Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Overview

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) simplifies deploying, managing, and automating Kubernetes applications. AKS is a managed Kubernetes offering that lets you lift and shift current applications to Azure or build new, cloud-native applications to take advantage of. AKS offers:

  • Simplified Kubernetes: Automates complex operations like upgrades, scaling, and management of the Kubernetes control plane.
  • Hybrid Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Azure services and on-premises environments.
  • Developer Productivity: Streamlines the development lifecycle with integrated tools and CI/CD capabilities.
  • Security and Compliance: Leverages Azure's robust security features and compliance certifications.

What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes is an open-source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It groups containers that make up an application into logical units for easy management and discovery. Kubernetes provides a framework to run distributed systems resiliently. Its core features include:

  • Automated bin packing
  • Self-healing
  • Horizontal scaling
  • Service discovery and load balancing
  • Automated rollouts and rollbacks
  • Secret and configuration management

Key Features of AKS

  • Managed Control Plane: Azure manages the Kubernetes API server, etcd, and other control plane components, reducing your operational burden.
  • Automated Node Management: AKS can automatically upgrade node operating systems and Kubernetes versions.
  • Integrated Azure Services: Easily integrate with Azure services like Azure Active Directory, Azure Monitor, Azure Networking, and Azure Storage.
  • Hybrid Support: AKS can be deployed on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) on Azure Stack HCI for on-premises scenarios.
  • Cost Savings: Pay only for the worker nodes in your clusters; the Kubernetes control plane is free.

Note: AKS uses an open-source version of Kubernetes. You are responsible for the applications and any open containers that run on Kubernetes, and for managing the resources on which those containers run.

When to use AKS

AKS is an excellent choice for:

  • Modernizing existing applications by containerizing them.
  • Building new microservices-based applications.
  • Orchestrating batch jobs and machine learning workloads.
  • Running hybrid cloud applications that span on-premises and Azure.

Getting Started with AKS

To get started with AKS, you can:

  1. Create an AKS cluster: Use the Azure portal, Azure CLI, or ARM templates.
  2. Deploy an application: Use kubectl to deploy your containerized applications.
  3. Manage your cluster: Monitor performance, scale your nodes, and apply updates.

For detailed steps, refer to the AKS Quickstart Guide and explore the AKS Tutorials.