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Version Support

AKS is a managed service with a defined Kubernetes support policy. Treat version support as an ongoing operational responsibility, not an annual cleanup task.

Topic/Command Groups

flowchart TD
    A[Version Support] --> B[Supported Window]
    B --> C[Upgrade Planning]
    C --> D[Validation]

What to track

  • AKS supports N, N-1, and N-2 GA minor versions; N-3 is platform support only.
  • GA versions follow a 12-month support policy.
  • Current cluster Kubernetes version.
  • Supported AKS minor versions and retirement timelines.
  • API deprecations affecting manifests and controllers.
  • Node image upgrade cadence and add-on compatibility.

Useful checks

az aks show --resource-group $RG --name $CLUSTER_NAME --query kubernetesVersion --output tsv
az aks get-upgrades --resource-group $RG --name $CLUSTER_NAME --output table
kubectl api-resources

Usage Notes

  • Avoid staying on the oldest supported version.
  • Upgrade non-production first and validate custom controllers, admission webhooks, and CRDs.
  • Track version readiness in the same place you track security patching and maintenance windows.

See Also

Sources