Microsoft Azure gets Kubernetes support

Microsoft has announced that it has added Kubernetes support to its Azure

Container Service. The new development has expanded Azure with the inclusion of three major orchestration technologies, namely, Windows Server Containers, Kubernetes and DC/OS — rivalling other public cloud platforms.

Kubernetes is one of the leading orchestrators in the world of containers. Though Google initially promoted the open source container cluster manager, companies like Baidu, Canonical and Intel have recently added Kubernetes support. And now, it is Microsoft that has favoured Kubernetes for Azure.

Microsoft’s Azure team launched the preview support for Kubernetes in November last year. That preview launch helped the Redmond company improve the support, and ultimately led to its general availability. “With this news, we again deliver on our goal of providing our customers the choice of open source orchestrators and tooling that simplifies the deployment of container-based applications in the cloud,” said Saurya Das, program manager II, Azure Linux.

The Kubernetes support on Azure Container Service comes weeks after Docker debuted on Microsoft’s cloud platform. The newly formed combination will upgrade container management on Azure and give developers a reason to prefer Microsoft over Amazon and Google.

Along with bringing the Kubernetes support, Microsoft has also opted for the preview of Windows Server Containers to provide enterprise customers an additional choice in orchestrator using the Azure Container Service. The Azure team has also updated the existing DC/OS support to version 1.8.8 to deliver an improved experience.

You can deploy an Azure Container Service cluster using the Azure portal or Azure CLI 2.0, and experience Kubernetes or other orchestrators including Windows Server Containers or DC/OS.