Compatibility of EKS Cluster v1.30 with Karpenter-Provisioned Nodes v1.29
Hi,
In my Kubernetes setup, the EKS cluster and the managed node group are both running version 1.30, but the Karpenter-provisioned nodes are running version 1.29. I think so far there haven’t been any issues since the update, but I want to make sure everything is clear.
I’d like to know if this version mismatch between the cluster and the Karpenter nodes is acceptable. Are there any known compatibility issues or potential risks with this setup?
Specifically:
• Will the version difference (v1.30 vs. v1.29) affect workload scheduling or API compatibility?
• Should I consider upgrading the Karpenter nodes to align with the EKS cluster version?
I appreciate any guidance or best practices on managing version consistency between Karpenter nodes and EKS clusters.
Thank you!
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I found information regarding version compatibility between EKS clusters and Karpenter. According to the AWS best practices guide for EKS upgrades: 👉 From EKS version 1.28, the control plane and data plane support a version skew of up to 3 minor versions, in accordance with the version skew policy. https://aws.github.io/aws-eks-best-practices/upgrades/
For the official Kubernetes documentation, here’s the link to the version skew policy: https://kubernetes.io/releases/version-skew-policy/#virtual-kubelet
Check it out! 😊
While it's generally recommended to keep your Kubernetes components at consistent versions, a minor version difference between your EKS cluster (v1.30) and Karpenter-provisioned nodes (v1.29) is typically acceptable and should not cause significant issues in most cases.
Kubernetes follows a version skew policy that allows nodes to be up to two minor versions behind the control plane. This means that your v1.29 Karpenter nodes should be compatible with your v1.30 EKS cluster. However, there are a few considerations:
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Workload Scheduling: The version difference should not significantly affect workload scheduling. Kubernetes is designed to maintain backwards compatibility for core functionalities across minor versions.
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API Compatibility: Most APIs should remain compatible between v1.29 and v1.30. However, there's always a small chance that newer features or API changes introduced in v1.30 might not be fully supported on v1.29 nodes.
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Potential Risks: While the risk is low, running mismatched versions could potentially lead to subtle inconsistencies or unexpected behaviors, especially if you're using features that have changed between versions.
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Upgrading Consideration: It's generally a good practice to keep your nodes aligned with your control plane version when possible. Upgrading your Karpenter nodes to v1.30 would ensure you have access to all the latest features and bug fixes, and it would eliminate any potential compatibility concerns.
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Best Practices: As a best practice, try to maintain version consistency across your cluster components when possible. This includes the EKS control plane, managed node groups, and Karpenter-provisioned nodes.
While your current setup should work without major issues, considering an upgrade of the Karpenter nodes to v1.30 would be a prudent step to ensure optimal compatibility and access to the latest features. Always test thoroughly in a non-production environment before applying changes to your production cluster.
Remember to consult the official Kubernetes and Amazon EKS documentation for the most up-to-date information on version compatibility and best practices for your specific use case.
Sources
Amazon EKS and Amazon EKS Distro now support Kubernetes version 1.29
Kubernetes Data Plane - Amazon EKS
Amazon EKS architecture - Amazon EKS
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