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Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

Deploy and scale containers on managed Kubernetes
Simplify Kubernetes operations, build cloud-native apps, and innovate with AI and open-source technology.
Try for free Create a pay-as-you-go account
OVERVIEW

Deploy and manage applications at scale

  • Securely modernize and optimize Kubernetes environments with unified management, governance, and monitoring.
  • Optimize app performance at scale and increase productivity of containerized workloads from cloud to edge.
  • Use best-in-class tools and generative AI to accelerate application development and deployment.
  • Explore new scenarios by tapping into open-source solutions and innovating with AI and machine learning.
FEATURES

Innovate with seamless Kubernetes deployment and operation

Simplified Kubernetes experience

Automate cluster management tasks such as upgrades, node provisioning, scaling, and network configuration with Automatic mode (preview).
Learn more about AKS Automatic

Curated code-to-cloud experience

End-to-end developer productivity with debugging, automated node maintenance, and continuous integration and continuous delivery.
GitHub Actions for AKS

Integrated monitoring and logging

In-depth performance and health insights of Kubernetes clusters and containerized applications.
Monitoring for AKS

Advanced security and governance controls

Robust identity and access management to monitor and maintain container security for governance at scale.
Security best practices

Cloud to edge deployments

Support for Linux, Windows Server, and IoT resources with AKS deployment on the infrastructure of your choice using Azure Arc.
Arc enabled AKS

Secure container supply chains

Trusted Kubernetes solutions in the Azure Marketplace with click-through deployments and flexible billing models.
Get started with Kubernetes apps
SECURITY

Built-in security and compliance 

Microsoft has committed to investing $20 billion in cybersecurity over five years.
We employ more than 8,500 security and threat intelligence experts across 77 countries.
Azure has one of the largest compliance certification portfolios in the industry.
Learn more about security on Azure
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Pricing

Flexible, tier-based pricing to meet your different workload needs

  • Try the Automatic tier (preview) and provide feedback.
  • Use the Standard tier for all production workloads and workloads requiring long-term support.
See Azure Kubernetes Service pricing

Build intelligent apps with Kubernetes

Combine AI, cloud-scale data, and cloud-native app development to create unique digital experiences.
Learn how
CUSTOMER STORIES

See how customers are innovating with Azure

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  1. Manulife logo
  2. LEGO House Logo
  3. Cariad logo
  4. Mr. Turing logo
  5. Tomtom logo
  6. Dick's logo
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Manulife logo
“Our development time is 30 percent lower now, and our cost savings are in the 50 percent range with our Azure Kubernetes Service environment.”
Aaron Minkovich, Chief Technology Officer at Manulife
30%
Lower development time
50%
Cost savings
Compared to previous environment
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LEGO House Logo
“We will actually rebuild the full house to run on Azure and AKS to create flexibility and scalability in our digital tech stack.”
Søren Bering Andersen, Head of Digital & Technology at LEGO House
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Cariad logo
“AKS is the central offering of our new platform, empowering developers to easily, reliably and efficiently develop applications.”
Lennart Weller, Senior Dev Ops Engineer at CARIAD
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Mr. Turing logo
“Cloud Native and AKS together have significantly accelerated our development process, enabling us to provide a better, more efficient service to our customers.”
Marco Aleixo, CTO at Mr. Turing
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Tomtom logo
“We use Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Kubernetes Service because we’ve identified these as key services that facilitate the acceleration of AI apps.”
Ivan Diaz, Principal Staff Engineer for AI Services at TomTom Group
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Dick's logo
“We ended up with the Azure Kubernetes Service and Azure Arc solution … because our account team, and specifically some of our Microsoft developer advocates, knew and understood where we wanted to go as a company. Microsoft provided training and responded quickly to our team’s questions throughout the migration and development process—it was a game-changer.”
Jon Hathaway, Senior Technical Lead at DICK’S Sporting Goods
Back to CUSTOMER STORIES section
RESOURCES

Learn more to get started

Skip Resources - Use cases tab section
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Intelligent apps

Build intelligent apps with AKS

Build and deploy applications on AKS that use AI technology to deliver personalized experiences.
Learn more
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Large language models

Run open-source AI models on AKS

Seamlessly deploy AI models on AKS with the AI toolchain operator (preview).
Learn more
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Migration

Lift and shift to containers with AKS

Easily migrate existing applications to containers and run them in a fully managed Kubernetes service.
Learn more
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Platform engineering

Platform engineering guide

Create personalized developer experiences using building blocks from Microsoft and other vendors.
Learn more
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Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot for Azure

Create Kubernetes YAML files using Copilot for Azure.
Learn more
Back to Resources - Use cases tab section
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Frequently asked questions

  •  Kubernetes is open-source software for deploying and managing containerized applications at scale. It orchestrates a cluster of Azure virtual machines, schedules containers, automatically manages service discovery, incorporates load balancing, tracks resource allocation, and manages the health of individual resources using automatic restart/replication. AKS is a managed service that automates provisioning, upgrading, on-demand scaling, and more.   Learn more about AKS.
  • AKS offers the quickest way to start developing and deploying cloud-native apps in Azure, datacenters, or at the edge, with built-in code-to-cloud pipelines and guardrails. As a hosted Kubernetes service, Azure handles critical tasks, like health monitoring and maintenance. You only manage and maintain the agent nodes.   Learn more.
  • AKS supports a diverse set of containerized workloads, including monoliths and microservices, stateful and stateless, and Edge and IoT use cases. You can quickly deploy packaged solutions from Microsoft partners to AKS with Kubernetes apps in the Azure Marketplace to get up and running faster.   Learn more about Kubernetes apps.
  • AKS can run in on-premises datacenters or in edge environments, such as a retail store or branch office. Azure Kubernetes Service is enabled by Azure Arc and can be deployed on Azure Stack HCI and on both Windows Server 2019 and 2022 Datacenter. These flexible deployment options are enabled by Azure Arc and make it quicker to get started hosting Linux and Windows containers in your datacenter or edge locations.   Learn more about hybrid AKS.
  • AKS relies on the releases and patches from Kubernetes, an open-source project that supports a sliding window of three minor versions. The Free and Standard tiers of AKS can only guarantee full support while those versions are being serviced. AKS also provides a long-term support (LTS) version of Kubernetes for a two-year period as part of our Premium tier.   Learn more about LTS.
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