Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) is a fully managed container orchestration service that simplifies running Kubernetes on AWS. For Solutions Architects focusing on workload migration and modernization, EKS provides a powerful platform for containerizing applications and transitioning from mo…Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) is a fully managed container orchestration service that simplifies running Kubernetes on AWS. For Solutions Architects focusing on workload migration and modernization, EKS provides a powerful platform for containerizing applications and transitioning from monolithic architectures to microservices.
EKS manages the Kubernetes control plane, handling tasks like patching, node provisioning, and updates. This eliminates the operational overhead of maintaining Kubernetes infrastructure, allowing teams to focus on application development and deployment.
Key features relevant to migration and modernization include:
**Hybrid Deployment Options**: EKS Anywhere enables running Kubernetes clusters on-premises, facilitating gradual migration strategies. EKS on AWS Outposts extends EKS to on-premises environments for low-latency requirements.
**Fargate Integration**: EKS with Fargate provides serverless compute for containers, eliminating the need to manage EC2 instances. This accelerates modernization by reducing infrastructure management complexity.
**Service Mesh Support**: Integration with AWS App Mesh enables advanced traffic management, observability, and security between microservices, essential for modern distributed applications.
**CI/CD Integration**: EKS works seamlessly with AWS CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and third-party tools for automated deployments, supporting DevOps practices during modernization efforts.
**Security Features**: IAM integration, security groups, and AWS PrivateLink support ensure enterprise-grade security. Pod-level security policies and encryption options protect containerized workloads.
**Observability**: Native integration with CloudWatch Container Insights, AWS X-Ray, and Prometheus provides comprehensive monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities.
For migration scenarios, EKS supports multiple strategies: lift-and-shift containerization of existing applications, refactoring into microservices, or building cloud-native applications. The managed nature of EKS reduces migration risk while providing scalability and resilience.
EKS pricing includes cluster management fees plus underlying compute resources, making cost optimization achievable through right-sizing and Fargate spot instances.
Amazon EKS is a critical service for organizations modernizing their container workloads on AWS. As Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for container orchestration, EKS provides a managed way to run Kubernetes clusters at scale. For the AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam, understanding EKS is essential because it represents a key migration and modernization path for containerized applications.
What is Amazon EKS?
Amazon EKS is a fully managed Kubernetes service that makes it easy to deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications using Kubernetes on AWS. EKS runs the Kubernetes control plane across multiple Availability Zones to ensure high availability, automatically detects and replaces unhealthy control plane nodes, and provides automated version upgrades and patching.
Key Components: - Control Plane: Managed by AWS, includes API server, etcd, and scheduler - Worker Nodes: EC2 instances or Fargate that run your containerized applications - Node Groups: Collections of EC2 instances managed as a group - Fargate Profiles: Serverless compute for pods - Add-ons: Operational software like CoreDNS, kube-proxy, and VPC CNI
How Amazon EKS Works
Architecture Overview: 1. AWS manages the Kubernetes control plane across multiple AZs 2. You provision and manage worker nodes (EC2 or Fargate) 3. The VPC CNI plugin enables pod networking with native AWS VPC networking 4. IAM integration provides authentication and authorization 5. Kubernetes API communicates through public or private endpoints
Deployment Options: - Managed Node Groups: AWS provisions and manages EC2 instances - Self-Managed Nodes: You control the EC2 instances and AMIs - AWS Fargate: Serverless, pay-per-pod compute - EKS Anywhere: Run EKS on your own on-premises infrastructure - EKS Distro: Same Kubernetes distribution used by EKS for self-management
Networking: - VPC CNI assigns VPC IP addresses to pods - Application Load Balancer Ingress Controller for HTTP/HTTPS traffic - Network Load Balancer for TCP/UDP traffic - Security groups can be applied at the pod level
Security Features: - IAM Roles for Service Accounts (IRSA) for fine-grained pod permissions - Secrets encryption using AWS KMS - Private cluster endpoints - Network policies for pod-to-pod traffic control - Pod Security Standards enforcement
Migration and Modernization Strategies
Migration Approaches: - Lift and shift existing Kubernetes workloads to EKS - Migrate from ECS to EKS for Kubernetes standardization - Move on-premises Kubernetes clusters to EKS - Hybrid deployments with EKS Anywhere
Modernization Patterns: - Break monoliths into microservices running on EKS - Implement GitOps with tools like Flux or ArgoCD - Add service mesh capabilities with AWS App Mesh - Enable observability with Container Insights and AWS X-Ray
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Amazon EKS
Tip 1: Understand When to Choose EKS vs ECS Choose EKS when: Kubernetes expertise exists, multi-cloud portability is needed, or existing Kubernetes workloads require migration. Choose ECS when: simpler container orchestration suffices, deeper AWS integration is preferred, or the team lacks Kubernetes experience.
Tip 2: Know the Compute Options - Managed Node Groups for simplicity and automatic updates - Self-Managed Nodes for custom AMIs and configurations - Fargate for serverless, variable workloads with no node management - Mixed compute for cost optimization and flexibility
Tip 3: Master IAM Roles for Service Accounts IRSA is frequently tested. Understand that it allows pods to assume IAM roles with temporary credentials, eliminating the need for access keys. This provides least-privilege access at the pod level.
Tip 4: Recognize High Availability Patterns - Control plane is already highly available across AZs - Worker nodes should span multiple AZs - Use Pod Disruption Budgets for availability during updates - Cluster Autoscaler or Karpenter for dynamic scaling
Tip 5: Understand Networking Scenarios - VPC CNI for native VPC networking (IP addresses from VPC CIDR) - Secondary CIDR blocks when pod IP addresses are exhausted - Prefix delegation for higher pod density - Private endpoints for clusters with no public API access
Tip 6: Know Cost Optimization Strategies - Spot Instances with Managed Node Groups for fault-tolerant workloads - Fargate Spot for serverless cost savings - Right-sizing with Vertical Pod Autoscaler - Cluster Autoscaler to scale down unused nodes
Tip 7: Hybrid and Multi-Cluster Scenarios - EKS Anywhere for on-premises Kubernetes with EKS tooling - EKS Connector for viewing external clusters in AWS Console - AWS App Mesh for service mesh across clusters
Tip 8: Security Best Practices - Encrypt secrets with AWS KMS - Use private endpoints when possible - Implement network policies for microsegmentation - Enable audit logging to CloudWatch Logs - Use Security Groups for Pods for network-level isolation
Common Exam Scenarios: - Migrating on-premises Kubernetes to AWS: Consider EKS with existing manifests - Multi-tenant clusters: Use namespaces, RBAC, and network policies - Serverless containers: EKS with Fargate profiles - Cost-sensitive batch processing: EKS with Spot Instances - Compliance requirements: Private clusters, encryption, audit logging