GKE Autopilot with Michael Levan

In his Ignite Talk at AppDev Field Day, Michael Levan discussed GKE Autopilot, which he refers to as “serverless Kubernetes” due to its management of both the control plane and worker nodes, unlike standard GKE where only the control plane is managed. He highlighted that while Autopilot simplifies the setup process, reducing the complexity and amount of code required, it also limits customization options, tying users to the configurations and services provided by GCP. Levan emphasized that while Autopilot can be cost-effective and efficient for those who want to avoid the intricacies of Kubernetes management, it may not be suitable for users who need full control over their Kubernetes environment, such as choosing specific CNIs, CSIs, or CRIs.