What is Azure Kubernetes Fleet Manager?
Azure Kubernetes Fleet Manager is an orchestration service for centralized management of multiple Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters. The service enables deploying and managing workloads, configurations, and policies consistently across a fleet of Kubernetes clusters.
Instead of configuring each cluster individually, teams define their deployments once and Fleet Manager automatically distributes them to target clusters. This significantly reduces operational overhead and ensures consistency across multiple environments.
Core Features
- Centralized management and overview of all AKS clusters in an organization
- Multi-cluster deployments with automatic workload distribution
- Consistent policy enforcement across all clusters
- Intelligent workload placement based on cluster properties
- Coordinated cluster updates and rollouts with minimal downtime
Typical Use Cases
Multi-Region Deployments: Organizations operate AKS clusters in multiple Azure regions for disaster recovery or latency optimization. Fleet Manager enables deploying applications to all regions with a single definition.
Environment Consistency: Development, staging, and production clusters are managed with identical base configurations but environment-specific overrides.
Enterprise Governance: Large organizations ensure all teams use the same security policies, network rules, and compliance configurations.
Benefits
- Reduced operational overhead through centralized control
- Consistent configuration prevents configuration drift between clusters
- Faster rollouts through automated multi-cluster deployments
- Better visibility into the health of all Kubernetes environments
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Fleet Manager differ from Azure Arc?
Azure Arc enables management of Kubernetes clusters outside of Azure (on-premises, other clouds). Fleet Manager focuses on orchestrating multiple AKS clusters within Azure with advanced multi-cluster deployment features.
What cluster count is supported?
Fleet Manager supports managing up to 100 AKS clusters per fleet. For larger deployments, multiple fleets can be created.
Can existing AKS clusters be added?
Yes, existing AKS clusters can be added to a fleet without requiring changes to the cluster itself. Registration is done through Azure Resource Manager.
How does update management work?
Fleet Manager enables coordinated upgrades across multiple clusters. Updates can be rolled out gradually, with progress monitored and paused if issues arise.
Integration with innFactory
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, innFactory supports you in implementing multi-cluster strategies with Azure Kubernetes Fleet Manager. We help with architecture, migration, and operations.
Contact us for a non-binding consultation on Fleet Manager and Kubernetes strategies.
