Node groups (managed, self-managed, Fargate) in AWS - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Node groups (managed, self-managed, Fargate)

Start: Create EKS Cluster

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Choose Node Group Type

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Managed

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Provision EC2

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Register Nodes

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Cluster Ready with Nodes

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Use Cluster

This flow shows starting an EKS cluster, choosing a node group type (managed, self-managed, or Fargate), provisioning resources accordingly, and having nodes ready for workloads.

Execution Sample

AWS

eksctl create cluster --name my-cluster --managed
# Creates cluster with managed node group

eksctl create nodegroup --cluster my-cluster --name self-managed --nodes 2
# Adds self-managed nodes

kubectl apply -f fargate-profile.yaml
# Enables Fargate for serverless pods

Commands to create an EKS cluster with managed nodes, add self-managed nodes, and enable Fargate for serverless pods.

Process Table

Step	Action	Node Group Type	Resource Provisioned	Node Registration	Cluster State
1	Create EKS cluster	None	Control Plane	No nodes yet	Cluster created, no nodes
2	Create managed node group	Managed	EC2 instances by AWS	Auto-registered	Cluster with managed nodes
3	Create self-managed node group	Self-Managed	EC2 instances by user	Manual registration	Cluster with managed and self-managed nodes
4	Apply Fargate profile	Fargate	Serverless compute	No nodes, pods run serverless	Cluster with all node types
5	Run pods	All	Pods scheduled	Pods run on respective nodes	Cluster fully operational
6	End	-	-	-	All node groups active and ready

💡 All node groups provisioned and cluster ready for workloads

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4	Final
Cluster State	No cluster	Cluster with managed nodes	Cluster with managed + self-managed nodes	Cluster with managed + self-managed + Fargate	Fully operational cluster
Managed Nodes	0	Provisioned and registered	Provisioned and registered	Provisioned and registered	Provisioned and registered
Self-Managed Nodes	0	0	Provisioned and registered	Provisioned and registered	Provisioned and registered
Fargate Nodes	0	0	0	Enabled (serverless pods)	Enabled (serverless pods)

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do managed node groups auto-register nodes but self-managed require manual registration?

Managed node groups are created and controlled by AWS EKS, so nodes automatically join the cluster (see execution_table step 2). Self-managed nodes are created by the user and need manual setup to join (step 3).

How does Fargate differ from managed and self-managed node groups in resource provisioning?

Fargate runs pods on serverless compute without provisioning EC2 instances (step 4). Managed and self-managed node groups provision EC2 instances.

Can all three node group types run workloads simultaneously?

Yes, after all are set up (step 5), pods can run on managed nodes, self-managed nodes, or Fargate serverless compute.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table at step 3. What is the node registration status for self-managed nodes?

A Auto-registered by AWS

B Manual registration required

C No registration needed

D Registered by Fargate

💡 Hint

Check the 'Node Registration' column at step 3 in execution_table

At which step does the cluster first have serverless compute enabled?

A Step 2

B Step 3

C Step 4

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look for 'Fargate' and 'Serverless compute' in the 'Resource Provisioned' column

If you skip creating a self-managed node group, how does the 'Self-Managed Nodes' variable change after step 3?

A It remains 0

B It becomes provisioned

C It becomes enabled but unregistered

D It becomes serverless

💡 Hint

Refer to variable_tracker row for 'Self-Managed Nodes' after step 3

Concept Snapshot

Node groups in EKS are ways to run your workloads:
- Managed node groups: AWS creates and manages EC2 nodes, auto-registered.
- Self-managed node groups: You create EC2 nodes, manual registration.
- Fargate: Serverless, no EC2 nodes, pods run on demand.
Choose based on control, management, and cost needs.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how an EKS cluster is created and how different node groups are added. First, the cluster control plane is created. Then, managed node groups provision EC2 instances automatically registered to the cluster. Next, self-managed node groups require the user to provision EC2 instances and manually register them. Fargate profiles enable serverless compute where pods run without EC2 nodes. The cluster can run workloads on all node types simultaneously. Variables track cluster state and node counts after each step. Key moments clarify why registration differs and how Fargate works. Quiz questions test understanding of node registration, serverless enablement, and variable changes.