Remove a Kubernetes node from a cluster using MicroK8s

Kubernetes

Managing a Kubernetes cluster involves more than just deploying workloads—sometimes, we need to scale down or perform maintenance by removing nodes. Recently, we had to remove a node from our MicroK8s¹-managed Kubernetes cluster. While it might seem straightforward, it's important to do this safely to avoid data loss or service disruption. Here’s the step-by-step process² we followed, from draining the node to fully removing it, ensuring our cluster remained stable and operational throughout.

Step-by-step guide

List nodes

First, we listed the nodes to identify the one we needed to remove:

kubectl get nodes

Drain the node

Before removal, we drained the node to safely evict workloads:

kubectl drain vm01 --ignore-daemonsets --delete-local-data

Delete the node

After draining, we deleted the node entirely from Kubernetes:

kubectl delete node vm01

Remove the node

Finally, the node can leave the cluster:

sudo microk8s leave

Verify the node removal

To make sure everything was clean, we checked the nodes again:

kubectl get nodes

This process ensures that workloads are safely handled, and the node is fully removed without leaving any dangling resources.

Summary

By following these steps, we successfully removed a node from our Kubernetes cluster using MicroK8s without causing disruptions. Ensuring the node was drained, properly removed, and deleted from the system helped maintain cluster stability. Handling node removal with care is key to smooth Kubernetes management, and this process ensures workloads continue running without issues. If you're looking to scale or maintain your cluster, these steps will help guide you through it seamlessly.

1. MicroK8s: The effortless Kubernetes

2. Removing Kubernetes node from the cluster using MicroK8s