 You have the expertise to maintain custom images

Migration Between Approaches¶

From Supported to BYO¶

# Before (supported)
spec:
  server:
    distribution:
      name: "ollama"

# After (BYO)
spec:
  server:
    distribution:
      image: "myregistry.com/custom-ollama:v1.0.0"

From BYO to Supported¶

# Before (BYO)
spec:
  server:
    distribution:
      image: "myregistry.com/custom-vllm:v1.0.0"

# After (supported)
spec:
  server:
    distribution:
      name: "vllm-gpu"

Best Practices¶

For Supported Distributions¶

Start Simple: Begin with basic configuration
Use Environment Variables: Configure via env section
Monitor Resources: Set appropriate resource limits
Check Documentation: Review provider-specific guides

For BYO Distributions¶

Base on Supported Images: Start from llamastack/llamastack:latest
Document Everything: Maintain clear documentation
Test Thoroughly: Test with the operator before production
Version Control: Tag and version your custom images
Security Scanning: Regularly scan for vulnerabilities

Next Steps¶

Configuration Reference - Detailed configuration options
Basic Deployment - Simple deployment examples
Production Setup - Production-ready configurations
Custom Images Guide - Building custom images
Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions