sp-backend (Helm)

Install the unified Softprobe backend on Kubernetes with Helm. The chart deploys Redis in-cluster and either bundled MongoDB or connects to your existing MongoDB server.

Prerequisites: Kubernetes 1.24+, Helm 3.x, GCR pull credentials from Softprobe, and encryption.secretKey for at-rest payload encryption.

For bundled MongoDB, your cluster needs a default or configured StorageClass for the MongoDB PVC.

MongoDB modes (pick one)

Configure exactly one mode in your values file. helm install fails if both are set or neither is set.

Mode	Set in values	Chart deploys MongoDB?
Bundled	mongodb.bundled.auth.password	Yes — Deployment, Service, PVC
External	mongodb.connectionString	No

Shared external MongoDB: multiple Helm releases can use one MongoDB host. Put a unique database name in each connection string (for example acme_prod_sp_storage_db).

Download the example values file for your chart version:

values.example.yaml (v4.3.5)

Install

1. Helm repo and namespace

helm repo add softprobe \
  https://storage.googleapis.com/softprobe-published-files/helm/sp-backend
helm repo update

kubectl create namespace softprobe

2. GCR pull secret

kubectl create secret docker-registry softprobe-gcr-pull \
  --docker-server=https://gcr.io \
  --docker-username=_json_key \
  --docker-password="$(cat softprobe-registry-puller.json)" \
  --namespace softprobe

WARNING

Use both gcr.io and https://gcr.io auth entries. See the chart README if plain kubectl create secret docker-registry causes ImagePullBackOff.

3. Values file

Copy the example to values.yaml and edit for your environment. Pick one MongoDB block below.

Mode A — Bundled MongoDB (in-cluster)

Chart deploys MongoDB 7 and Redis 7 alongside sp-backend.

image:
  tag: "v4.3.5"
  pullSecrets:
    - name: softprobe-gcr-pull

mongodb:
  bundled:
    auth:
      password: "CHANGE_ME_mongo_password"
    # Optional: storageClass, storageSize, resources, placement — see values.example.yaml

encryption:
  enabled: true
  secretKey: "CHANGE_ME_base64_32_byte_key"

Mode B — External MongoDB

Use your existing MongoDB server. Do not set mongodb.bundled.auth.password.

image:
  tag: "v4.3.5"
  pullSecrets:
    - name: softprobe-gcr-pull

mongodb:
  connectionString: "mongodb://USER:PASS@mongo.host:27017/your_release_sp_storage_db?authSource=admin"

encryption:
  enabled: true
  secretKey: "CHANGE_ME_base64_32_byte_key"

4. Helm install

Use the chart version and image tag from your Softprobe release (v4.3.5 → chart 4.3.5, image v4.3.5).

helm install softprobe softprobe/sp-backend \
  --version 4.3.5 \
  --namespace softprobe \
  -f values.yaml \
  --set image.tag=v4.3.5 \
  --set createNamespace=false

Verify

kubectl get pods -n softprobe
kubectl port-forward -n softprobe svc/softprobe-sp-backend 8090:8090
curl -s http://127.0.0.1:8090/actuator/health

Bundled mode: expect pods for mongodb, redis, and sp-backend.

External mode: expect redis and sp-backend only (no {release}-mongo pod).

Upgrade

helm repo update
helm upgrade softprobe softprobe/sp-backend \
  --version 4.3.6 \
  -n softprobe \
  -f values.yaml \
  --set image.tag=v4.3.6

Uninstall

helm uninstall softprobe -n softprobe

Bundled MongoDB PVCs are retained by default. Delete manually if required:

kubectl delete pvc -n softprobe -l app.kubernetes.io/instance=softprobe

Java agents

Point instrumented applications at the in-cluster service:

-Dsp.storage.service.host=softprobe-sp-backend.softprobe.svc.cluster.local:8090

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check
helm install fails on MongoDB	Set one of mongodb.connectionString or mongodb.bundled.auth.password
sp-backend pod Init:0/1 (bundled)	MongoDB or Redis not ready — kubectl get pods -n softprobe
sp-backend slow start	JVM warm-up — up to ~2 minutes (startup probe)
ImagePullBackOff	Missing softprobe-gcr-pull secret or wrong image.tag
Mongo PVC pending (bundled)	No StorageClass — set mongodb.bundled.storageClass
External MongoDB connection errors	URI reachable from cluster; unique DB name; correct authSource

Next step

After sp-backend is healthy, deploy the web UI: spcode-web.