Kubernetes Comparison: Amazon EKS vs Azure AKS vs Google GKE
The Competitors
Amazon EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
- Fully managed Kubernetes service on AWS.
- Deep integration with AWS services like IAM, VPC, and CloudWatch.
- You manage the worker nodes; AWS handles the control plane.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
- Microsoft’s Kubernetes service, tightly integrated with Azure services.
- Supports Windows and Linux containers (because Microsoft still loves Windows 💙).
- Offers automatic upgrades and scaling.
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
- Kubernetes on Google Cloud—built by the same team that created Kubernetes.
- Offers fully managed and autopilot modes (for those who don’t want to manage nodes).
- Integrates with Google’s AI and analytics tools (because of course it does 🤖).
What is Autopilot Mode in GKE? 🚀
Google Kubernetes Engine Autopilot mode is Google’s hands-off approach to Kubernetes. Instead of worrying about provisioning nodes, setting resource limits, and tweaking autoscaling, Google handles everything for you.
Autopilot mode is best for teams who:
- Don’t want to manage infrastructure (aka lazy but smart developers 🤓).
- Need predictable pricing (you only pay for running pods, not idle nodes).
- Want Google to optimize resource usage automatically.
GKE Standard vs. Autopilot Mode
| Feature | GKE Standard | GKE Autopilot |
|---|
| Node Management | You manage worker nodes | Google manages nodes |
| Scaling | Manual or auto | Fully automatic |
| Pricing | Pay for provisioned VMs | Pay only for running pods |
| Control | Full customization | Optimized for efficiency |
| Best For | Teams with Kubernetes expertise | Those who want Kubernetes with no hassle |
Creating a GKE Autopilot Cluster (gcloud CLI)
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| gcloud container clusters create-auto my-autopilot-cluster --region=us-central1
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Deploying an App to an Autopilot Cluster
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| kubectl create deployment hello-world --image=gcr.io/google-samples/hello-app:1.0
kubectl expose deployment hello-world --type=LoadBalancer --port=80
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Feature Comparison
| Feature | Amazon EKS | Azure AKS | Google GKE |
|---|
| Who Built It? | AWS (adopted Kubernetes) | Microsoft (jumped on the bandwagon) | Google (literally invented Kubernetes) |
| Control Plane Management | AWS manages it | Fully managed | Fully managed |
| Node Management | Self-managed or Fargate | AKS takes care of it | Standard or Autopilot mode |
| Auto-Scaling | Yes (Cluster Autoscaler) | Yes (Horizontal & Vertical Scaling) | Yes (Cluster Autoscaler, Autopilot) |
| Multi-Region Clusters | Not natively supported | No | Yes (GKE Multi-Cluster) |
| Load Balancer | AWS ALB & NLB | Azure Load Balancer | Google Cloud Load Balancer |
| Pricing | Pay for EC2 worker nodes + EKS control plane | Pay for worker nodes (control plane free) | Pay for worker nodes (control plane free) |
| Windows Support? | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | AWS-heavy workloads | Microsoft shops & hybrid cloud | Performance and AI-heavy workloads |
| Complexity | Medium-High | Medium | Low (Autopilot mode) |
Common Problems They Solve
- Deploying and managing containers without losing your mind. 🤯
- Scaling applications automatically when demand spikes. 📈
- Running cloud-native applications on Kubernetes, but without managing all the nitty-gritty cluster details. 🛠️
- Keeping microservices-based apps running smoothly (without constant 3 AM wake-up calls). 🚑
Code Samples
Amazon EKS - Deploying a Cluster (AWS CLI)
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| aws eks create-cluster --name my-cluster --role-arn arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/EKSClusterRole --resources-vpc-config subnetIds=subnet-abcde12345,subnet-67890fghij,securityGroupIds=sg-abcdefgh
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Azure AKS - Deploying a Cluster (Azure CLI)
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| az aks create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myAKSCluster --node-count 2 --enable-addons monitoring --generate-ssh-keys
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Google GKE - Deploying a Cluster (gcloud CLI)
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| gcloud container clusters create my-cluster --zone us-central1-a --num-nodes=2
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Final Thoughts
AWS EKS: Best if you’re already knee-deep in the AWS ecosystem. Works well with AWS services, but you’ll need to manage your worker nodes (or use Fargate for a more managed experience).
Azure AKS: A fantastic choice if you’re an Azure shop. Offers tight integration with Microsoft services and hybrid cloud capabilities.
Google GKE: If you want the best Kubernetes-native experience, GKE is the winner. It’s built by the team that made Kubernetes, and its Autopilot mode makes life easier.
So who wins? That depends on where you live in cloud world. 🌍
Key Ideas Table
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|
| Amazon EKS | AWS’s managed Kubernetes service |
| Azure AKS | Microsoft’s Kubernetes offering, tightly integrated with Azure |
| Google GKE | Google’s Kubernetes service, built by Kubernetes’ original creators |
| Control Plane | The part of Kubernetes that manages cluster operations |
| Node Management | Decides whether you or the cloud provider handles worker nodes |
| Auto-Scaling | Automatically adjusting the number of nodes in a cluster |
| Load Balancer | Distributes traffic across multiple containers |
| Hybrid Cloud | Running workloads across both on-prem and cloud services |
References
