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Kubernetes 1.26 is about to be released, and it comes packed with novelties! Where do we begin?
This release brings 37 enhancements, on par with the 40 in Kubernetes 1.25 and 56 in Kubernetes 1.22. Of those 37 enhancements, 6 are graduating to Stable, 18 are existing features that keep improving, and 13 are coming with innovative changes.
Kubernetes 1.26 brings exciting new features, many important deprecations, and some significant removals. Grab a seat and let's dive in!
What are the main topics discussed in this article?
We'll dive into the following topics:
- Removal of Kubelet Config v1alpha1
- Removal of API v1beta1 for Kubernetes
- PodDisruptionBudget API improvements
- Service API improvements
- Storage improvements
- Observability improvements
- And many more enhancements
Removal of Kubelet Config v1alpha1
In Kubernetes 1.26, the Kubelet Config v1alpha1 API is finally being removed, after being deprecated for several releases. This deprecation has been in place since Kubernetes 1.22.
Starting from Kubernetes 1.26, you must use the Kubelet Config v1beta1 API instead. If you're still using the v1alpha1 API, you need to migrate to v1beta1 before upgrading.
API v1beta1 Removals
Kubernetes 1.26 continues the effort to remove beta API versions. The following APIs are being removed:
- Event v1beta1 (from events.k8s.io) - Migrate to v1
- FlowControl v1beta1 (from flowcontrol.apiserver.k8s.io) - Migrate to v1beta2
- The above APIs must be migrated before Kubernetes 1.27
PodDisruptionBudget API Improvements
In Kubernetes 1.26, the PodDisruptionBudget API is graduating to stable v1 in the policy/v1 group. This API was previously in beta and was used to ensure that a certain number of replicas of a pod remain available during disruptions.
Service API Improvements
The Service API is receiving improvements in Kubernetes 1.26, including better traffic splitting and routing capabilities.
Storage Improvements
1- Storage Capacity Tracking improvements allow for better scheduling of pods based on available storage capacity.
2- CSI Node Expansion Validation improvements ensure that CSI drivers properly validate node expansion operations.
Observability Improvements
Kubernetes 1.26 brings several observability enhancements:
1- Improved Prometheus metrics for better monitoring
2- Kubelet metrics improvements for better visibility into kubelet operations
3- API server metrics enhancements for improved observability
Security Enhancements
1- RBAC improvements for more granular access control
2- Service account improvements for better security
3- Structured authentication improvements for more auditable authentication
Networking Improvements
1- Dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 support improvements
2- Service topology improvements
3- Network policy improvements
Scheduling Improvements
1- Improved pod scheduling based on resource capacity
2- Better support for pod topology spread constraints
What's the catch? Is there any reason to worry?
Yes, Kubernetes 1.26 has some important changes to be aware of:
1- Kubelet Config v1alpha1 removal - If you're still using the old v1alpha1 API, you must migrate to v1beta1
2- API v1beta1 removal - If your applications use Event v1beta1 or FlowControl v1beta1, you must migrate them
3- Pod Security Standards - Ensure your cluster is using PSS instead of deprecated PSP
Summary
Kubernetes 1.26 continues the evolution of Kubernetes with several important changes:
- Kubelet Config v1alpha1 is removed (use v1beta1)
- Event v1beta1 and FlowControl v1beta1 are removed
- PodDisruptionBudget API graduates to stable v1
- Service API receives improvements
- Storage, observability, security, networking, and scheduling improvements
To summarize, Kubernetes 1.26 requires careful planning for users who still rely on deprecated APIs. Plan your migration strategy accordingly and ensure your applications are compatible with the new APIs before upgrading.
Are you planning to upgrade to Kubernetes 1.26? Have you already migrated away from deprecated APIs? Let us know in the comments section below!
For more insights about container and Kubernetes security, check out our Kubernetes security learning center.