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Karpenter replaces Kubernetes Cluster Autoscaler with intelligent bin-packing and just-in-time node provisioning. This guide covers setup, consolidation, cost optimization, and production patterns for EKS clusters.
Autoscaling was supposed to make costs predictable by matching capacity to demand. Instead, it introduced feedback loops, burst amplification, and — with AI workloads — a new class of non-deterministic spend that no scaling policy anticipates.
Autoscaling surprise bills are pattern-shaped: asymmetric thresholds, bad metrics, Lambda duration, Spot storms. July 2026 refresh — target tracking, Budget Actions, FinOps Agent.