<p>When I do </p>

<pre><code>kubectl describe node &lt;node-name&gt; | grep cpu
</code></pre>

<p>on my Google Kubernetes Cluster I do get </p>

<pre><code>cpu:                        1
cpu:                        940m
cpu                        709m (75%)   2156m (229%)
</code></pre>

<p>My question is about the difference of the last number in line two (<code>940m</code>) and the last number in line three (<code>2156m</code>). The latter is the the limit of the allocated resources:</p>

<pre><code>Allocated resources:
  (Total limits may be over 100 percent, i.e., overcommitted.)
  Resource                   Requests     Limits
  --------                   --------     ------
  cpu                        709m (75%)   2156m (229%)
</code></pre>

<p>The former is the allocatable cpu</p>

<pre><code>Allocatable:
 attachable-volumes-gce-pd:  128
 cpu:                        940m
</code></pre>

<p>What is the difference between these two numbers? Why are they not the same? And what is the relevant limit that decides if a pod can be started on the node or not? </p>

asmaier
<p>Allocatable is the amount of resources available to the pods to consume, 940m cpu in your example. </p>

<p>The allocated limit is the sum of all the pod limits defined in pods running on the node. The allocatable and the resource requested are more useful</p>
