Add initial release of DR-Syncer v0.1.0, including CLI and controller documentation; introduce features, installation instructions, and migration strategies for Kubernetes disaster recovery

Author: mattmattox

blog/content/post/announcing-dr-syncer-v0.1.0.md

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+title: "Announcing DR-Syncer v0.1.0: Simplifying Kubernetes Disaster Recovery"
+date: 2025-03-13T01:00:00-05:00
+draft: false
+tags: ["Kubernetes", "Disaster Recovery", "DevOps", "DR-Syncer"]
+categories:
+- Kubernetes
+- DevOps
+author: "Matthew Mattox - mmattox@support.tools"
+description: "Introducing DR-Syncer v0.1.0, a new tool designed to automate and simplify disaster recovery synchronization between Kubernetes clusters."
+more_link: "yes"
+url: "/announcing-dr-syncer-v0.1.0/"
+---
+
+We're excited to announce the initial release of DR-Syncer v0.1.0, a powerful new tool designed to automate and simplify disaster recovery synchronization between Kubernetes clusters.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+# Introducing DR-Syncer v0.1.0
+
+Organizations running Kubernetes in production face several challenges when establishing and maintaining disaster recovery environments. Manual configuration is time-consuming and error-prone, resource management is complex, and operational overhead is significant. DR-Syncer addresses these challenges by providing automated, reliable disaster recovery setups with minimal operational overhead.
+
+## Key Features in v0.1.0
+
+### Two Distinct Tools for Flexibility
+
+DR-Syncer offers two complementary approaches to disaster recovery:
+
+1. **Controller**: A Kubernetes operator that runs continuously inside your cluster
+   - Automated and scheduled synchronization 
+   - Uses Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) for configuration
+   - Supports continuous, scheduled, and manual sync modes
+
+2. **CLI**: A standalone command-line tool for direct, on-demand operations
+   - No controller deployment required
+   - Perfect for manual operations, testing, or one-off scenarios
+   - Supports Stage, Cutover, and Failback operations
+
+### Core Capabilities
+
+- **Resource Synchronization**
+  - Synchronizes ConfigMaps, Secrets, Deployments, Services, Ingresses, and PVCs
+  - Maintains resource state and metadata across clusters
+  - Handles immutable fields and resource versions
+
+- **Deployment Strategies**
+  - Zero replicas in DR cluster by default (saving resources)
+  - Scale override capability via `dr-syncer.io/scale-override` label
+  - Original replica count preservation (stored in annotations)
+
+- **Multiple Synchronization Modes**
+  - Manual sync (on-demand)
+  - Scheduled sync (cron-based)
+  - Continuous sync (real-time monitoring)
+
+- **PVC Data Replication**
+  - Cross-cluster PVC data synchronization using rsync
+  - Secure SSH-based transfer mechanism
+  - Storage class mapping for different cluster environments
+
+## Benefits for Kubernetes Administrators
+
+- **Reduced Manual Effort**: Automate the repetitive tasks of maintaining DR environments
+- **Improved Consistency**: Ensure your DR environment accurately reflects production
+- **Operational Simplicity**: Choose between controller-based or CLI approaches based on your needs
+- **Flexible Scheduling**: Configure synchronization on your preferred schedule
+- **Fine-Grained Control**: Include or exclude specific resources and types
+
+## Getting Started
+
+### Controller Installation with Helm
+
+```bash
+# Add the DR-Syncer Helm repository
+helm repo add dr-syncer https://supporttools.github.io/dr-syncer/charts
+
+# Update repositories
+helm repo update
+
+# Install DR-Syncer
+helm install dr-syncer dr-syncer/dr-syncer \
+  --namespace dr-syncer-system \
+  --create-namespace
+```
+
+### CLI Installation
+
+Build the CLI binary:
+
+```bash
+make build
+```
+
+This will create the `dr-syncer-cli` binary in the `bin/` directory.
+
+## What's Next for DR-Syncer
+
+Our roadmap includes:
+
+- Enhanced monitoring capabilities
+- Advanced filtering options
+- Performance optimizations
+- Security enhancements
+- Community features and plugin system
+
+## Join the Community
+
+We welcome contributions from the community! Check out our [GitHub repository](https://github.com/supporttools/dr-syncer) to:
+
+- Report bugs or request features
+- Contribute code or documentation
+- Provide feedback
+
+For comprehensive documentation, visit our [documentation site](https://supporttools.github.io/dr-syncer/).
+
+Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to improve DR-Syncer!