Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Baseline Cluster for Regulated Workloads
Overview
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) Baseline Cluster for Regulated Workloads provides a reference implementation to create a secure and compliant infrastructure for AKS clusters under regulatory compliance, such as PCI. This setup is particularly useful for environments with stricter compliance standards compared to typical public cloud setups.
Compliance Considerations
This implementation does not automatically ensure compliance but is designed to help you on that journey. Regulatory compliance is a shared responsibility between you and your hosting provider. It's important to understand Azure's compliance model and how they collaborate in maintaining a compliant infrastructure. For further insights, it's recommended to visit the Microsoft Trust Center.
Architecture Focus
This implementation focuses on infrastructure rather than the workload. It's about setting up a secure AKS cluster architecture. Although workload best practices are discussed, in-depth guidance on in-scope workload architecture is beyond this project's scope. Instead, it provides observability, secure in-cluster traffic, and public traffic isolation to serve as a foundational architecture from which you can adapt your solutions.
Core Architecture Components
Azure Platform Components
- AKS version: v1.27 with System and User node pool separation.
- Security & Identity: Uses AKS-managed Microsoft Entra ID, managed kubelet and control plane identities, and Azure Workload Identity.
- Networking: Utilizes Azure Virtual Networks, Private Cluster configuration, Application Gateway with WAF, Internal Load Balancers, and Azure Bastion for secure access.
- Additional Services: Includes Azure Monitor, Private Azure Container Registry, and a Key Vault.
In-Cluster Open-Source Software
- Features Flux GitOps Operator, Falco for intrusion detection, Kubernetes Reboot Daemon, and more for enhanced security and operational efficiency.
Networking and Traffic Flow
A hub-spoke network topology is deployed to isolate and secure network traffic, including TLS-protected traffic through services like Azure Application Gateway with WAF.
Deployment Steps
The deployment involves several stages: preparing your Azure subscription, building the regional networking hub, defining Kubernetes API server access, deploying the AKS cluster, and managing workloads. Each step is designed to align with regulatory environments' separation of duties and lifecycle management.
Validation and Cleanup
After deploying, it's crucial to validate the cluster's functionality and performance. Also, cleaning up resources afterward helps manage costs, as many Azure services continue accruing charges if left running.
Additional Considerations
This implementation acts as a starting point. Organizations should consider additional security and compliance measures, such as JIT access or Encryption-at-Host features, based on specific needs and regulatory requirements.
Cost Implications
Operating this setup costs approximately $95 daily, with costs increasing as audit and monitoring tools kick in. While shared among IT workloads, regulation-prioritized environments may see higher costs due to necessary security protocols.
Key Takeaways
AKS Baseline Cluster for Regulated Workloads offers a structured approach to building a compliant AKS infrastructure, focusing on reliability and security, while being adaptable to specific business and regulatory needs. This reference implementation is a foundational piece, allowing you to extend and build upon it to meet your team's unique compliance and operational requirements.
Related Resources
To further understand AKS and architectural best practices, several resources are available, such as the Azure Kubernetes Service Documentation and Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework.
This setup empowers organizations to kickstart their journey towards secure and compliant cloud-native solutions within Azure, with Microsoft Patterns & Practices providing guidance and support.