Amazon EKS Distro
The Kubernetes distribution behind Amazon EKS, for you to run and support yourself anywhere: what it includes, who it suits, security patching, responsibilities, cost, and how it compares with EKS and EKS Anywhere.
3 min read · Last reviewed · SAA-C03
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What it is
Amazon EKS Distro (EKS-D) is the Kubernetes distribution that Amazon EKS uses, packaged so that you can install and run it yourself, On-premisesIn data centers or offices that you run yourself, rather than in the cloud. Hybrid architectures connect on-premises systems to AWS, for example through AWS Direct Connect or a VPN.Glossary entry, in other clouds, or on your own EC2 instances. It contains the same Kubernetes components, versions, and dependencies that AWS uses for the many clusters it runs on EKS, including security patches that AWS backports.
EKS Distro is only the distribution: there is no managed control plane, no cluster-management tooling, and no AWS support. You decide how to deploy it, and you are responsible for upgrades and operations.
Choose it when you want to build your own Kubernetes platform, anywhere, and keep it consistent with Amazon EKS, for example so that workloads behave the same way when they move to EKS later.
How it fits with the other EKS options
| Amazon EKS | Amazon EKS Anywhere | Amazon EKS Distro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In AWS (and Hybrid Nodes on premises) | Your own infrastructure | Anywhere you install it |
| Control plane | Managed by AWS | Run by you, with EKS Anywhere tooling | Run entirely by you |
| Lifecycle tooling | EKS console, API (Application programming interface)A defined way for one program to ask another for data or actions, such as a set of HTTPS requests and responses. Every AWS service is controlled through its API, which the console, the CLI, and the SDKs call for you.Glossary entry, eksctl |
eksctl anywhere and curated packages |
None; bring your own |
| Support | AWS Support | Optional Enterprise Subscription | Self-supported |
| Distribution | EKS Distro | EKS Distro | EKS Distro |
EKS Anywhere is the supported way to install and run EKS Distro on your own infrastructure.
Security, resilience, performance, and cost
Security
- EKS Distro includes the newer upstream updates and longer security patch coverage that AWS applies for EKS, but you must apply the updates to your clusters, and you secure the infrastructure, network, and access.
Resilience and performance
- Availability and performance depend entirely on how you deploy and operate the clusters, such as how many control plane nodes you run and where.
Cost
- EKS Distro is open source and works without AWS dependencies; your costs are the infrastructure you run it on and the people who operate it.
- It releases Kubernetes versions at the same pace as EKS, through release channels.
Monitoring
- Use the Kubernetes-native and third-party tools you choose; nothing is provided by AWS.
Reverse mindmap: when the question points here
- Yes, when the question says
- Same Kubernetes distribution as Amazon EKS, run ourselves leads to EKS Distro
- Build our own Kubernetes platform consistent with EKS leads to EKS Distro
- Self-supported Kubernetes with AWS security patches leads to EKS Distro
- No, when the question says
- AWS manages the control plane leads to Amazon EKS
- Supported on-premises Kubernetes with lifecycle tooling leads to EKS Anywhere
- Least operational overhead for containers leads to Amazon ECS or EKS on Fargate
Key takeaways
- EKS Distro is the Kubernetes distribution used by Amazon EKS, which you can install and run yourself anywhere.
- It provides the same components and backported security patches as EKS, but no managed control plane, tooling, or support.
- EKS Anywhere is the supported way to run EKS Distro on your own infrastructure; Amazon EKS runs it for you in AWS.
- It is open source and runs without AWS dependencies; you carry the full operational responsibility.