The End of RKE1: Why It’s Time to Future-Proof Your Kubernetes Strategy with MKE4
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As Kubernetes rapidly evolves, organizations must rethink how they architect, manage, and scale their clusters. At the same time, with the rise of artificial intelligence, businesses need a dependable Kubernetes platform that accelerates the delivery of modern applications at scale.
With Rancher Kubernetes Engine v1 (RKE1) reaching its end of life on July 31, 2025, the urgency to modernize has never been greater. For teams still relying on RKE1, this milestone is more than a sunset; it is a clear signal to adopt a more resilient, secure, and scalable Kubernetes platform. Enter Mirantis Kubernetes Engine 4k (MKE 4k): the next-generation solution built for enterprise demands.
The Implications of RKE1 End of Life
RKE1 has served as a trusted tool for managing Kubernetes clusters over the years. Yet its foundation is showing its age. RKE1 depends on Docker as a container runtime, which Kubernetes deprecated in version 1.24, and its end of life means continued use exposes your infrastructure to significant risks:
Security Vulnerabilities: After July 31, RKE1 will stop receiving updates and security patches, leaving clusters open to emerging threats.
Compatibility Challenges: New Kubernetes versions and tooling may not work with RKE1, limiting innovation and creating upgrade roadblocks.
Loss of Vendor Support: SUSE and Rancher will discontinue support for RKE1 clusters, including in Rancher Manager v2.12.0 and beyond.
These limitations make it clear that sticking with RKE1 is not a sustainable option for any organization that values stability and growth.
Why MKE 4k is the Platform for What’s Next
Mirantis Kubernetes Engine 4k (MKE 4k) was designed to meet the needs of modern enterprises moving beyond legacy architectures. Built on the lightweight and powerful k0s core, MKE4 offers a composable architecture that prioritizes security, scalability, and operational simplicity.
Key Advantages of MKE 4K
Enterprise-Grade Security: MKE4 incorporates FIPS 140-2 validated components and aligns with strict compliance requirements, giving organizations peace of mind in highly regulated environments.
Massive Scalability: Designed for the most demanding workloads, MKE4 supports clusters with hundreds or thousands of nodes, making it ideal for enterprises and cloud service providers.
Simplified Operations: With GitOps-driven lifecycle management and declarative workflows, MKE4 minimizes configuration drift and accelerates time to value.
Unmatched Flexibility: Its composable architecture integrates seamlessly with CNCF-certified components, enabling customizations to fit diverse organizational needs.
MKE 4K empowers platform teams to move faster without compromising on security or governance.
Making the Move from RKE1 to MKE 4K
Transitioning to MKE 4K is not just about replacing one platform with another. It’s about rethinking how your organization delivers modern applications at scale, especially with the evolution of Artificial intelligence / machine learning workloads.
Here’s how to approach the migration:
Assess Your Current Environment: Audit existing RKE1 clusters to understand dependencies, workloads, and migration complexity.
Develop a Strategic Plan: Build a roadmap that accounts for workload criticality, expected downtime, and resource availability.
Implement MKE 4K: Set up new MKE 4K clusters and migrate workloads using proven tools and best practices.
Validate and Optimize: Test thoroughly to ensure your new environment performs reliably under production loads.
Decommission Legacy Systems: Retire RKE1 clusters to eliminate unsupported infrastructure and reduce operational risk.
With comprehensive support from Mirantis, your team can navigate this transition efficiently and confidently.
The Future of Kubernetes is Here
RKE1’s end of life is not just a setback but instead it’s a catalyst for adopting a platform built for the next decade of Kubernetes innovation. Mirantis Kubernetes Engine 4K delivers the security, scalability, and operational efficiency enterprises need to thrive in a cloud-native world.
Don’t wait for vulnerabilities or compatibility issues to disrupt your business and deployment of modern applications.
Learn how MKE 4 can future-proof your Kubernetes infrastructure. Visit the Mirantis Kubernetes Engine 4 page to get started.
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