Azure Kubernetes Service: the dedicated, sovereign alternative
AKS manages the Kubernetes control plane on Azure, under US law. Bunker offers a dedicated cluster, hosted in Europe, at a predictable cost and portable through open source.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is Microsoft Azure's managed Kubernetes. Microsoft operates the control plane and integrates the service closely with the Azure ecosystem. As Microsoft is a US company, the whole thing falls under US law.
Bunker keeps the comfort of a cluster operated for you, on dedicated infrastructure, hosted in Europe, at a stable cost. Where AKS ties your applications to the Azure directory and services, a dedicated cluster runs on standard Kubernetes, which preserves your freedom to leave.
Azure AKS or a Bunker dedicated cluster
| Criterion | Azure Kubernetes Service | Bunker dedicated cluster |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Microsoft Azure (United States) | Bunker and its infrastructure partner, Europe |
| Jurisdiction | United States (CLOUD Act) | France and European Union (GDPR) |
| Hardware | Shared at Microsoft | Dedicated to your organisation |
| Cost model | Nodes, outbound traffic, paid service tier, extra services | Stable rate on reserved hardware |
| Data egress fees | Charged | None between your sites |
| On-premise or bare metal | No | Yes, in your datacenter or on your servers |
| Lock-in | Entra ID and Azure services integration | Standard Kubernetes, portable manifests |
What AKS does well
AKS is well integrated with Azure, notably with the Entra ID directory and Microsoft tools. For an organisation already equipped with Microsoft 365 and Azure, for which jurisdiction is not a concern, the service fits naturally into the existing stack.
Where a dedicated cluster takes the lead
The AKS model raises the same limits as the other hyperscaler offers when data is sensitive: infrastructure under US law, hence exposed to the CLOUD Act, costs that track usage, outbound traffic charged, and an integration with Azure that gradually ties your applications.
A Bunker dedicated cluster brings a stable cost, European hosting under European law and portable standard Kubernetes. For an on-premise or bare metal need, AKS offers no equivalent in your own datacenter.
Frequently asked questions
Can we migrate from AKS without rewriting everything?
Yes, for the most part. Your manifests, Helm charts and images stay portable. The work is on the Azure services you use (Entra ID, load balancing, managed storage), replaced by their standard equivalents. We scope the migration with you.
Is Azure AKS subject to the CLOUD Act?
AKS runs on Azure, operated by Microsoft, a US company. The data can therefore fall under the CLOUD Act, even in a European region. A cluster hosted and operated in Europe by a European team does not carry that exposure.
Do you keep portability when leaving AKS?
Yes, because a Bunker dedicated cluster runs on Kubernetes that conforms to the project standards. Your workloads stay portable to another host, a datacenter or your own infrastructure. That is the difference with a stack tightly bound to Azure.
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Azure Kubernetes Service and Microsoft Azure are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Kubernetes is a trademark of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. Bunker is not affiliated with any of them. The comparison is based on public offer models at the time of publication.