AKS Import and Takeover

Overview

Organizations often operate AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service) clusters that were provisioned outside the Rafay platform—whether manually through the Azure Portal, via scripts, or using infrastructure-as-code tools. While these clusters may be functional, they typically lack centralized governance, lifecycle automation, and operational visibility.

The AKS Import and Takeover feature enables platform teams to import these existing AKS clusters into the Rafay platform and bring them under full lifecycle management using Environment Manager. This eliminates the need to reprovision clusters and enables teams to manage both new and existing infrastructure through a single control plane.

What is AKS Import and Takeover?

The AKS Import and Takeover feature allows users to connect to an existing AKS cluster in their Azure subscription and onboard it into the Rafay platform as a managed Environment.

This is accomplished using a prebuilt system template that:

• Connects securely to Azure using service principal credentials.
• Discovers the cluster’s configuration.
• Automatically creates a corresponding Environment in Rafay populated with the relevant metadata.

Once imported, the cluster is treated like any other Rafay-managed resource and can take advantage of features such as blueprint application, RBAC enforcement, logging, monitoring, and lifecycle operations.

Why Use It?

The AKS Cluster Import and Takeover workflow simplifies bringing existing AKS clusters under Rafay’s centralized management. It uses predefined templates (aks-import-cluster and system-aks-takeover) to automate the discovery, setup, and finalization of the cluster, reducing manual effort.

Key Benefits

• Simplified Process: Automated steps for discovering and registering the AKS cluster.
• Centralized Management: Full lifecycle management of AKS clusters within Rafay.
• Customizable: Configurable parameters to meet specific infrastructure needs.
• Clear Status Tracking: Provides visibility throughout the process with status updates.
• Security: Uses secure Azure Service Principal authentication.
• Efficiency: Reduces setup time and manual effort.

This workflow enables quick and secure integration of AKS clusters into Rafay, ensuring centralized control and easier management.