What is EKS Anywhere?
EKS Anywhere is a Kubernetes distribution from AWS that you can run in your own data center or at the edge. You get the same tools and experience as Amazon EKS in the cloud while maintaining full control over your infrastructure. Unlike Amazon EKS in the cloud, EKS Anywhere is a customer-managed product: cluster lifecycle and infrastructure capacity are the customer’s responsibility, not AWS’s. EKS Anywhere is ideal for organizations with strict data residency requirements or existing data centers.
Core Features
- Consistent Kubernetes: Same Kubernetes version and configuration as EKS in the cloud
- Cluster Lifecycle Management: Automated installation, upgrades, and backups via eksctl
- Multi-Platform Support: VMware vSphere, bare metal, Nutanix, Apache CloudStack, and AWS Snow
- Curated Packages: Tested and supported add-ons for observability, networking, and security
- Optional AWS Integration: Connection to AWS for monitoring, IAM, and additional services
Typical Use Cases
Data Residency Compliance: When data must not leave your own data center, EKS Anywhere enables modern Kubernetes workloads without cloud dependency.
Edge Computing: For applications with local latency requirements (manufacturing, retail, logistics), EKS Anywhere brings container orchestration to the edge.
Hybrid Cloud Strategies: Combine EKS Anywhere with Amazon EKS for consistent deployments across on-premises and cloud with unified tooling.
Benefits
- Full control over infrastructure and data
- Consistent Kubernetes experience with cloud EKS
- No vendor lock-in through standard Kubernetes
- Enterprise support from AWS available
Integration with innFactory
As an AWS Reseller, innFactory supports you with EKS Anywhere: planning and installation, integration with existing infrastructure, hybrid cloud architecture, and ongoing operations with best-practice configuration.
Typical Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between EKS Anywhere and EKS?
EKS runs in the AWS Cloud, EKS Anywhere runs in your own data center. Both use the same Kubernetes distribution and tooling, but EKS Anywhere gives you full control over the infrastructure.
What hardware is supported?
EKS Anywhere supports VMware vSphere, bare metal, Nutanix, Apache CloudStack, and AWS Snow. You use your existing infrastructure without special hardware requirements.
Do I need an AWS connection?
No, EKS Anywhere can operate fully offline. Optionally, you can connect to AWS for cluster management, monitoring, and support.
What does enterprise support cost?
The EKS Anywhere software itself is free to use. For production workloads, an EKS Anywhere Enterprise Subscription with support is recommended, billed as a flat fee per cluster and term (1 or 3 years), which requires an AWS Enterprise Support plan.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of AWS (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by AWS.