> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ibm-developer.gitbook.io/cloudpakforapplications-appmod/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ibm-developer.gitbook.io/cloudpakforapplications-appmod/microservices-development/istio101/setup.md).

# Setup Istio

## Access your cluster

Learn how to set the context to work with your cluster by using the `kubectl` CLI, access the Kubernetes dashboard, and gather basic information about your cluster.

1. Set the context for your cluster in your CLI. Every time you log in to the IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service CLI to work with the cluster, you must run these commands to set the path to the cluster's configuration file as a session variable. The Kubernetes CLI uses this variable to find a local configuration file and certificates that are necessary to connect with the cluster in IBM Cloud.

   a. List the available clusters.

   ```
    ibmcloud ks clusters
   ```

   b. Set an environment variable for your cluster name:

   ```
    export MYCLUSTER=<your_cluster_name>
   ```

   c. Download the configuration file and certificates for your cluster using the `cluster-config` command.

   ```
    ibmcloud ks cluster config --cluster $MYCLUSTER
   ```
2. Get basic information about your cluster and its worker nodes. This information can help you manage your cluster and troubleshoot issues.

   a. View details of your cluster.

   ```
    ibmcloud ks cluster get --cluster $MYCLUSTER
   ```

   b. Verify the worker nodes in the cluster.

   ```
    ibmcloud ks workers --cluster $MYCLUSTER
   ```
3. Validate access to your cluster by viewing the nodes in the cluster.

   ```
    kubectl get nodes
   ```

## Clean up default namespace from previous lab

1. From the command line

```
kubectl get all
```

1. or each deployment and service listed run

   ```
   kubectl delete deploy [deployment 1] [deployment n]
   kubectl delete service [service 1] [service n]
   ```

## Clone the lab repo

1. From your command line, run:

   ```
    git clone https://github.com/IBM/istio101

    cd istio101/workshop
   ```

   This is the working directory for the workshop. You will use the example `.yaml` files that are located in the `workshop/plans` directory in the following exercises.