---
title: Running Containers on Amazon EKS, v1.4.7
tags: Resources, Talk
description: Resources to support the Running Containers on Amazon EKS course from AWS
---

# Running Containers on Amazon EKS, v1.4.7
Instructor: Scott Jones
Email: [e-mail]

---
### :pushpin: Bookmark these links:
:::warning
- [x] **Path to this page:**
https://bit.ly/scojoe-on-eks
- [x] **Path to our lab classroom:**
https://us-east-1.student.classrooms.aws.training/class/7JYPBV3jDZyr4mN7QPMnk2
:::
---

## :books: Essential Resources
### Documents/Articles
- Amazon EKS Best Practices Guides: https://aws.github.io/aws-eks-best-practices
- Amazon EKS Product Page: https://aws.amazon.com/eks/
- Amazon EKS documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/what-is-eks.html
- Amazon EKS Blueprints Quick Start: https://aws-quickstart.github.io/cdk-eks-blueprints/
- Amazon EKS Workshops: https://workshops.aws/card/eks

---

## :fire: What's New
### Blogs/Articles
- Subscribe to Amazon EKS add-ons from independent software vendors in the EKS console: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2023/10/subscribe-amazon-eks-add-ons-vendors-eks-console/
- AWS introduces container image signing: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2023/06/aws-container-image-signing/
- Announcing bare metal support for Amazon EKS Anywhere: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2022/06/bare-metal-support-amazon-eks-anywhere/
- EKS add-ons support for EBS CSI driver is now generally available: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2022/03/eks-add-ons-ebs-csi-driver-available/
- CDK for Kubernetes (CDK8s) now Generally Available: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/10/cdk-kubernetes-cdk8s-available/
- More news: https://aws.amazon.com/new/

---

## Module 0: Container Fundamentals
### Documents/Articles
- Containers on AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/containers/
- Docker — Beginner’s Guide Part 1: Images & Containers : https://medium.com/codingthesmartway-com-blog/docker-beginners-guide-part-1-images-containers-6f3507fffc98
- Docker Resources: https://docs.docker.com/
- The 12-factor app: https://12factor.net/
- The PARL approach. Or, what is a microservice? https://medium.com/@nageshblore/the-parl-approach-or-what-is-a-microservice-e48dd951ef3e
### Videos
- How to Get Started with Docker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqqDU2crIEQ&feature=youtu.be&t=30
- How to Build and Test Your Docker Images in the Cloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmLVNpyJ530&feature=youtu.be&t=30
- Dockerizing a Node.js web app: https://nodejs.org/en/docs/guides/nodejs-docker-webapp/
### Digital Training Courses
- Introduction to Containers: https://www.aws.training/Details/eLearning?id=27182

---
## Module 1: Kubernetes Fundamentals

### Documents/Articles

- Kubernetes 101: Pods, Nodes, Containers, and Clusters: https://medium.com/google-cloud/kubernetes-101-pods-nodes-containers-and-clusters-c1509e409e16
- Kubernetes 110: Your First Deployment : https://medium.com/google-cloud/kubernetes-110-your-first-deployment-bf123c1d3f8
- Kubernetes 120: Networking Basics: https://medium.com/google-cloud/kubernetes-120-networking-basics-3b903f13093a
- Kubernetes Glossary: https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/glossary/?fundamental=true
- Kubernetes production best practices: https://learnk8s.io/production-best-practices
- Kubernetes Operators for beginners: https://medium.com/@stoz_das/kubernetes-operators-for-beginners-8f53ead07097
- What Is The Kubernetes Operator Pattern? https://www.bmc.com/blogs/kubernetes-operator/
- Introducing the AWS Controllers for Kubernetes (ACK) (Not covered in this course but good background if students have questions): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/aws-controllers-for-kubernetes-ack/
- kubectl Cheat Sheet : https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/cheatsheet/
- Custom Resources / Custom Controllers: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/extend-kubernetes/api-extension/custom-resources/
- The History of Kubernetes: https://www.ibm.com/blog/kubernetes-history/

### Videos

- What is Kubernetes?: https://opensource.com/resources/what-is-kubernetes
- CNCF Kubernetes Webinars: https://www.cncf.io/webinars?_sft_lf-project=kubernetes&_sft_lf-language=english

### Digital Training Courses

- Introduction to Kubernetes: https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-to-kubernetes
- 7 Free Online Courses to Learn Kubernetes in 2020: https://medium.com/javarevisited/7-free-online-courses-to-learn-kubernetes-in-2020-3b8a68ec7abc

---
## Module 2: Amazon EKS Fundamentals

### Documents/Articles
- The role of Fargate in the container world: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/the-role-of-aws-fargate-in-the-container-world/
- Running Kubernetes Applications on AWS Fargate: https://d1.awsstatic.com/events/reinvent/2019/NEW_LAUNCH_REPEAT_1_Running_Kubernetes_Applications_on_AWS_Fargate_CON326-R1.pdf
- Serverless Kubernetes Cluster on AWS with EKS on Fargate: https://medium.com/better-programming/serverless-kubernetes-cluster-on-aws-with-eks-on-fargate-a7545cf179be
### Videos
- Containers from the Couch: https://containersfromthecouch.com/
- AWS Container Day videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=AWS+Container+Day
- AWS Containers on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/awscontainers
- AWS Fargate under the hood (CON423-R1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=Hr-zOaBGyEA&feature=emb_logo

### Digital Training Courses
- Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) Primer: https://www.aws.training/Details/eLearning?id=32894
Amazon EKS Workshop: https://eksworkshop.com/

---
## Module 3: Building an Amazon EKS Cluster

### Documents/Articles
- Getting started with Amazon EKS: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/getting-started.html
- Managing users or IAM roles for your cluster: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/add-user-role.html
- Creating and managing clusters with eksctl: https://eksctl.io/usage/creating-and-managing-clusters/
- eksctl – the EKS CLI: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/eksctl-eks-cli/
- How to configure your EKS cluster (Useful for GitOps, CDK and Helm examples): http://www.nickaws.net/kubernetes/2020/03/06/How-to-configure-your-EKS-clusters.html
- Install the SSM agent onto EKS worker nodes using a Kubernetes DaemonSet: https://github.com/jicowan/ssm-agent-daemonset
- EKS Best Practices and Solutions (in one blogger's opinion): http://ahmedbhamaws.net/2020-05-08-EKS-Best-Practices-And-Solutions/

### Videos
- Lessons learnt while operating multi-tenant kubernetes cluster in production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wosJ-RBLnRE

### Using EKS CDK Blueprints:
- The Constructs Hub: https://constructs.dev/
- Cloud Development Kit for Kubernetes: https://cdk8s.io/
- The cdk8s API Reference: https://cdk8s.io/docs/latest/reference/
- cdk8s examples library: https://cdk8s.io/docs/latest/examples/
- L1, L2, and L3 Constructs: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/v2/guide/constructs.html
- CDK Patterns Library: https://cdkpatterns.com/
- Amazon EKS Blueprints Quick Start: https://aws-quickstart.github.io/cdk-eks-blueprints/
- Amazon EKS Workshops: https://workshops.aws/card/eks
- Amazon EKS CDK Workshop: https://cdkworkshop.com/

---
## Module 4: Deploying Applications to Your Amazon EKS Cluster

### Documents/Articles
- Amazon ECR documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonECR/latest/userguide/what-is-ecr.html
- VPC endpoints and private connections to ECR https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonECR/latest/userguide/vpc-endpoints.html#ecr-setting-up-s3-gateway
- Using Helm with Amazon EKS: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/helm.html
- Helm Documentation: https://helm.sh/docs/
- eksctl and Flagger (We don't discuss Flagger in this course but it is useful background to know what it is): https://www.weave.works/blog/oss-product-flagger-eksctl
- Flux documentation: https://docs.fluxcd.io/en/latest/get-started/
- The three paths of Kubernetes in the Cloud: https://medium.com/@jason.umiker/the-three-paths-of-kubernetes-in-the-cloud-a6e88a321e2e
- An example approach for Kubernetes and AWS GitOps (Relates to blog post above): https://github.com/jasonumiker/k8s-plus-aws-gitops
- Continuous Integration using Jenkins and HashiCorp Terraform on Amazon EKS (A popular alternative to the method we demonstrate in this course): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/continuous-integration-using-jenkins-and-hashicorp-terraform-on-amazon-eks/
- Continuous Delivery using Spinnaker on Amazon EKS: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/continuous-delivery-spinnaker-amazon-eks/
- AWS Helm Chart Repository: https://github.com/aws/eks-charts
- Helm Commands Cheat Sheet: https://helm.sh/docs/intro/cheatsheet/

### Videos
- AWS Container Days - Managing EKS at Scale with GitOps: https://www.weave.works/blog/aws-container-days-managing-eks-at-scale-with-gitops
- Automate EKS Cluster Configuration with GitOps and eksctl: https://www.weave.works/blog/automate-eks-cluster-configuration-with-gitops-and-eksctl
- AWSSummit: Kubernetes GitOps on AWS - Level 400: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IbJK90rb_M

### Digital Training Courses
- EKS GitOps quickstart: https://eksctl.io/gitops-quickstart/
---
## Module 5: Configuring Observability in Amazon EKS

### Documents/Articles
- A visual guide on troubleshooting Kubernetes deployments: https://learnk8s.io/troubleshooting-deployments
- How to capture application logs when using Amazon EKS on AWS Fargate: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/how-to-capture-application-logs-when-using-amazon-eks-on-aws-fargate/
- Announcing Firelens – A New Way to Manage Container Logs: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/announcing-firelens-a-new-way-to-manage-container-logs/
- Amazon EKS Control Plane Metrics with Prometheus: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/amazon-eks-control-plane-metrics-prometheus/
- How to capture application logs when using Amazon EKS on AWS Fargate: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/how-to-capture-application-logs-when-using-amazon-eks-on-aws-fargate/
- Using Prometheus Metrics in Amazon CloudWatch: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/using-prometheus-metrics-in-amazon-cloudwatch/
- Kubernetes Logging powered by AWS for Fluent Bit: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/kubernetes-logging-powered-by-aws-for-fluent-bit/
- Centralized Container Logging with Fluent Bit: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/centralized-container-logging-fluent-bit/
- Set Up FluentD as a DaemonSet to Send Logs to CloudWatch Logs: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/monitoring/Container-Insights-setup-logs.html
- Monitoring Kubernetes performance metrics: https://www.datadoghq.com/blog/monitoring-kubernetes-performance-metrics/
- Key Metrics for EKS cluster monitoring: https://www.datadoghq.com/blog/eks-cluster-metrics/
- Monitoring Amazon EKS on AWS Fargate using Prometheus and Grafana (A popular alternative to the methods we discuss in this course): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/monitoring-amazon-eks-on-aws-fargate-using-prometheus-and-grafana/
- Load testing your workload running on Amazon EKS with Locust: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/load-testing-your-workload-running-on-amazon-eks-with-locust/
- Kubernetes Cluster Autoscaler on AWS: https://github.com/kubernetes/autoscaler/blob/master/cluster-autoscaler/cloudprovider/aws/README.md
- Introducing Karpenter – An Open-Source High-Performance Kubernetes Cluster Autoscaler: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/introducing-karpenter-an-open-source-high-performance-kubernetes-cluster-autoscaler/
- Karpenter: Just-in-time Nodes for Any Kubernetes Cluster: https://karpenter.sh/

### Videos
- AWS Container Logging Deep Dive: FireLens, Fluentd, and Fluent Bit - AWS Online Tech Talks (FireLens is not yet available for EKS as of 9/1/2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaT9Yc1g170

### Digital Training Courses
- AWS Observability Workshop: https://observability.workshop.aws/en/
- Logging with EFK (EKS Workshop): https://www.eksworkshop.com/intermediate/230_logging/

---
## Module 6: Balancing Efficiency, Resiliency, and Cost Optimization in Amazon EKS

### Documents/Articles
- Scaling containers on AWS in 2022: https://www.vladionescu.me/posts/scaling-containers-on-aws-in-2022/
- AWS Node Termination Handler: https://github.com/aws/aws-node-termination-handler
- Building large clusters in Kubernetes: https://kubernetes.io/docs/setup/best-practices/cluster-large/
- Cluster over-provisioning in Kubernetes: https://medium.com/scout24-engineering/cluster-overprovisiong-in-kubernetes-79433cb3ed0e
- Deploying Kubernetes — Deciding the size of your nodes: https://medium.com/swlh/deploying-kubernetes-deciding-the-size-of-your-nodes-a115e770e09
- Welcome Bottlerocket (written before Bottlerocket went GA): https://www.nickaws.net/kubernetes/2020/03/31/Welcome-Bottlerocket.html
- Building for Cost optimization and Resilience for EKS with Spot Instances: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/cost-optimization-and-resilience-eks-with-spot-instances/
- Cost optimization for Kubernetes on AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/cost-optimization-for-kubernetes-on-aws/
- Saving money a pod at a time with EKS, Fargate, and AWS Compute Savings Plans: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/saving-money-pod-at-time-with-eks-fargate-and-aws-compute-savings-plans/
- Fargate Pricing in Context: https://www.trek10.com/blog/fargate-pricing-vs-ec2
- How to track costs in multi-tenant Amazon EKS clusters using Kubecost (Not covered in this course, but good background info if your students have questions about multi-tenancy): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/how-to-track-costs-in-multi-tenant-amazon-eks-clusters-using-kubecost/
- Now proactively manage your ECR API use with CloudWatch Metrics and Service Quotas: : https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2020/03/now-proactively-manage-your-ecr-api-use-with-cloudwatch-metrics-and-service-quotas/
- Kubernetes production best-practices: https://learnk8s.io/production-best-practices

### Videos
- Save Costs Running Kubernetes Clusters with EC2 Spot Instances - AWS Online Tech Talks : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F60emoW3sfs

---
## Module 7: Managing Networking in Amazon EKS

### Documents/Articles
- A Guide to the Kubernetes Networking Model : https://sookocheff.com/post/kubernetes/understanding-kubernetes-networking-model/
- AWS CNI: https://github.com/aws/amazon-vpc-cni-k8s
- Proposal: CNI plugin for Kubernetes networking over AWS VPC: https://github.com/aws/amazon-vpc-cni-k8s/blob/master/docs/cni-proposal.md
- De-mystifying cluster networking for Amazon EKS worker nodes: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/de-mystifying-cluster-networking-for-amazon-eks-worker-nodes/
- Kubernetes Namespaces: use cases and insights : https://kubernetes.io/blog/2016/08/kubernetes-namespaces-use-cases-insights/
- Kubernetes services simply explained: https://medium.com/swlh/kubernetes-services-simply-visually-explained-2d84e58d70e5
- EKS VPC routable IP address conservation patterns in a hybrid network: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/eks-vpc-routable-ip-address-conservation/
- Cross account IAM roles for Kubernetes service accounts: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/cross-account-iam-roles-for-kubernetes-service-accounts/
- CoreDNS and Route53: https://www.nickaws.net/aws/2019/11/26/CoreDNS-and-Route53.html
- How do I troubleshoot DNS failures with Amazon EKS? https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/eks-dns-failure/
- Security Groups Per Pod: https://aws.github.io/aws-eks-best-practices/networking/sgpp/
- Learning AWS App Mesh: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/learning-aws-app-mesh/
- Deciphering the Difference Between a Service Mesh and API Gateway: https://levelup.gitconnected.com/deciphering-the-difference-between-a-service-mesh-and-api-gateway-c57e4abec302
- Integrating AWS X-Ray with AWS App Mesh: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/integrating-aws-x-ray-with-aws-app-mesh/
- We've made quite a mesh: https://speakerdeck.com/thockin/weve-made-quite-a-mesh
- Amazon VPC CNI plugin increases pods per node limits: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/07/amazon-vpc-cni-plugin-increases-pods-per-node-limits/
### Videos
- Everything you need to know about Kubernetes pod networking on AWS : https://www.projectcalico.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-kubernetes-pod-networking-on-aws/
- Lessons learnt while operating multi-tenant kubernetes cluster in production - Prateek Nayak (MYOB): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wosJ-RBLnRE
- re:Invent video: Deep Dive on Amazon EKS (the networking section of this video is very good)- https://youtu.be/vrYLrx-a_Wg

### Digital Training Courses
- How To Inspect Kubernetes Networking: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-inspect-kubernetes-networking
- Tutorial: Security groups for Pods: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/security-groups-for-pods.html

---
## Module 8: Managing Authentication and Authorization in Amazon EKS

### Documents/Articles
- Cluster authentication: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/cluster-auth.html
- AWS IAM Authenticator for Kubernetes: https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/aws-iam-authenticator
- Demystifying RBAC in Kubernetes: https://www.cncf.io/blog/2018/08/01/demystifying-rbac-in-kubernetes/
- How do I provide access to other users and roles after cluster creation in Amazon EKS?: https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/amazon-eks-cluster-access/
- Enabling cross-account access to Amazon EKS cluster resources: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/enabling-cross-account-access-to-amazon-eks-cluster-resources/
- Amazon EKS IAM Role for Service Accounts CDK/CloudFormation Library: https://github.com/awslabs/amazon-eks-irsa-cfn
- Introducing fine-grained IAM roles for service accounts: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/introducing-fine-grained-iam-roles-service-accounts/
- Amazon EKS Pod Identity Webhook: https://github.com/aws/amazon-eks-pod-identity-webhook
### Videos
- Role based access control (RBAC) policies in Kubernetes: https://www.cncf.io/webinars/role-based-access-control-rbac-policies-in-kubernetes/

---
## Module 9: Implementing Secure Workflows

### Documents/Articles
- Amazon EKS Best Practices Guide for Security: https://aws.github.io/aws-eks-best-practices/
- Envelope encryption for EKS: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/using-eks-encryption-provider-support-for-defense-in-depth/
- AWS Secrets Controller PoC: integrating AWS Secrets Manager with Kubernetes: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/aws-secrets-controller-poc/
- Using Pod Security Policies with Amazon EKS Clusters : https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/opensource/using-pod-security-policies-amazon-eks-clusters/
- Calico and EKS: https://docs.projectcalico.org/getting-started/kubernetes/managed-public-cloud/eks
- Using Gatekeeper as a drop-in Pod Security Policy replacement in Amazon EKS (Not covered in this course. OPA is an alternative to PSPs that your students may ask about): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/using-gatekeeper-as-a-drop-in-pod-security-policy-replacement-in-amazon-eks/
- Introducing security groups for pods (This feature was released after this course was developed and is another alternative to PSPs): https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/introducing-security-groups-for-pods/
- AWS Security Messaging Guidelines (why we don't use terms like "blast radius" in this course): https://w.amazon.com/bin/view/AWS_IT_Security/GrowthStrategies/AWS_Security_Messaging#HContextMatters

### Videos
- Twitch presentation on envelope encryption: : https://www.twitch.tv/aws/video/700334161

### Digital Training Courses
- re:Invent 2019 - CON317 - Securing your EKS Cluster: https://github.com/aws-samples/con317-reinvent19/blob/master/README.md#walkthrough-of-securing-a-new-eks-cluster
---

## Module 10: Managing Kubernetes Version Upgrades

### Documents/Articles
- Updating an Amazon EKS cluster Kubernetes version : https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/update-cluster.html
- EKS platform versions: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/eks/latest/userguide/platform-versions.html
- Kubernetes version and version skew support policy: https://kubernetes.io/docs/setup/release/version-skew-policy/
- Amazon EKS upgrade journey from 1.15 to 1.16 (Customer story using Terraform): https://itnext.io/amazon-eks-upgrade-journey-from-1-15-to-1-16-4f48c7b6e512
- Migrating EKS Node Groups with Zero Downtime (Not covered in this course. Example uses Pulumi): https://www.pulumi.com/blog/day-2-kubernetes-migrating-eks-nodegroups-with-zero-downtime/
- EKS Rolling Update tool: https://github.com/hellofresh/eks-rolling-update

---

## Resources: Amazon EKS & Red Hat OpenShift

### Documents/Articles
- Compare Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS) and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform: https://www.g2.com/compare/amazon-elastic-kubernetes-service-amazon-eks-vs-red-hat-openshift-container-platform
- 5 Differences between EKS and OpenShift: https://medium.com/devops-dudes/5-differences-between-eks-and-openshift-36838d9fb856
- EKS vs OpenShift Deployment: https://www.reddit.com/r/kubernetes/comments/pgaeoj/eks_vs_openshift_deployment/
- Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/rosa/
- Considerations when migrating applications from OpenShift to AWS EKS: https://medium.com/globant/considerations-when-migrating-applications-from-openshift-to-aws-eks-3b36dba219ac
- Migrating OpenShift Templates to Helm Charts for Amazon EKS: Design Guidelines & Lessons Learned: https://www.qloudx.com/migrating-openshift-templates-to-helm-charts-for-amazon-eks-design-guidelines-and-lessons-learned/
- Large Scale Kubernetes Migration: https://www.qloudx.com/case-studies/large-scale-kubernetes-migration/

### Videos
- Red Hat OpenShift Cluster Migration Considerations: https://pages.awscloud.com/apn-tv-538.html
- Best Practices when Migrating to Amazon EKS - AWS Online Tech Talks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO0RPw9i2mQ

### Digital Training Courses
- Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS Workshop: https://catalog.workshops.aws/aws-openshift-workshop/en-US

---

### Thank you!