Smooth Kubernetes & EKS Upgrades: Why They Matter and How to Get Them Right

Upgrading Kubernetes is a crucial task for maintaining a secure, stable, and high-performing containerized infrastructure. Whether you're managing Kubernetes on-premises or using a managed service like Amazon EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service), regular upgrades ensure access to the latest features, performance enhancements, and security patches.

At Kapstan, we help businesses modernize and maintain their cloud-native platforms with zero-downtime Kubernetes upgrades, including seamless updates for EKS clusters. In this article, we’ll explore why upgrades are essential, what challenges to expect, and how Kapstan makes the process smooth and predictable.

Why Kubernetes Upgrades Are Important

Kubernetes has a fast-paced release cycle—with a new version rolling out roughly every three to four months. Each release brings:

• Critical security fixes

• Improved performance and scalability

• New APIs and deprecated features

• Better support for cloud-native workloads

Ignoring upgrades can lead to compatibility issues, deprecated APIs, and an increasing risk of vulnerabilities over time.

Key Considerations Before Upgrading Kubernetes

Upgrading Kubernetes, especially in production environments, isn’t just about clicking a button. It involves careful planning and testing. Key things to consider:

• Version Skew: Kubernetes supports only n-2 minor versions for kubelets and control plane components.

• API Deprecation: New versions often deprecate or remove old APIs.

• Workload Compatibility: Custom workloads and Helm charts may need adjustments.

• Resource Scheduling: Cluster resources must be balanced to avoid service interruptions.

EKS Upgrade: A Managed Kubernetes Experience

Amazon EKS simplifies some of the complexity of Kubernetes upgrades, but it still requires proper planning and execution.

EKS Upgrade Components:

1. EKS Control Plane – AWS provides one-click upgrades but doesn’t automatically update your worker nodes.

2. Node Groups – You need to upgrade managed or self-managed node groups manually.

3. Add-ons – Core add-ons like VPC CNI, CoreDNS, and kube-proxy also need version updates.

4. Helm Charts and Workloads – Applications must be tested for version compatibility.

Important: Always upgrade the EKS control plane first, followed by node groups, then add-ons, and finally your workloads.

Best Practices for Kubernetes/EKS Upgrades

At Kapstan, we follow a structured, safe approach for upgrading Kubernetes and EKS clusters. Here’s what we recommend:

1. Review Kubernetes Changelogs

Understand what’s new, what’s deprecated, and which APIs are affected. This helps you avoid runtime failures after the upgrade.

2. Backup Everything

Use etcd snapshots, take database backups, and back up workload configurations. Safety comes first.

3. Test in a Staging Environment

Replicate your production workloads in a non-prod cluster to test compatibility and performance.

4. Upgrade Incrementally

Never skip minor versions. Go step-by-step (e.g., v1.23 → v1.24 → v1.25) to avoid breaking changes.

5. Monitor Everything

Enable cluster monitoring using tools like Prometheus, Grafana, or CloudWatch to catch issues early during and after the upgrade.

6. Use Blue-Green or Canary Deployments

Upgrade workloads gradually. Use blue-green or canary strategies to reduce risk during node rollouts.

How Kapstan Helps with Kubernetes & EKS Upgrades

Upgrading Kubernetes in production doesn’t have to be stressful. At Kapstan, we manage the entire upgrade lifecycle to ensure zero downtime, maximum compatibility, and future-proof infrastructure.

Our Upgrade Services Include:

✅ Pre-upgrade assessment & audit
✅ Cluster backup & disaster recovery readiness
✅ EKS control plane & node group upgrade
✅ Helm chart validation & workload testing
✅ Core add-on updates (CNI, CoreDNS, kube-proxy)
✅ Post-upgrade monitoring & incident response
✅ CI/CD integration validation

Whether you're using vanilla Kubernetes or managed EKS clusters, we tailor the process to your specific environment, minimizing risk and maximizing uptime.

Final Thoughts

Regular Kubernetes upgrades are a non-negotiable part of operating a resilient, secure, and modern cloud-native platform. With the right planning, tools, and expertise, upgrades can be smooth and uneventful—even in production.

If you're running Kubernetes or Amazon EKS and unsure how to upgrade safely, Kapstan is here to help. Our DevOps and cloud experts ensure your clusters are always up-to-date, secure, and ready to scale.