NixOS 25.05 Kubernetes Worker Node - EKS Optimized (by Epok Systems)

Welcome to NixOS 25.05 Kubernetes Worker Node, a production-grade Amazon Machine Image (AMI) engineered specifically for Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) deployments. Built on NixOS 25.05, the latest stable release of the revolutionary immutable Linux distribution, this AMI combines cutting-edge Kubernetes technology with enterprise-grade security practices to deliver a robust, reliable, and reproducible foundation for your containerized workloads.

Why NixOS for Kubernetes Workloads?

NixOS offers an immutable, declarative approach to system configuration that eliminates configuration drift and ensures perfect reproducibility across your Kubernetes cluster. Unlike traditional Linux distributions, NixOS treats your entire system configuration as code, enabling you to version control, test, and deploy infrastructure changes with confidence. This makes it ideal for Kubernetes environments where consistency and reliability are paramount.

Pre-Configured for Amazon EKS

This AMI is optimized specifically for Amazon EKS, with all essential components pre-installed:

• Container Runtime: containerd enabled and systemd-managed for industry-standard container support
• Kubernetes Components: kubelet, kubectl, and kubeadm pre-installed and ready for cluster integration
• EKS Bootstrap Script: Pre-configured /etc/eks/bootstrap.sh script for seamless EKS cluster joining via UserData
• AWS Authenticator: AWS IAM authentication integrated into the bootstrap process
• CNI Ready: Required directories pre-created for CNI plugin compatibility

AWS-Optimized Configuration

Designed for AWS EC2 and EKS environments with performance optimizations:

• Enhanced Networking: ENA (Elastic Network Adapter) support for improved network performance
• NVMe Optimization: Optimized storage configuration for NVMe-backed EC2 instances
• NTP Configuration: Time synchronization via AWS for accurate cluster coordination
• Journald Tuning: Low I/O journald configuration optimized for high-performance workloads
• Cloud-Init Compatible: Seamless integration with AWS cloud-init for automated configuration

Enterprise Security Hardening

Pre-configured with security best practices out of the box:

• Firewall Enabled: Built-in firewall protection to secure worker nodes from unauthorized access
• SSH Hardening: Password authentication disabled, root login disabled, key-based authentication only
• AppArmor Support: Mandatory access control framework enabled for container security
• Minimal Attack Surface: Only essential services enabled, reducing potential vulnerabilities
• ECDSA Key Support: Modern cryptographic standards with ECDSA key support (RSA deprecated)

Immutable Infrastructure Benefits

Leverage NixOS's unique approach to system management:

• Rollback Capability: Instantly roll back to any previous system state, ensuring cluster reliability
• Declarative Configuration: Define your entire system in /etc/nixos/configuration.nix - version control your infrastructure
• Reproducible Deployments: Deploy identical worker nodes across development, staging, and production environments
• No Configuration Drift: System configuration is immutable, preventing accidental changes

Use Cases

• Amazon EKS Clusters: Deploy consistent, secure worker nodes across your EKS clusters
• Production Kubernetes Workloads: Run mission-critical containerized applications with confidence
• Multi-Environment Deployments: Maintain identical worker nodes across dev, staging, and production
• Compliance Requirements: Meet security and compliance requirements with pre-hardened configurations
• High-Performance Workloads: Optimized for applications requiring low-latency networking and storage

Getting Started

1. Launch an EC2 instance using this AMI with appropriate IAM role for EKS cluster access
2. Use the EKS bootstrap script in UserData: /etc/eks/bootstrap.sh my-cluster-name
3. The instance will automatically join your EKS cluster
4. (Optional) Customize /etc/nixos/configuration.nix for specific requirements

Technical Specifications

• OS: NixOS 25.05 (latest stable release), x86_64 architecture
• Container Runtime: containerd (systemd-managed)
• Kubernetes Components: kubelet, kubectl, kubeadm
• Default User: ec2-user (with sudo privileges, SSH keys from EC2 metadata)
• Authentication: SSH key-based (ECDSA recommended)
• Security: Firewall enabled, SSH hardened, AppArmor support
• AWS Optimizations: ENA, NVMe, NTP, journald tuning

Why Choose This AMI?

This AMI saves you hours of configuration time while providing a secure, production-ready foundation for your EKS worker nodes. Whether you're building new Kubernetes clusters, scaling existing deployments, or implementing Infrastructure as Code practices, this AMI delivers the performance, security, and consistency you need.