Title

AWS re:Invent 2022 - Run and manage Amazon EKS clusters on premises (CON401)

Summary

• Introduction: Chandler Hoisington and Li-Chen Li introduced themselves as part of the AWS team for EKS hybrid and edge products, and EKS Anywhere respectively.
• EKS Anywhere Motivation: EKS Anywhere was built to address customer use cases such as low latency applications, modernizing applications before cloud migration, data residency requirements, edge-specific workloads, cloud bursting and recovery, and running complex workloads like Spark models on Kubernetes.
• Consistency with EKS in the Cloud: EKS Anywhere aims to provide a consistent experience with EKS in the cloud, with similar CLI, APIs, and operational workloads where possible.
• EKS Portfolio: The portfolio includes running Kubernetes in AWS regions in serverless mode (EKS Fargate), managed node groups, or attaching nodes directly. It also includes running EKS in local zones, wavelengths, and on Outposts with two modes (always connected and up to seven days of disconnect).
• EKS Anywhere Specifics: EKS Anywhere is an open-source product designed to run on commodity hardware when AWS hardware like Outposts is not an option. It is based on EKS Distro and includes curated packages for additional features.
• Customer Use Cases: EKS Anywhere is seeing uptake in manufacturing, financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, and gaming.
• 5G and Telco Industry: EKS Anywhere is being used in the 5G industry, working with network function ISVs to deploy 5G networks using Kubernetes.
• Partnerships: AWS has partnered with Weaveworks for GitOps, Isovalent for Cilium (CNI), and Nutanix for running EKS Anywhere on Nutanix infrastructure.
• EKS Anywhere Deep Dive: Li-Chen Li provided a deep dive into EKS Anywhere, discussing its foundation on EKS Distro, the tooling provided for cluster lifecycle management, operating system support, deployment topologies, and bundled software for running production Kubernetes clusters.
• EKS on Outposts: EKS Local Cluster on Outposts was introduced to mitigate network disconnect issues, supporting application continuity for up to seven days of disconnect.

Insights

• Hybrid and Edge Computing: AWS is heavily investing in hybrid and edge computing solutions, recognizing the need for Kubernetes to run in diverse environments, including on-premises and edge locations.
• Open Source and AWS Integration: AWS is leveraging open-source projects and integrating them with their services, providing a bridge between the flexibility of open-source and the reliability of AWS support.
• Customer-Centric Product Development: AWS is developing EKS Anywhere and other products based on direct customer feedback and use cases, ensuring that the solutions meet real-world needs.
• Focus on Consistency: AWS is prioritizing consistency across cloud and on-premises environments to simplify operations for customers who use Kubernetes in both settings.
• Partnership Strategy: AWS's strategy includes partnering with key industry players to extend the capabilities of their Kubernetes offerings, such as networking with Cilium and GitOps workflows with Weaveworks.
• Sector-Specific Solutions: AWS is tailoring its Kubernetes solutions to specific sectors, such as manufacturing and telecommunications, indicating a deep understanding of the unique challenges in these industries.
• Commitment to Kubernetes: AWS's investment in Kubernetes through EKS Anywhere and other products shows a strong commitment to the technology and its importance in the future of cloud computing.