Documentation: AKS & Application Architecture

This document provides further details and context for the AKS & Application Architecture section of the Azure Startup Checklist, focusing on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

• Review AKS guidance for startups

• Why: AKS simplifies deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications using Kubernetes. Understanding core concepts and startup-specific considerations is key to leveraging it effectively.
• How: Familiarize yourself with AKS features, pricing, and common architectural patterns relevant to startups.
• Resources:
  • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) documentation
  • AKS baseline architecture
  • (From article) AKS Guide for Startups

• Plan AKS storage, upgrades, identity, and cluster models

• Why: These are fundamental aspects of your AKS cluster that impact performance, cost, security, and manageability.
• How:
  • Storage: Choose appropriate storage options (Azure Disks, Azure Files) based on performance, access mode (ReadWriteOnce, ReadWriteMany), and cost requirements. Storage options for applications in AKS
  • Upgrades: Understand the AKS upgrade process for Kubernetes versions and node images. Plan for regular upgrades to stay supported and secure. Upgrade an AKS cluster
  • Identity: Integrate AKS with Microsoft Entra ID for user authentication and Kubernetes RBAC. Use Managed Identities for AKS cluster components and application pods to access other Azure resources securely. AKS integration with Microsoft Entra ID, Use managed identities in AKS
  • Cluster Models: Understand node pools (system vs. user), virtual nodes (for serverless containers), and availability zones for high availability. Core Kubernetes infrastructure concepts in AKS
• Resources: (Links included above)

• (From article links for storage, upgrades, identity, cluster models)

• Integrate AKS with Azure Monitor

• Why: Monitoring your cluster and containerized applications is crucial for troubleshooting, performance tuning, and understanding resource consumption.
• How: Enable Azure Monitor Container Insights for your AKS cluster. This collects metrics and logs from controllers, nodes, and containers, providing rich visualizations and alerting capabilities.
• Resources:
  • Azure Monitor Container Insights overview
  • Enable Container Insights

• Follow AKS best practices

• Why: Adhering to recommended practices helps ensure your AKS environment is secure, reliable, scalable, and cost-effective.
• How: Review and implement best practices across various areas including cluster security, networking, storage, scheduling, multi-tenancy, and business continuity/disaster recovery (BCDR).
• Resources:
  • Best practices for cluster operators and application developers in AKS
  • AKS Well-Architected Framework review