Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a fully managed container orchestration service provided by Microsoft Azure. It simplifies the deployment, management, and scaling of containerized applications using Kubernetes. With AKS, developers can focus on building applications while Azure takes care of the underlying infrastructure. It offers features like automatic scaling, monitoring, and security, ensuring high availability and reliability. AKS integrates seamlessly with other Azure services, enabling easy integration with existing workflows. It also provides a flexible and open-source environment, allowing developers to use their preferred tools and frameworks. With AKS, organizations can accelerate their application development and deployment processes, while reducing operational overheads.
The most valuable features of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) include integration, automation, and robust security. Users like AKS's ability to natively integrate with Azure Active Directory, Azure DevOps, and other Azure products. AKS offers extensive usability out of the box with a managerial layer for easier environment creation. Users praised AKS's Helm deployment feature, diagnostic service, easy resource creation, and command replication.
The solution's configuration management and troubleshooting performance issues could be simplified. Integration with different non-Azure cloud services needs improvement, and users would like more support for installing open-source tools. A user-friendly UI dashboard and a K9 terminal-like interface would be beneficial. Reviewers said the solution should improve secrets management and handle personal information more efficiently. Improvements to monitoring services and log aggregation are also needed. The user interface can be overwhelming for those unfamiliar with the concepts, and a wizard for integration and creation of a new Kubernetes in the cloud would be helpful.
The Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) has shown a positive return on investment, with some users reporting an ROI of up to percent. The ROI can vary depending on the specific use cases. Initially, there may be infrastructure costs, but as more services are deployed, the cost per service decreases significantly due to leveraging the underlying infrastructure. As operations scale, AKS becomes more cost-effective. Additionally, the use of containers in AKS saves money by eliminating the need for an operating system and only requiring minimal binaries to run applications, making it highly advantageous from a company perspective.
AKS users generally consider it to be costly. The pricing for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) varies depending on the choice of virtual machines and the amount of memory required. There are multiple options available, allowing for customization based on specific needs. While virtual machines in the cloud are generally slightly more expensive than those offered by data centers, users say the benefits of a managed service outweigh this cost. Users can opt for pay-as-you-go or licenses of one to three years, with the latter providing a potential discount of up to 40%. The licensing structure of AKS is based on use cases, and there is a pricing calculator to determine costs.
Azure Kubernetes Service is primarily used for infrastructure services on platforms, such as running virtual instances on Azure. It is also used as a platform for hosting SaaS offerings in the financial services sector, including lending and credit-related functionalities, as well as medical services and more. Some companies use AKS to migrate traditional servers and application services to more advanced PaaS offerings, while others use the solution to deploy and manage containerized applications. AKS can also be used to deploy microservices for customers and internally, with tight integration between Azure services and Kubernetes for event-driven autoscaling.
Some users feel that Azure support could be improved. They say that frontline support spends too much time asking basic questions and it can take some time to connect with someone who has the necessary expertise to provide assistance. There are also positive reviews stating that the support is excellent and the technical support team accurately resolves issues. Some users also mentioned that they have not needed to use the support team much due to the availability of documentation and other resources.
A few users found the AKS setup process complex and challenging, while others found it straightforward and easy. Reported deployment times vary, with some saying it took weeks and others completing the entire process in a couple of days. Some users described the setup process as straightforward and said the deployment steps were clearly laid out, while others struggled to understand the documentation.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is highly scalable and adaptable to varying needs. It automatically scales up and down based on workload demands and incorporates robust insights tools for optimal scaling. Users can choose between automatic and manual scaling modes, providing flexibility and customization. AKS is best for small to medium-sized businesses. However, some users pointed out that scaling may come with significant costs.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is generally considered stable. Users have reported a few glitches and performance issues, but these are manageable and do not significantly impact the overall performance and reliability of the services. The platform is described as mature, reliable, and self-healing. There have been occasional issues with cluster syncing and debugging.
