Summary: In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of planning and managing your cloud ecosystem and environments to minimize disruptions and ensure smooth operations. Specifically, we will focus on the best practices for migrating your worker nodes to a new Ubuntu operating system version. Keeping your worker node OS up to date is crucial for maintaining a functioning workload.

OS Support on IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service

IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service supports the Ubuntu OS and regularly updates to newer Ubuntu versions. Currently, the default OS for cluster worker nodes is Ubuntu20. As a user, it is your responsibility to migrate your worker nodes to new OS versions to avoid disruptions. IBM Cloud provides advance notifications of upcoming OS releases and deprecations to allow users time for preparations.

Best Practices for Migrating

Before beginning the migration process, it is important to consider the order in which you migrate your components. Following the recommended approach, start with your development environment, then move to pre-production environments, and finally apply changes to the production environment. This allows you to test services along the way and address any issues before making changes in production. Refer to the IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service documentation for the step-by-step migration process.

Testing Services during OS Migrations

Testing your services throughout the migration process is crucial for minimizing downtime and identifying any potential issues. One of the key steps in the migration process involves creating new worker pools with worker nodes at the latest OS version and eventually deleting the original worker pools. To ensure stability during testing, consider scaling down the original worker pools and keeping them for a few days before removing them. This way, you can revert to the original worker pool if any disruptions occur or if issues arise during testing. Only remove the original worker pools once you are confident that your workload is stable and functioning normally.

Wrap Up

Maintaining an updated worker node OS is essential for the smooth operation of your Kubernetes setup. When migrating your worker nodes, it is advisable to work on one environment at a time and conduct thorough testing at each step. In the next and final blog post of this series, we will discuss how to maintain optimal consistency across your setup.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the default OS for cluster worker nodes on IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service?

The default OS for cluster worker nodes on IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service is Ubuntu20.

2. How can I migrate my worker nodes to a new Ubuntu operating system version?

You can refer to the IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service documentation for detailed instructions on migrating your worker nodes to a new Ubuntu operating system version.

3. Why is it important to test services during OS migrations?

Testing services during OS migrations helps identify any issues or disruptions that may arise, allowing you to address them before making changes in the production environment. It helps minimize downtime and ensures the stable functioning of your workload.

4. Can I revert to the original worker pool if issues occur during testing?

Yes, you can scale down and keep the original worker pool for a few days before removing it. This provides a backup option in case disruptions occur or issues are encountered during testing. If necessary, you can scale back up the original worker pool and troubleshoot the problems before proceeding with the migration.

5. What will be covered in the next blog post of this series?

In the next and final blog post of this series, we will discuss how to maintain optimal consistency across your cloud ecosystem setup.