Seamless EKS Cluster Upgrade for Zero Downtime
Keeping your Amazon EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service) cluster up to date is critical for maintaining security, performance, and compliance.
But for high growth tech teams with live users, upgrading the EKS cluster — including the control plane, worker nodes, and add-ons — without disrupting services can feel nearly impossible.
Upgrading your infrastructure while ensuring zero downtime, no service degradation, and no unexpected cost spikes demands careful planning and execution.
How to Perform a Seamless EKS Upgrade with Zero Downtime
Here’s a structured approach to upgrading your AWS EKS cluster without affecting your product availability:
1. Control Plane Upgrade
Upgrade your EKS control plane to the latest stable version using the AWS Console or CLI. Validate Pod Security Policies for compatibility with newer Kubernetes releases (v1.25+).
2. Add-On Management
Update essential add-ons like CoreDNS, VPC CNI, and Kube-Proxy via AWS CLI and kubectl, ensuring full alignment with the upgraded Kubernetes version.
3. Node Group and Worker Node Rollout
Create a new node group with the latest AMI. Implement a rolling update strategy to gradually transition workloads from old to new nodes without any disruption.
4. Autoscaling with Karpenter
Use Karpenter for intelligent pod scheduling. Cordon old nodes, allowing applications to seamlessly redeploy onto upgraded nodes for continuous availability.
5. Operational Efficiency & Cost Control
Apply Pod Disruption Budgets and strategic rollout plans to avoid over-provisioning and keep upgrades cost-neutral.
Why Choose IAMOPS for EKS Upgrades
Maintaining uptime during cluster upgrades requires deep expertise in Kubernetes, a clear migration plan, and proactive monitoring at every step. As a DevOps Services Company, IAMOPS ensures that EKS upgrades are executed with zero disruption to your live environments.
Our approach includes staging environment validations, controlled rollouts, and post-upgrade checks. Combined with our 24/7 NOC Services, we continuously monitor your infrastructure, identify anomalies early, and resolve issues before they escalate, ensuring your users experience uninterrupted service.
