The Burden of Kubernetes Maintenance: An Often Overlooked Challenge
1. A fast and demanding release cycle
Kubernetes follows a rapid release cycle, with a new minor version every 3 to 4 months (goteleport.com). Each version then receives only 12 to 14 months of support, covering bug fixes and security patches (aws.amazon.com).
This means that organizations must plan for at least two major upgrades per cluster each year—a significant operational burden, especially for critical or regulated environments.
2. The cost of falling behind… up to 6x higher
This maintenance burden is even more visible with managed services. For example, on Amazon EKS, if a cluster runs on an unsupported version, it automatically falls into extended support, which costs $0.60 per hour per cluster, compared to $0.10 under standard support.
That’s a sixfold increase in cost. Wiz estimates that for 100 clusters on outdated versions, the additional cost can exceed $438,000 per year.
3. Security complexity and compliance risks
Staying current is not only about performance—it’s about security. Kubernetes enforces an N-2 support policy, meaning that only the last three minor releases receive bug and security patches.
For organizations subject to NIS2, GDPR, or financial/healthcare regulations, running out-of-date clusters directly undermines both security and compliance.
4. A heavy burden on DevOps teams
Each upgrade involves extensive testing, rewriting manifests, and coordinating across environments. The result is a significant workload for DevOps teams, often becoming a full-time job.
This slows down innovation and diverts resources away from strategic projects.
Why this strengthens the case for platforms like LayerOps
This reality makes solutions like LayerOps even more relevant:
- Automated and secure updates without imposing Kubernetes complexity on teams.
- Reduced financial risks by avoiding costly extended support charges.
- Security and compliance by design, without operational overload.
- Refocusing teams on business value, instead of endless cluster maintenance.
Conclusion
Kubernetes maintenance is not just a technical detail—it is a strategic constraint, with major impacts on costs, security, and operations.
For Europe to achieve true digital sovereignty, we need platforms that provide continuity, independence, and resilience, without forcing organizations into the heavy cycle of Kubernetes upgrades.
LayerOps embodies this approach: a sovereign multi & hybrid cloud alternative without the Kubernetes maintenance burden.
Worried about the American cloud?
LayerOps offers you a sovereign, multi-vendor, secure European alternative.