Azure AKS Advanced Operations Training
Master production AKS operations in this 3-day advanced course. Learn cluster scaling, security hardening, cost optimization, upgrade strategies, and multi-cluster patterns for enterprise Kubernetes on Azure.
Training Details
Section titled “Training Details”| Duration | 3 days (24 hours) |
| Level | Advanced |
| Delivery | In-person, Live online, Hybrid |
| Certification | N/A |
Who Is This For?
Section titled “Who Is This For?”- Platform engineers running AKS in production
- SRE teams responsible for AKS reliability and performance
- Security engineers hardening AKS environments
- Teams optimizing AKS costs at scale
Learning Outcomes
Section titled “Learning Outcomes”After completing this training, participants will be able to:
- Implement cluster autoscaler and KEDA for efficient scaling
- Harden AKS clusters with Azure Policy, Defender for Containers, and network policies
- Optimize costs with spot node pools, autoscaler tuning, and right-sizing
- Execute zero-downtime cluster upgrades with maintenance windows
- Implement GitOps with Flux (AKS GitOps extension) or ArgoCD
- Design multi-cluster architectures with Azure Fleet Manager
Detailed Agenda
Section titled “Detailed Agenda”Day 1: Scaling and Performance
Section titled “Day 1: Scaling and Performance”Module 1: Node and Pod Autoscaling
- Cluster Autoscaler configuration and tuning
- Node Autoprovision (NAP) for dynamic node pools
- Horizontal Pod Autoscaler with custom metrics
- KEDA for event-driven autoscaling (Azure Service Bus, Event Hubs)
- Hands-on: Configure KEDA with Azure Service Bus triggers
Module 2: Performance Optimization
- Node pool sizing and VM SKU selection
- Ephemeral OS disks for faster node startup
- Azure Premium SSD v2 and Ultra Disks
- Resource quotas and LimitRanges
- Proximity placement groups for low-latency workloads
- Hands-on: Optimize node pool configuration for performance
Day 2: Security and Compliance
Section titled “Day 2: Security and Compliance”Module 3: Network Security
- Azure CNI network policies vs Calico
- Azure Firewall and UDR for egress control
- Private clusters and Private Link
- Azure Front Door and WAF integration
- Hands-on: Implement network segmentation and egress filtering
Module 4: Runtime Security and Compliance
- Microsoft Defender for Containers
- Azure Policy for AKS (built-in and custom initiatives)
- Pod Security Standards enforcement
- Azure Key Vault provider for Secrets Store CSI driver
- Image integrity and supply chain security
- Hands-on: Deploy Defender, Azure Policy initiatives, and Key Vault integration
Day 3: Operations and Multi-Cluster
Section titled “Day 3: Operations and Multi-Cluster”Module 5: Cluster Upgrades and Maintenance
- AKS upgrade channels (rapid, stable, node-image)
- Planned maintenance windows
- Node image upgrades and OS patching
- Blue-green cluster upgrades with Traffic Manager
- Hands-on: Configure maintenance windows and perform a rolling upgrade
Module 6: Cost Optimization
- Spot node pools for interruptible workloads
- AKS cost analysis in Azure Cost Management
- Start/stop cluster and node pool features
- Reserved Instances and Savings Plans for AKS nodes
- Hands-on: Implement cost-optimized node pools with spot and on-demand mix
Module 7: Multi-Cluster with Azure Fleet Manager
- Azure Kubernetes Fleet Manager overview
- Fleet-wide configuration propagation
- Multi-cluster load balancing
- GitOps with Flux AKS extension across clusters
- Hands-on: Deploy and manage applications across multiple AKS clusters
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- AKS Fundamentals training or equivalent hands-on AKS experience
- Azure networking (VNets, NSGs, Azure Firewall) and identity (Entra ID) experience
- Kubernetes administration skills (kubectl, Helm, resource management)
Delivery Formats
Section titled “Delivery Formats”| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| In-Person | On-site at your company’s location, hands-on with direct interaction |
| Live Online | Interactive virtual sessions with screen sharing and real-time labs |
| Hybrid | Combination of on-site and remote sessions, flexible scheduling |
All formats include hands-on labs, course materials, and post-training support.