cs_regions.md

copyright	lastupdated
years 2014, 2018	2018-03-13

{:new_window: target="_blank"} {:shortdesc: .shortdesc} {:screen: .screen} {:pre: .pre} {:table: .aria-labeledby="caption"} {:codeblock: .codeblock} {:tip: .tip} {:download: .download}

Regions and locations

{{site.data.keyword.Bluemix}} is hosted worldwide. A region is a geographic area that is accessed by an endpoint. Locations are data centers within the region. Services within {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} might be available globally, or within a specific region. When you create a Kubernetes cluster in {{site.data.keyword.containerlong}}, its resources remain in the region that you deploy the cluster to. {:shortdesc}

{{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} regions differ from {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} regions.

Figure. {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} regions and data centers

Supported {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} regions:

• AP North
• AP South
• EU Central
• UK South
• US East
• US South

{{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} region API endpoints

{: #bluemix_regions}

You can organize your resources across {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} services by using {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} regions. For example, you can create a Kubernetes cluster by using a private Docker image that is stored in your {{site.data.keyword.registryshort_notm}} of the same region. {:shortdesc}

To check which {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} region you are currently in, run bx info and review the Region field.

{{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} regions can be accessed by specifying the API endpoint when you log in. If you do not specify a region, you are automatically logged in to the region that is closest to you.

{{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} region API endpoints with example login commands:

• US South and US East

  bx login -a api.ng.bluemix.net
  

  {: pre}

• Sydney and AP North

  bx login -a api.au-syd.bluemix.net
  

  {: pre}

• Germany

  bx login -a api.eu-de.bluemix.net
  

  {: pre}

• United Kingdom

  bx login -a api.eu-gb.bluemix.net
  

  {: pre}

{{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} region API endpoints and locations

{: #container_regions}

By using {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} regions, you can create or access Kubernetes clusters in a region other than the {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} region that you are logged in to. {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} region endpoints refer specifically to the {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}}, not {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} as a whole. {:shortdesc}

You can access the {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} through one global endpoint: https://containers.bluemix.net/.

• To check which {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} region you are currently in, run bx cs region.
• To retrieve a list of available regions and their endpoints, run bx cs regions.

To use the API with the global endpoint, in all your requests, pass the region name in an X-Region header. {: tip}

Logging in to a different container service region

{: #container_login_endpoints}

You can change locations by using the {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} CLI. {:shortdesc}

You might want to log in to another {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} region for the following reasons:

• You created {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} services or private Docker images in one region and want to use them with {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} in another region.
• You want to access a cluster in a region that is different from the default {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} region you are logged in to.

To quickly switch regions, run bx cs region-set.

Using container service API commands

{: #containers_api}

To interact with the {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}} API, enter the command type and append /v1/command to the global endpoint. {:shortdesc}

Example of GET /clusters API:

GET https://containers.bluemix.net/v1/clusters

{: codeblock}

To use the API with the global endpoint, in all your requests, pass the region name in an X-Region header. To list available regions, run bx cs regions. {: tip}

To view documentation on the API commands, view https://containers.bluemix.net/swagger-api/.

Locations available in {{site.data.keyword.containershort_notm}}

{: #locations}

Locations are physical data centers that are available within an {{site.data.keyword.Bluemix_notm}} region. Regions are a conceptual tool to organize locations, and can include locations (data centers) in different countries. The following table displays the locations available by region. {:shortdesc}

Region	Location	City
AP North	hkg02, seo01, sng01, tok02	Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo
AP South	mel01, syd01, syd04	Melbourne, Sydney
EU Central	ams03, fra02, par01	Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris
UK South	lon02, lon04	London
US East	mon01, tor01, wdc06, wdc07	Montreal, Toronto, Washington DC
US South	dal10, dal12, dal13, sao01	Dallas, São Paulo

Your cluster's resources remain in the location (data center) in which the cluster is deployed. The following image highlights the relationship of your cluster within an example region of US East:

1. Your cluster's resources, including the master and worker nodes, are in the same location that you deployed the cluster to. When you initiate local container orchestration actions, such as kubectl commands, the information is exchanged between your master and worker nodes within the same location.

2. If you set up other cluster resources, such as storage, networking, compute, or apps running in pods, the resources and their data remain in the location that you deployed your cluster to.

3. When you initiate cluster management actions, such as using bx cs commands, basic information about the cluster (such as name, ID, user, the command) is routed to a regional endpoint.

Figure. Understanding where your cluster resources reside.