Before we begin, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

• One or more Linux servers (for master and worker nodes)
• Installed kubectl on your local machine
• Installed Docker or any other container runtime on all nodes

Step 1: Installing and Configuring Kubernetes Cluster

1. Install Kubernetes Components: Start by installing Kubernetes components including kubelet, kubeadm, and kubectl on all nodes. For Debian/Ubuntu systems, you can use the following commands:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install -y apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl
   curl -s https://packages.Cloud.google.com/apt/doc/apt-key.gpg | sudo apt-key add -
   echo "deb https://apt.kubernetes.io/ kubernetes-xenial main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kubernetes.list
   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install -y kubelet kubeadm kubectl
   sudo apt-mark hold kubelet kubeadm kubectl
   

2. Initialize Master Node: On the master node, run kubeadm init to initialize the cluster. Save the output information including the kubeadm join command upon completion.

3. Configure kubectl on Local Machine: To manage the cluster from your local machine, copy the Kubernetes configuration file from the master node:

   mkdir -p $HOME/.kube
   sudo cp -i /etc/kubernetes/admin.conf $HOME/.kube/config
   sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) $HOME/.kube/config
   

Step 2: Joining Worker Nodes

Using the kubeadm join command received during master node initialization, join worker nodes to the cluster. Run this command on each worker node.

Step 3: Installing Network Plugin

For proper communication between nodes, install a network plugin. One popular choice is Calico. Install it on the master node using the following command:

kubectl apply -f https://docs.projectcalico.org/manifests/calico.yaml

Step 4: Cluster Management and Scaling

• Cluster Management: Utilize kubectl to manage your cluster including creating and managing pods, services, and deployments.
• Cluster Scaling: Use kubeadm join and kubeadm reset commands for adding or removing nodes from the cluster. For scaling applications, use kubectl scale.

Monitoring and Security

Securing and monitoring your Kubernetes cluster is crucial for seamless operation. Implement role-based access control (RBAC) and utilize tools like Prometheus and Grafana for resource monitoring and performance.

Kubernetes offers a flexible platform for orchestrating containerized applications. By properly setting up and managing Kubernetes clusters on Linux, you can maximize the benefits of containerization for your applications. Pay attention not only to initialization and scaling but also to securing and monitoring your cluster.