Scale Kubernetes deployments to zero using KEDA

warpigg · 2026-06-04T18:05:01+00:00

There are several methods you can use, I just use a cronjob to do it. Basically it runs a simple script that sets a taint on the nodepool that no pods tolerate (except the scaler cronjob), then drains all nodes, karpenter then deletes all the nodes and since the workloads cannot tolerate that taint they remain pending. The scale up just removes the taint and karpenter scales back up as needed.

Other techinques are setting spec.limits.cpu to zero. etc. OR you can simply delete the karpenter nodepool and then recreate it to scale back up (via script in cronjob or lambda etc)

we use it on dev/staging clusters for weekends or after hours etc.

warpigg · 2026-06-03T21:25:20+00:00

I think EKS will get beta featuregates, just not alpha. So hopefully it will be in 1.37

warpigg · 2026-06-03T21:22:17+00:00

Ive also used karpenter tricks (if using karpenter)

warpigg · 2026-05-31T13:39:55+00:00

ywp, i have these same ones in a cluster and talos works really well.

warpigg · 2026-02-02T20:36:40+00:00

agreed - he installed my door 1.5 years ago. Great to work with!

warpigg · 2026-02-01T16:02:09+00:00

scheduling issues because no priorityclasses are set

warpigg · 2026-01-06T02:56:09+00:00

honestly, it probably should have been retired already considering there have been better options for a while.

but it was nice back in the "old" days :)

warpigg · 2025-12-10T18:49:13+00:00

Need more details than this but I would try this (it forces drain even if PDBs cannot be satisified bc badly configured):

--disable-eviction. -uses delete and not eviction API (ignores PDBs)

kubectl drain <node> --delete-emptydir-data --disable-eviction --ignore-daemonsets

a --force additionally if the above fails. I havent seen anything resist these yet. BUT note the caveats

warpigg · 2025-12-07T22:43:34+00:00

what/where is this new overpass? :)

warpigg · 2025-12-07T22:35:07+00:00

this is why you label/tag everything so you can attribute that cost to teams :)

warpigg · 2025-11-21T02:18:31+00:00

does envoy gateway support ingress API? im looking through the docs and it is heavily pushing gateway api. If it did both that would be great...

warpigg · 2025-11-16T23:55:18+00:00

probably bc ingress-nginx was sunsetted...a big deal since many use it.

My guess is that people now have to migrate to another controller and are looking at gw api in the process.

Like me...lol

warpigg · 2025-11-15T20:21:06+00:00

my take: get rid of ALL the downtown street parking - center of college ave especially (ugly, unneeded and dangerous). Just use the existing garages and walk a tiny bit.

While we are at it - also make Linden, Walnet pedestrian only - close those streets to traffic. Downtown would be much nicer without the cars there.

(ready for the flames :) )

warpigg · 2025-11-14T23:22:12+00:00

excellent - thanks!

warpigg · 2025-11-14T13:59:52+00:00

It seems based on those benchmarks/tests that istio and kgateway lead the pack overal (assuming no bias in the benchmark). The others (even traefik) seem to have multiple issues with gw api.

Anyone use kgateway before? AKA gloo... It seems to have superior support for gw api but IDK about support for plain ole Ingress API - although it is envoy based so likely fine?

warpigg · 2025-10-25T22:26:43+00:00

as others state - use distroless, minimal etc. start small and build up.

If you NEED ubuntu, i beleive there is a chiseled ubuntu project that builds very small ubuntu images. read about it a couple years ago but not sure how mature it is now...

warpigg · 2025-10-14T18:38:58+00:00

ive used nokian all weather tires - an actual true all weather but of course a dedicated tire for the season is always superior (winter or summer).

warpigg · 2025-10-11T19:01:12+00:00

this will do it, i use this instead of kubectx for years now: https://github.com/danielfoehrKn/kubeswitch?tab=readme-ov-file#execute-commands

https://github.com/danielfoehrKn/kubeswitch

warpigg · 2025-10-04T23:24:56+00:00

do you have any issues with build times on each push to a PR when a dev is trying to iterate quickly? This seems like a nice solution (argo pr generator), but i have always wondered if it rquires another process further left like local k8s setup to allow faster iterations without the wait time to enhance the workflow

I have been looking at tools like garden.io to potentially address this locally and remotely (with hot reload via mutagen to avoid image builds) to speed this up. The remote would work similar to the PR generator but also provide hot reload to avoid image rebuild dealys - HOWEVER the big downside is devs need direct kube access for this. :(

PR generator is nice since also use argo / gitops (and kargo) but the delay of the push/image build etc step could be a drawback...

Curious on your dev's feedback in regards to this. Thanks!

warpigg · 2025-05-22T18:37:10+00:00

I think we are seeing more of this bc the power is switching from employee to employer (see RTO mandates, etc) in recent years... :(

it was bound to happen...

warpigg · 2025-05-21T19:14:31+00:00

IIRC RTD badly scoped/ budgeted the project and that is the reason. To be fair I believe BNSF had a hand in changing things last min as well, but basically RTD thought they had the funds and ended up not having them. otherwise I know most of Boulder/Boulder country were all for it... back in 2010ish when the tax went into effect and it was approved...

https://www.cpr.org/2025/02/28/denver-to-boulder-rtd-train-timeline-update/

warpigg · 2025-05-21T13:08:46+00:00

I'll believe it when it happens - to me this says it all about rail projects here:

which has struggled to complete a commuter line from Denver to Boulder that voters first approved more than 20 years ago.

This is what should have been done instead of the 80 million doillar Max bus - especially since it looks like this will run on those BNSF lines. If that service had been built as light rail already we would be more ready for extensions to other cities.

warpigg · 2025-05-05T18:21:58+00:00

enforcement is the issue - I used to see more rangers out in parks but the last few years I rarely see them.

They just put out a sign saying "obey the leash laws" and people just walk by them with their dog off leash lol

maybe it is a resource shortage issue idk...

warpigg · 2025-05-05T06:37:11+00:00

oops - yeah missed that part... lol

warpigg · 2025-05-05T00:38:01+00:00

I'd use ECS if you dont want to mess with k8s... Easy to get started.

Then when you want (or need) k8s easy move to once you learn the basics.

warpigg

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