AWS EKS upgrade

Hello Nelson,

• EKS upgrade itself is fast (minutes) but total time depends on testing your apps with the new version [AWS eks upgrade cluster]. One month for 2 environments and multiple versions sounds fair. Upgrading each env separately might be faster than cloning across accounts.

• Upgrading an AWS EKS environment from version 1.21 to 1.29 or 1.30 can indeed take around one man-month for two environments due to extensive compatibility checks, testing, configuration changes, and planning required.

Hello

check these steps to resolve the issue:

The actual time to upgrade an EKS cluster itself can be much faster than a month, typically taking several minutes for the control plane upgrade.

Pre-upgrade validation and testing: This is crucial to ensure your applications work seamlessly on the new version. It's advisable to thoroughly test in a staging environment before promoting to production.

Number of worker nodes: Upgrading worker nodes can take additional time depending on the number of nodes and pods that need to be drained and rescheduled.

**Changes required for your applications: **Some applications might require changes to adapt to the new Kubernetes version.

Cloning environments across AWS accounts is generally not recommended for several reasons:

Security implications: Account configurations and security policies might differ. Cloning could introduce vulnerabilities.

Configuration drift: Over time, configurations in each environment might diverge, making it difficult to maintain consistency. Upgrading each environment separately is generally the safer and more maintainable approach.

Here are some suggestions to potentially reduce the overall upgrade time:

Utilize AWS Upgrade Readiness tools: AWS offers Upgrade Insights (https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2023/11/aws-partner-network-eks-ready-specialization/) to help identify potential compatibility issues before upgrading.

Leverage infrastructure as code (IaC): Tools like Terraform or CloudFormation can automate deployments and potentially streamline the upgrade process.

Please follow the link to help the upgrade EKS:

https://medium.com/@athar.22012000/a-step-by-step-guide-to-upgrading-your-amazon-eks-cluster-e2b71cda7ca0

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/update-cluster.html

Hi Nelson,

Check out this article that outlines the upgrade process.

https://repost.aws/articles/ARLIq_1BwQQ1iqwkdA3ACy2A/upgrading-your-eks-cluster-to-the-latest-version

This guide outlines a structured approach to upgrading an Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) cluster, covering both the control plane and worker nodes. It provides detailed steps for preparation, execution, and post-upgrade verification, ensuring a smooth transition to newer Kubernetes versions. Key actions include verifying compatibility, backing up data, updating tools, cordoning nodes to prevent new pod scheduling, and systematically upgrading both managed and self-managed node groups.

The guide also emphasizes the importance of updating essential add-ons and testing workloads post-upgrade to maintain the stability and performance of your Kubernetes environment. This ensures your cluster leverages the latest features, security patches, and performance improvements, providing a robust foundation for cloud-native applications.