> So if you'll indulge me -- this list is exactly why a system like Kubernetes is valuable and why I think personally that it contains a lot of essential complexity.

Yes. I would agree to your statement precisely as an answer to @jen20.

Some things such as getting stateful systems, HPAs and persistent storages were a little tricky initially but a breeze after.

But I do want to mention that you really really need a team to look after it. Without it, it'll bound to be another snowflake.

[edit]: <sigh/> i meant to say stateful when i wrote stateless.