Create containerized apps with Azure Kubernetes Service clusters

  • 10 minutes

Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters provide a robust platform for managing containerized applications in the cloud. With Kubernetes, AKS simplifies the deployment, scaling, and management of applications, allowing developers to focus on building innovative solutions without getting bogged down in infrastructure details.

What are AKS clusters?

AKS clusters are collections of virtual machines (VMs) configured to run containerized applications using Kubernetes. Each cluster consists of a master node that manages the Kubernetes environment and one or more worker nodes that run your applications in containers. With AKS, you can create, scale, and manage your Kubernetes clusters effortlessly, enjoying all the benefits of Kubernetes without the operational overhead.

Key features of AKS clusters

  • Fully Managed Service: Azure takes care of the complexities of Kubernetes management, including updates, scaling, and monitoring, enabling you to focus on application development.

  • Integration with Azure Services: AKS integrates seamlessly with other Azure services, providing a cohesive development and deployment experience.

  • Auto-Scaling Capabilities: AKS supports horizontal and vertical scaling, automatically adjusting the number of pods or the size of VMs based on traffic and demand, ensuring your applications remain responsive under varying loads.

  • Built-in Load Balancing: AKS includes Azure Load Balancer and Application Gateway to distribute incoming traffic across multiple pods, ensuring high availability and reliability of your applications.

  • Enhanced Security Features: With Microsoft Entra ID integration, role-based access control (RBAC), and network security policies, AKS clusters provide a secure environment for your applications, protecting against unauthorized access and ensuring compliance.

Benefits of using AKS clusters

  • Cost Efficiency: With a pay-as-you-go pricing model, you only pay for the resources you use. AKS helps optimize resource allocation, allowing for cost-effective management of your containerized workloads.

  • Simplified Deployment and Management: The ease of deploying applications on AKS allows teams to implement continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) practices efficiently, reducing deployment times, and minimizing errors.

  • Robust Monitoring and Diagnostics: AKS clusters offer integrated monitoring tools that provide insights into application performance and resource utilization, allowing for proactive management and troubleshooting.

Deploying a containerized application on AKS

  • Build and Push the Container Image: First, you create a Dockerfile that defines the application environment and dependencies. Then you build a Docker image of your application. Once the image is built, you push it to a container registry such as Azure Container Registry (ACR) or Docker Hub, where it is accessed by AKS.

  • Create an AKS Cluster: Use the Azure portal, CLI, or Azure Resource Manager templates to create a Kubernetes cluster in AKS. This cluster serves as the environment for your containerized application, where you can define and manage Kubernetes resources.

  • Define a Kubernetes Deployment Manifest: Write a Kubernetes YAML manifest file to define a Deployment and a Service. The Deployment object specifies the desired state for your application, including the number of replicas (pods) and the container image to pull from the registry. The Service object exposes your application to the internet or your internal network, allowing for load balancing and managing traffic to the application pods.

  • Deploy the Application to AKS: Use the kubectl apply command to deploy the manifests to your AKS cluster. For example: bash kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml ​ Kubernetes pulls the container image from the registry, creates the specified number of pods, and exposes the application as defined in the Service manifest.

  • Monitor and Scale the Application: Once deployed, you can monitor the application’s performance and health through Azure Monitor or kubectl commands. AKS also supports autoscaling, enabling you to handle varying loads by scaling the pods up or down based on CPU or memory usage. You can scale your Deployment manually using kubectl scale or configure horizontal pod autoscaling to automatically adjust to demand.

  • Update and Maintain the Application: When updates are needed, such as a new version of the app, you can push the updated container image to the registry and update the Deployment manifest. Apply the manifest again with kubectl, and Kubernetes performs a rolling update, replacing old pods with new ones while minimizing downtime.

These steps streamline the deployment process, enabling you to rapidly deploy and manage containerized applications on AKS. Using Kubernetes' orchestration features, AKS ensures high availability, scalability, and resilience, allowing your applications to perform optimally in a cloud-native environment.

AKS simplifies the management of containerized applications by offering a fully managed environment that integrates seamlessly with other Azure services. With capabilities such as auto-scaling, built-in load balancing, and enhanced security features, AKS provides a powerful platform for deploying and managing cloud-native applications. Understanding how to use AKS clusters enables you to build scalable and efficient applications in the cloud, optimizing both development workflows and operational costs.