Azure AKS to Retire Ubuntu 20.04 Node Pools in March 2027
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) will retire Ubuntu 20.04 node pools on March 17, 2027, meaning no new node images or security updates will be provided, and existing nodes will be deleted and become unsupported. Users must transition to newer supported versions like Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 before this date to avoid service disruptions and scaling restrictions. Specific upgrade paths are provided for Confidential VM and FIPS-enabled workloads, requiring Kubernetes version upgrades to 1.33+ or 1.34+ respectively.
- →Retirement of Ubuntu 20.04 Node Pools
- →Required Actions for Transition
Deprecations (2) ›
- Retirement of Ubuntu 20.04 Node Pools
Ubuntu 20.04 node pools in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) are scheduled for retirement on March 17, 2027. After this date, AKS will cease creating new node images, providing security updates, and existing node images will be deleted, rendering node pools unsupported and preventing scaling.
- Required Actions for Transition
Users with Ubuntu 20.04 on AKS must upgrade to supported versions. Confidential VM users need to upgrade Kubernetes to 1.33+ for Ubuntu 24.04 (default), while FIPS users require an upgrade to 1.34+ for Ubuntu 22.04 (default). The general recommendation is to upgrade to Kubernetes 1.34+ by March 17, 2027, to ensure continued support and avoid service disruptions.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=485795
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