Azure Kubernetes Service Automatic: Fast and frictionless Kubernetes for all

Azure Kubernetes Service Automatic helps teams transition from code commits to cloud deployment effortlessly, speeding up delivery and fostering innovation.

I’m thrilled to share that Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Automatic is now generally available! It offers pre-configured and optimized Kubernetes solutions that are ready for immediate use. By leveraging automation, AKS Automatic not only speeds up application delivery but simplifies Kubernetes operations with smart defaults. It also supports secure and compliant workloads designed for AI and cloud-native applications, setting a new standard for a hassle-free Kubernetes experience.

No more struggling with complex setups and operations—teams can effortlessly shift from committing code to deploying it in the cloud. AKS Automatic achieves a perfect harmony between ease of use and necessary flexibility. By alleviating the complexities of Kubernetes infrastructure, it allows teams to concentrate on developing and running their applications, while still providing the extensibility and openness that Kubernetes is known for.

AKS underpins mission-critical operations for some of the world’s leading organisations, including OpenAI, BMW, Hexagon, McDonald’s, and the NBA. Across various sectors, enterprises are utilising AKS to scale their operations securely and foster innovation. AKS Automatic builds upon this solid foundation to make Kubernetes quicker, simpler, and safer for all users.

Eliminating the “Kubernetes Tax”

Even the most seasoned Kubernetes professionals often face operational challenges. AKS Automatic is designed to eliminate these obstacles by:

• Simplifying the learning curve for newcomers. The “easy mode” clusters come equipped with best-practice defaults and guidelines, simplifying the configuration and operational processes. This ensures that even first-time users can have a reliable cluster up and running quickly.
• Reducing operational overhead. Traditional Kubernetes management involves maintaining the control plane, tuning node pools, patching systems, handling upgrades, and scaling—all of which demand significant time and resources. AKS Automatic automates these after-deployment tasks, allowing Azure to manage your cluster’s infrastructure, freeing your team to focus on other priorities.
• Avoiding security and reliability risks due to misconfiguration. The flexibility of Kubernetes can sometimes lead to mistakes that expose security vulnerabilities or disrupt reliability. AKS Automatic clusters come secure and ready for production from the start, with hardened default configurations and continuous patching and monitoring by Azure, ensuring peace of mind regarding security and operational resilience.

From deploying container images to running applications within minutes, AKS Automatic enhances the overall Kubernetes experience. With built-in smart defaults and proactive security measures, teams can direct their energy towards application development rather than infrastructure management.

The AKS Automatic proof of concept has significantly cut down operational overhead for our Enterprise Tooling Platform. By streamlining deployment and management, we can now focus more on application workloads rather than infrastructure. We are planning to adopt AKS Automatic as our ETP microservices and hosting platform for production.

—Swamy Asha, Solution Engineer at Royal Mail Group

What AKS Automatic Offers

AKS Automatic simplifies the Kubernetes experience by providing a fully managed, user-friendly service that abstracts infrastructure complexity while keeping the full power of Kubernetes accessible. Here’s what you get when you set up an AKS Automatic cluster:

One-click, production-ready clusters. Create a production-ready cluster in minutes. Azure manages node setup, networking, and integrations by applying best practices, so you don’t have to worry about making initial decisions. Defaults like Azure Container Networking Interface (CNI) and Azure Linux nodes are preselected, allowing for immediate deployment.

Intelligent autoscaling without manual adjustment. AKS Automatic supports dynamic scaling for both pods and nodes through features like Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA), Vertical Pod Autoscaler (VPA), and KEDA, all pre-enabled. It introduces automated node provisioning via Karpenter, an open-source Kubernetes autoscaler that dynamically adjusts your cluster size based on current demand—no manual setup necessary.

Integrated security and reliability best practices. Every AKS Automatic cluster is designed to be production-ready from day one. This means that security and reliability features are embedded from the start. You receive Microsoft Entra ID integration for authentication, role-based access control, and network policies without extra configurations required. Node images are automatically updated, and Azure Monitor comes pre-configured for logs and metrics. Deployment safeguards help prevent misconfigurations that could affect uptime, while automatic node repairs and built-in scaling ensure consistent workload performance, giving you a stable cluster from the first day.

Azure’s application platform offers flexibility in scaling AI apps and agents in production, from AKS to Azure Container Apps and Azure App Service. AKS Automatic fortifies Azure’s offering by making Kubernetes easier for all teams, speeding up the deployment of AI applications and seamlessly integrating with Azure’s extensive range of services and developer tools.

Interest in Kubernetes continues to surge, particularly among customers creating new AI applications and modernising existing ones. Moreover, we have woven Microsoft’s vast experience of running Kubernetes for large-scale systems—providing support for Microsoft Teams, M365, Xbox Live, and more—directly into AKS Automatic configurations to bolster security, scalability, and performance.

Developer-friendly and fully extensible. While AKS Automatic manages infrastructure, it maintains a familiar experience for developers and platform engineers. You still have access to the full Kubernetes API, kubectl, and your existing tools will function as you expect. AKS Automatic integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines (like GitHub Actions), facilitating rapid, repeatable deployments. If modifications or specific Kubernetes features are necessary, you still have the complete functionality of Kubernetes available to you.

A platform tailored for AI and cloud-native applications. AKS Automatic is specifically designed to accommodate the needs of contemporary applications, including AI, ML, and cloud-native services. It provides support for GPUs, intelligent workload placement, and dynamic resource allocation, optimising performance for compute-intensive tasks such as model training and inference.

Commitment to open-source principles. Importantly, this all comes without compromising control or openness. AKS Automatic is based on upstream open-source Kubernetes and adheres strictly to CNCF standards (just like AKS Standard). It harnesses open-source tools like KEDA and Karpenter, staying aligned with the Kubernetes community while delivering a managed service experience.

Advantages for Both Startups and Enterprises

One of the standout features of AKS Automatic is its versatility, making it advantageous for a broad range of customers.

For small teams and startups, it makes Kubernetes accessible even without dedicated DevOps or platform engineers. You receive a “it just works” Kubernetes cluster where many challenging aspects (like scaling, security, and upgrades) are managed for you. This allows small teams to take advantage of Kubernetes’ power—its flexibility, portability, and scalability—without being overwhelmed by maintenance. As your needs expand, you still have access to all of Kubernetes’ capabilities.

For enterprise IT and platform teams, AKS Automatic delivers efficiency and consistency on a larger scale. IT platform teams can offer AKS Automatic clusters as a self-service option to internal groups, confident that these clusters will be secure and well-managed by default. This allows experienced Kubernetes operators to concentrate on higher-level architectural decisions rather than day-to-day cluster management. Additionally, since it remains part of AKS, it integrates smoothly with enterprise solutions like Azure Arc, Azure Monitor, and company-wide protocols, just as standard AKS does.

In both scenarios, the result is the same: teams can devote more time to their applications and business strategies, rather than managing Kubernetes itself. AKS Automatic alleviates much of the operational burden that typically accompanies Kubernetes, leading to enhanced developer productivity and a more manageable operational environment.

How to Get Started with AKS Automatic

Starting is incredibly straightforward; simply choose the “Automatic” option when creating a new AKS cluster. In the Azure Portal, you’ll find a toggle or SKU selection for AKS Automatic during the setup process. With Azure CLI, just specify the Automatic tier when setting up the cluster. There’s no need for a separate product or new API—this is the familiar AKS, now with a new managed mode.

If you’d like to explore further or give it a try:

• Ready to focus on innovation beyond infrastructure? Join us live for the global virtual launch event of AKS Automatic (or watch the recap)!
• Explore the documentation and quickstarts. We’ve updated guides on Microsoft Learn, including “Introduction to AKS Automatic”, which explains how it operates, as well as a quickstart guide for deploying an app to an AKS Automatic cluster from a GitHub repository (leveraging our automated CI/CD integration). These resources will guide you through the experience step by step.
• Test a sample workload. A great way to evaluate AKS Automatic is by deploying a non-critical workload or a development/test environment from your standard AKS cluster into a new AKS Automatic cluster. You’ll quickly notice how much falls off your plate (like manual node management), and you can witness the autoscaling features in action by applying load. Since the Kubernetes API remains the same, migrating an app is generally straightforward—often simply a case of directing your kubectl context to the new cluster and re-applying your manifests or Helm charts.
• Participate in the community discussion. We’re keen to hear your thoughts—what’s working well, what could be improved, and what features you’d like to see in the future. Kubernetes at scale is a journey, and reaching general availability is just one milestone. Moving forward, we’ll continue to improve AKS Automatic, guided heavily by user feedback. Connect with our team during our Monthly Community Calls or on our GitHub page.

Our team is excited to announce the general availability of AKS Automatic and can’t wait to see how it benefits you. Whether you’re a startup founder aiming to scale your application without building an ops team, or an enterprise architect looking to standardize and simplify your company’s Kubernetes footprint, we believe AKS Automatic will enable you to achieve more with less hassle. It’s Kubernetes, minus the complexity. We encourage you to give it a try and share your feedback—we look forward to witnessing a new wave of cloud-native innovation that AKS Automatic will facilitate.