Best Practices for Seamless EKS Cluster Upgrades with Fargate: A Hands-On Guide
Tags: fargate, kubernetes, eks, containers
Published: 2024-01-01 05:31:02

## Introduction:
As cloud-native architectures evolve, managing Kubernetes clusters becomes pivotal for maintaining optimal performance and security. [Amazon EKS](https://aws.amazon.com/eks/), combined with [Fargate](https://aws.amazon.com/fargate/) for serverless pod execution, offers a powerful solution. In this guide, we'll delve into best practices for EKS cluster upgrades with Fargate, providing a hands-on approach to ensure a seamless transition. Let's embark on the journey of mastering EKS upgrades!

## Best Practices for EKS Cluster Upgrades:

**1****. Version Compatibility Checks:**

Ensure that EKS clusters and Fargate pods run compatible Kubernetes versions. Leverage the [Amazon EKS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/) to review version compatibility matrices.

**2.** **Backup and Snapshot Strategies:**

Before initiating any upgrade, implement backup and snapshot strategies for critical data and configurations. [AWS Backup ](https://aws.amazon.com/backup/)and [Amazon EBS Snapshots](https://aws.amazon.com/ebs/snapshots/) are valuable tools in this context.

**3. Update Fargate Pod Definitions:**
To align Fargate pods with the target EKS cluster version, update pod definitions. Walk through the AWS Fargate documentation to understand how to modify pod specifications.

**4. Rolling Updates for Worker Nodes:**
Implement rolling updates for worker nodes to minimize downtime. Utilize the Amazon EKS Rolling Update Guide for a step-by-step walkthrough.

## **Hands-On Guide: Upgrading EKS Cluster with Fargate Pods:**

**Prerequisites:**
- AWS CLI
- kubectl

**1. Check EKS Cluster Version:**
Use the following AWS CLI command to check your current EKS cluster version:

```
aws eks describe-cluster --name robinaclusteraws --query "cluster.version"

```

**2. Update Fargate Pod Definitions:**
Edit your Fargate pod YAML files to match the target Kubernetes version. 

```
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: robina-pod
spec:
  containers:
  - name: aws-cluster-robina
    image: container-robina

```

**3. Initiate EKS Cluster Upgrade:**
Upgrade your EKS cluster using the AWS CLI:

```
aws eks update-cluster-version --name robina-cluster-aws --kubernetes-version desired-version

```

**4. Monitor Upgrade Progress:**
Track the upgrade progress with:

```
aws eks describe-update --name robina-cluster-aws --update-id your-update-id

```

**5. Rolling Update for Worker Nodes:**
Implement a rolling update for worker nodes:

```
kubectl get nodes
kubectl drain node-name --ignore-daemonsets
kubectl uncordon node-name

```
**Conclusion:**

Mastering EKS cluster upgrades with Fargate involves a strategic blend of best practices and hands-on execution. By following these guidelines and leveraging AWS resources, you can ensure a smooth transition, keeping your Kubernetes infrastructure up-to-date and resilient.

**Resources:**

[Amazon EKS Documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/)
[AWS CLI Documentation](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/)
[kubectl Documentation](https://kubernetes.io/docs/home/)