Kubernetes
Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended) vs AKS Kubernetes version support & Long Term Support (LTS)
EKS standard plus extended support maps to AKS community support plus Long Term Support (LTS).
Both give about two years per minor version if you pay for the extension.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended) | AKS Kubernetes version support & Long Term Support (LTS) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Each Kubernetes minor version gets 14 months of standard support, then 12 months of extended support (on by default, billed at a higher per-cluster-hour rate). After that, clusters are auto-upgraded. | About 12 months of community support per minor version. Premium-tier LTS adds a second year (roughly 24 months in total). From June 1, 2027, clusters left on unsupported versions are upgraded by the platform after a 60-day grace period. |
| Pricing model | The standard-support cluster fee, then a higher per-cluster-hour fee during extended support. | Community support is included in all tiers. LTS requires the Premium tier, which is billed per cluster-hour. |
| Docs | Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended) docs | AKS Kubernetes version support & Long Term Support (LTS) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended) pricing | AKS Kubernetes version support & Long Term Support (LTS) pricing |
| Exams | DOP-C02 SOA-C03 | AZ-104 |
Key differences
- Length. EKS gives 14 months of standard support plus 12 months of extended support (26 months). AKS gives about 12 months of community support plus 12 months of LTS (about 24 months).
- Opt-in. EKS extended support is on by default and billed automatically when a cluster passes standard support (you can disable it). AKS LTS requires the Premium tier and explicitly choosing the LTS support plan.
- Forced upgrades. EKS auto-upgrades clusters at the end of extended support. AKS will upgrade clusters left on unsupported versions after a 60-day grace period, starting June 1, 2027, and those upgrades ignore maintenance windows.
- Node OS. Azure Linux 2.0 is out of support on AKS (node images frozen). Plan for Azure Linux 3.0. On EKS, check AMI and Bottlerocket support separately.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- The standard-support cluster fee, then a higher per-cluster-hour fee during extended support. Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended) pricing →
- Azure
- Community support is included in all tiers. LTS requires the Premium tier, which is billed per cluster-hour. AKS Kubernetes version support & Long Term Support (LTS) pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional DOP-C02 | AWS | Professional | current Korean version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate SOA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Replaces AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02), whose last exam day was Sep 29, 2025. Simplified Chinese and Korean versions retire after Nov 19, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended)?
EKS standard plus extended support maps to AKS community support plus Long Term Support (LTS). Both give about two years per minor version if you pay for the extension.
How does pricing compare between Amazon EKS Kubernetes version support (standard & extended) and AKS Kubernetes version support & Long Term Support (LTS)?
AWS: The standard-support cluster fee, then a higher per-cluster-hour fee during extended support. Azure: Community support is included in all tiers. LTS requires the Premium tier, which is billed per cluster-hour. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02); AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104).