AKS Standard vs. AKS Automatic: A Comprehensive Comparison

[rmmartins]

When scaling your company’s cloud-native applications, selecting the right Kubernetes service can significantly impact on your development speed, infrastructure management, and long-term scalability. Azure Kubernetes Service (Standard) has been the go-to option for Azure-based Kubernetes deployments, offering extensive customization and flexibility. However, with the introduction of AKS Automatic (currently in preview), Azure aims to streamline and automate many aspects of cluster management, reducing operational overhead for faster-growing teams.










Let’s dive deep into the technical comparison between AKS Standard and AKS Automatic, focusing on their key features, levels of customization, and operational requirements.

Understanding Azure Kubernetes Service: The Standard AKS
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1. Manual Configurations and Advanced Control​

   
   AKS is a fully managed Kubernetes service that offers deep control over all cluster components. It is ideal for teams that need to customize their infrastructure to meet specific business requirements.

• Node Pool Management: In AKS Standard, node pools are manually configured. You can customize VM sizes, node counts, and even create specialized node pools (e.g., GPU-based or spot instances) to optimize costs.

• Networking: AKS Standard offers flexibility in network configuration, allowing you to set up custom VNETs, choose between Kubenet or Azure CNI for pod networking, and apply network policies like Calico for controlling traffic between pods.

• Security: AKS Standard supports custom Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Pod Security Policies, and integration with Azure Key Vault for secure secrets management. You have full control over security configurations.

• Cluster Upgrades: In AKS Standard, Kubernetes upgrades process is automated once started. Additionally, you can configure automatic upgrades for both control planes and node pools, giving you flexibility in applying new features or bug fixes without manual intervention.

• Monitoring and Logging: AKS Standard provides robust integration options with Azure Monitor, Prometheus, and Grafana for real-time monitoring. You can also set up custom logging solutions using Azure Log Analytics or external tools like the ELK stack.
  

1. Customization and Flexibility​

   
   With AKS Standard, you can tailor almost every aspect of your Kubernetes deployment. This flexibility makes it perfect for complex or highly regulated environments where specific configurations for security, networking, and workloads are required.
   

2. Operational Overhead​

   
   The downside to AKS Standard is the higher operational overhead. The deep customization options and manual management of nodes, networking, and security require significant Kubernetes expertise. As a result, AKS Standard is best suited for companies with dedicated DevOps teams or advanced knowledge of Kubernetes.

Introducing AKS Automatic: Kubernetes Simplified
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AKS Automatic is a new managed Kubernetes service, currently in preview, designed to remove much of the operational complexity involved with setting up and maintaining a Kubernetes cluster. While it offers less customization than AKS Standard, it automates many critical functions, making it ideal for teams seeking ease of use and faster deployment times.

1. Automated Cluster Management​

   
   AKS Automatic takes care of much of the operational overhead that AKS Standard demands:

• Node Pool Management: Node scaling is fully automated based on workload requirements. You don’t need to worry about manual node configurations.

• Networking: AKS Automatic comes with pre-configured networking, optimized for production workloads, simplifying VNET and subnet configurations. Azure handles much of the complexity around pod networking.

• Security: AKS Automatic implements security best practices by default, including managed identities and automated RBAC settings. While there’s less flexibility in customizing security, the built-in configurations ensure a production-ready and secure environment.

• Cluster Upgrades: Kubernetes upgrades are handled automatically through predefined upgrade channels, ensuring your clusters are always up-to-date with minimal downtime or manual intervention.
  

1. Built-In Monitoring and Logging​

   
   A standout feature of AKS Automatic is the built-in monitoring, logging, and visualization capabilities:

• Managed Prometheus and Managed Grafana are integrated by default, offering a fully managed, out-of-the-box monitoring experience when created via the CLI or Portal.

• Container Insights is also enabled by default when created via the CLI or Portal, providing a seamless way to visualize the health and performance of your clusters without additional setup.
  

1. Lower Operational Overhead​

   
   By automating much of the cluster management, AKS Automatic reduces the need for Kubernetes expertise. This makes it ideal for companies looking to focus more on application development rather than the intricacies of infrastructure management.
   

2. Preview Status – Not Production-Ready​

   
   It's important to note that AKS Automatic is currently in preview and not recommended for production workloads yet. Companies should consider this limitation when planning their deployments.
   

Detailed Feature Comparison: AKS Standard vs. AKS Automatic
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Feature	AKS Standard	AKS Automatic
Cluster Management	Manual management of nodes, upgrades, and security settings.	Automated management, including scaling, updates, and security configurations.
Node Pool Management	Custom VM sizes, manual scaling, multiple node pools (including spot instances).	Automated scaling and management of node pools based on workload requirements.
Networking	Custom VNETs, Kubenet or Azure CNI, network policies (e.g., Calico).	Preconfigured networking optimized for production workloads.
Security Configuration	Custom RBAC, Pod Security Policies, Azure Policy integration, custom certificates, integration with Azure Key Vault.	Automated security best practices, including managed identities and preconfigured security settings.
Upgrades	Manual control over Kubernetes version upgrades and node pool updates.	Automated upgrades through pre-selected channels (rapid, stable, patch).
Monitoring, Logging & Visualization	Integration with Azure Monitor, Prometheus, Grafana; custom logging with Azure Log Analytics or external tools.	Includes managed Prometheus, managed Grafana, and Container Insights by default.
Cluster Authentication & Authorization	Customizable options including Entra ID integration, Kubernetes RBAC, and Azure Policy.	Preconfigured authentication via Entra ID and managed identities; built-in RBAC.
Customization	High: Full control over all aspects of cluster configuration, including storage, networking, security, and deployment pipelines.	Moderate: Some customization possible, but optimized for ease of use and production-readiness.
Operational Overhead	Higher: Requires Kubernetes expertise for manual management and configuration.	Lower: Designed for ease of use with minimal manual intervention, suitable for teams with less Kubernetes experience.
Scaling Granularity	Manual or auto-scaling with Cluster Auto-scaler, including specific node pool scaling.	Fully automated scaling with less granular control.
Deployment Flexibility	Supports Helm, Kustomize, GitOps, and custom CI/CD pipelines.	Streamlined deployment processes with optimized defaults.
Compliance and Governance	Custom integration with Azure Policy, regulatory compliance configurations.	Built-in compliance with Azure’s best practices, less customizability.
Disaster Recovery	Manual setup of backup and disaster recovery strategies (e.g., Velero), Node Auto-Repair, Availability Zones	Same of AKS Standard
Multi-Region Support	Manual configuration for multi-region deployments. Does not provide automatic failover across regions.	Same as AKS Standard.
Cost Optimization	Full control over cost through precise resource allocation and custom scaling rules.	Automated resource management, potentially higher costs due to less granular control.
Preview Status	Fully mature and ready for production workloads.	In preview, not recommended for production workloads.
Best For	Teams with strong DevOps skills, requiring full control and custom setups.	Companies focusing on rapid development with minimal infrastructure management.

See here for the official feature comparison between the AKS Standard and AKS Automatic

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Service for Your Company​

Your choice between AKS Standard and AKS Automatic depends on your company’s technical expertise and business goals:

• AKS Standard is ideal for companies with an experienced DevOps team that requires full control over their Kubernetes environment. Its deep customization makes it perfect for complex deployments, advanced workloads, or highly regulated industries.

• AKS Automatic is best suited for companies that prioritize operational efficiency and developer productivity over granular control. It’s perfect for teams looking to focus on application development without worrying about the complexities of infrastructure management. However, as AKS Automatic is still in preview, it should be considered carefully for production workloads.

Both services offer compelling advantages, and the right choice depends on your current infrastructure capabilities and your long-term goals for growth and scalability.


For more details, you can refer to the official documentation for AKS Standard and AKS Automatic.

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