Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)¶
A Kubernetes distribution?¶
Question
What is a Kubernetes distribution and why do you call EKS Distro one?
Answer
EKS Distro is a distro of the same open source Kubernetes and dependencies
deployed by Amazon EKS. We include binaries and containers of open source
Kubernetes, etcd, networking, and storage plugins, all of which are tested
for compatibility. We provide extended support for Kubernetes versions after
community support expires by updating builds of previous versions with the
latest critical security patches. You can securely access EKS Distro releases
from GitHub or within AWS via Amazon S3 and ECR for a common source of
releases and updates.
Is this a fork of Kubernetes?¶
Question
Is EKS Distro forking Kubernetes?
Answer
No. EKS Distro takes upstream (unmodified) Kubernetes and packages and configures it in a certain, opinionated manner. We've gathered these opinions by running tens of thousands of EKS clusters at different scales, world-wide.
Why use EKS Distro?¶
Question
Why should I use EKS Distro?
Answer
EKS Distro enables you to create Kubernetes clusters using a distro of compatible versions of the latest Kubernetes release and its dependencies, tested by Amazon EKS to be reliable and secure. With EKS Distro, you have a single vendor for secure access to installable, reproducible builds of Kubernetes for cluster creation and extended security patching support of Kubernetes versions after community support expires. We will provide extended Kubernetes maintenance support for up to 14 months in accordance with Amazon EKS Version Lifecycle Policy, providing you the timeframe necessary to update your infrastructure in alignment with your software lifecycle. For further information on supported Kubernetes versions in EKS, see Amazon EKS version support and FAQ.
What is included in EKS Distro?¶
Question
What is included in EKS Distro?
Answer
EKS Distro includes open source (upstream) Kubernetes components and third-party
tools, including configuration database, network, and storage components
necessary for cluster creation. They include Kubernetes control plane
components (e.g. kube-controller-manager, etcd, and CoreDNS),
Kubernetes worker node components (e.g. kubelet, CSI, and CNI), and
command line clients (e.g. kubectl and kubeadm).
What operating systems are supported?¶
Question
What operating system can I install EKS Distro on?
Answer
We provide the same upstream versions of Kubernetes and dependencies that operating system vendors have tested and confirmed to work with Kubernetes and will work the same way. As a result, EKS Distro works with common operating systems already used to create Kubernetes clusters, such as CentOS, Canonical Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Suse, and more. EKS Distro is tested by select vendors on various operating systems including Bottlerocket, Amazon Linux 2 and Ubuntu.