Guide to Kubernetes Upgrade and EKS Upgrade Best Practices
Guide to Kubernetes Upgrade and EKS Upgrade Best Practices
Blog Article
Keeping your Kubernetes cluster up-to-date is critical for security, stability, and performance. Whether you're managing your own Kubernetes setup or running workloads on Amazon EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service), performing a Kubernetes upgrade or EKS upgrade isn't something to take lightly. Each new version introduces bug fixes, new features, and potential deprecations that require careful planning.
In this guide, we’ll walk through why upgrades matter, the key considerations before upgrading, and the step-by-step approach to ensure a seamless transition—especially when using Amazon EKS.
Why Kubernetes Upgrades Matter
Kubernetes follows a rapid release cycle—new minor versions are released approximately every three months. These upgrades offer:
Security patches to address vulnerabilities
New features and APIs
Performance improvements
Deprecation of outdated APIs and components
Running an outdated version not only limits access to these benefits but also risks falling out of support, making your workloads more vulnerable.
Key Concepts Behind Kubernetes Upgrade
A Kubernetes upgrade involves updating:
Control plane components – API server, controller manager, scheduler
Node components – kubelet and kube-proxy
Cluster Add-ons – CoreDNS, kube-proxy, and other services
Applications using deprecated APIs – which may require code or Helm chart updates
These upgrades can be complex, especially in production environments, so having a well-defined upgrade strategy is critical.
Kubernetes Upgrade Strategy
Before initiating a Kubernetes upgrade:
Review the release notes: Understand what’s new, deprecated, or removed.
Test in staging: Mirror your production environment as closely as possible.
Backup everything: Including etcd (for self-managed clusters), manifests, and data.
Check compatibility: Make sure third-party tools, CRDs, and Helm charts are compatible with the target version.
Upgrade incrementally: Only one minor version jump is supported at a time (e.g., from 1.26 to 1.27, not 1.26 to 1.28).
The EKS Upgrade Process
If you're running workloads on AWS, EKS upgrade simplifies some parts of the process but also requires attention to detail.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Control Plane Upgrade
Amazon handles the EKS control plane upgrade, but you must initiate it:
Navigate to the EKS console
Choose the cluster
Select the desired Kubernetes version and upgrade
This process is non-disruptive to running pods but may briefly affect cluster management APIs.
2. Node Group Upgrade
Once the control plane is updated, you must upgrade your worker nodes:
If using managed node groups, create a new node group with the updated AMI and perform a rolling upgrade.
For self-managed nodes, update the AMI and recreate EC2 instances.
Drain old nodes gracefully to avoid pod downtime.
3. Update Cluster Add-ons
EKS allows you to upgrade CoreDNS, kube-proxy, and VPC CNI plugin directly from the console or via the AWS CLI. Keep these components in sync with the new control plane version.
4. Validate Application Compatibility
Ensure workloads aren’t using deprecated APIs or behaviors. Use tools like:
kubectl deprecations
pluto(for deprecated API detection)
kube-no-trouble
Best Practices for EKS Upgrade and Kubernetes Upgrade
Automation: Use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform or eksctl to define your upgrade process.
Monitoring: Enable Prometheus, CloudWatch, or Datadog to detect performance anomalies during the upgrade.
Rollback plan: Always have a plan to revert changes, especially for node group or add-on upgrades.
Notify stakeholders: Communicate upgrade windows to engineering and operations teams.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Skipping minor versions: Kubernetes doesn't support skipping versions. Always upgrade sequentially.
Neglecting node upgrades: A mismatched control plane and node version can lead to compatibility issues.
Ignoring deprecated APIs: These can break deployments post-upgrade if not remediated beforehand.
Conclusion
Both Kubernetes upgrade and EKS upgrade are crucial for maintaining a healthy, secure, and modern cluster. While EKS simplifies the control plane management, you still need to be hands-on with node group upgrades, application testing, and add-on compatibility.
By planning your upgrade process carefully and staying informed about upcoming changes in the Kubernetes ecosystem, you can ensure your infrastructure stays robust and future-proof.
Need help with your Kubernetes or EKS upgrade? Whether you're operating in a regulated industry or managing complex multi-tenant workloads, having experts by your side can make all the difference.
Let’s talk about streamlining your Kubernetes lifecycle—securely and confidently.
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