Running outdated Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) clusters can significantly increase your cloud infrastructure expenses. Extended support for older Kubernetes versions comes with substantial cost implications that can be easily avoided through proactive version upgrades.

Policy Overview

Key Points:

  • Older EKS cluster versions incur higher management costs
  • Extended support can increase monthly cluster management expenses by up to 600%
  • Timely upgrades can eliminate unnecessary additional costs

Detailed Explanation

Why This Policy Matters

Amazon EKS imposes additional charges for extended support on older Kubernetes versions. As clusters age, the financial burden increases dramatically:

Cost Breakdown:

  • Standard EKS cluster management (e.g., version 1.25): ~$73/month
  • Extended support costs: Additional ~$365/month
  • Total monthly cost with extended support: Approximately $438

The exponential cost increase creates a compelling case for regular version upgrades.

Cost Reduction Strategies

Implementing a proactive Kubernetes version management strategy offers multiple financial benefits:

  • Eliminate Extended Support Fees
  • Reduce Operational Overhead
  • Access Latest Security Patches
  • Improve Cluster Performance
  • Maintain Compliance with Cloud Provider Recommendations

Potential Savings Example

Scenario:

  • 10 EKS clusters running an outdated version
  • Monthly extended support cost per cluster: $365
  • Annual potential savings: $43,800

Implementation Guide

Infrastructure-as-Code Upgrade Example (Terraform)

# Before (Outdated Version)
resource "aws_eks_cluster" "example" {
  version = "1.25"
  # Other configurations
}

# After (Updated Version)
resource "aws_eks_cluster" "example" {
  version = "1.27"  # Latest supported version
  # Other configurations
}

Manual Upgrade Steps

  1. Pre-Upgrade Assessment
    • Verify cluster compatibility
    • Check application dependencies
    • Review potential breaking changes
  2. Backup Existing Configuration
    • Export current cluster state
    • Create comprehensive snapshots
  3. Perform Upgrade
    • Use AWS Management Console
    • Utilize AWS CLI
    • Leverage Kubernetes admin tools
  4. Post-Upgrade Validation
    • Test application functionality
    • Monitor cluster performance
    • Verify all workloads

Best Practices

  • Implement Regular Upgrade Cycles
  • Use Staging Environments for Testing
  • Automate Upgrade Processes
  • Monitor Kubernetes Release Notes

Recommended Tools

  • Infracost: Automatically detect and recommend version upgrades
  • AWS EKS Console
  • Kubernetes Version Management Tools

Real-World Examples

Enterprise Technology Company

Scenario:

  • 25 EKS clusters running Kubernetes 1.24
  • Upgraded to 1.26
  • Annual Cost Savings: $109,500

SaaS Platform

Scenario:

  • 5 Critical Production Clusters
  • Reduced Extended Support Costs
  • Improved Security Posture
  • Annual Savings: $21,900

Considerations and Caveats

Potential Challenges:

  • Compatibility with existing applications
  • Required application code modifications
  • Temporary service disruptions during upgrades

Not Recommended When:

  • Mission-critical systems cannot tolerate downtime
  • Complex legacy application dependencies exist
  • Insufficient testing infrastructure available

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Aim to upgrade every 6-9 months to stay current and avoid extended support costs.

Higher costs, potential security vulnerabilities, and reduced performance.

Yes, using tools like Terraform, AWS CDK, and specialized Kubernetes management platforms.

Infracost’s includes policy checks that can help identify and recommend EKS version upgrades

You’ll incur significantly higher management fees and potentially lose access to critical security updates.