How to delete an ACK Edge cluster - Container Service for Kubernetes

You can delete clusters that are no longer needed in the Container Service Management Console. The cluster deletion page shows the resources within the cluster. Review the resources you want to delete or retain as necessary. Ensure you understand the implications before proceeding with the deletion.

Rules for deleting ACK clusters and releasing nodes

When the system deletes an ACK cluster, it removes the node pools in the cluster one by one to release all the cluster nodes.

For edge node pools:
- After the cluster is deleted, you must manually remove the components from the nodes. For more information, see Remove edge nodes.
For cloud node pools:
- Node pools with the expected number of nodes: All pay-as-you-go nodes are released. Subscription nodes remain. To release subscription nodes, log on to the ECS console, convert them to pay-as-you-go, and then release them in the ECS console. The system disk is released with the node.
- Node pools without the expected number of nodes: Manually or automatically added nodes and subscription nodes remain. Other nodes are released.

For details on determining if the expected number of nodes is enabled for a node pool, see How to determine whether the expected number of nodes is enabled for a node pool?.

Procedure

Log on to the ACK console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Clusters.
On the Cluster List page, select the desired cluster and click More > Delete on the right.
In the Delete Cluster dialog box, select the resources to retain or check the resources to delete. Then, select I Have Read And Understood The Above Information And Confirm To Delete The Cluster, and click OK.

Important
The Delete Cluster dialog box provides information about the deletion and billing rules of the associated cloud resources when you delete a cluster. Read the information carefully.

Release resources

After deleting the cluster, you can decide whether to purge resources following the console prompts. If you determine that the resources are unnecessary, promptly remove them manually via the console or OpenAPI. This includes items such as nodes and VPCs.

Delete subscription ECS nodes
- Console: See Convert subscription to pay-as-you-go to convert subscription ECS instances to pay-as-you-go. Then, release instances.
- OpenAPI: Use the ModifyInstanceChargeType API to convert subscription ECS instances to pay-as-you-go. Then, release instances through the API.
Delete a virtual private cloud (VPC). For related operations, see:
- Console: Force delete a VPC instance.
- OpenAPI: DeleteVpc - Delete a VPC.
Delete the associated Simple Log Service (SLS) project. For related operations, see:
- Console: Delete project.
- OpenAPI: DeleteProject - Delete specified project.
Delete associated Simple Log Service (SLS) projects. For related operations, see:
- Console: Delete a public NAT gateway.
- OpenAPI: DeleteNatGateway - Delete a specified NAT Gateway.
Delete a NAT Gateway. For related operations, see:
- Console: Delete switch.
- OpenAPI: DeleteVSwitch - Delete VSwitch.
Delete a vSwitch. For related operations, see:
- Console: Delete security group.
- OpenAPI: DeleteSecurityGroup - Delete security group.

FAQs

What Should I Do If A Cluster Fails To Be Deleted?

If you manually add resources to those created by Resource Orchestration Service (ROS) in Alibaba Cloud, ROS cannot delete these resources. For instance, if you add a vSwitch to a VPC created by ROS, ROS cannot process the VPC during deletion, leading to cluster deletion failure.

Container Service offers a force delete feature for clusters. If a cluster fails to be deleted, use this feature to remove the cluster record and the ROS stack. However, ROS-created and manually added resources are not automatically released and must be manually purged.

When a cluster fails to be deleted, the following information is displayed.

Click More > Delete for the cluster that failed to be deleted.
In the dialog box, view the resources that failed to be deleted. Click Confirm to delete the cluster and the ROS stack.

Note
If you select Retain Resources on the cluster deletion prompt page, these resources will not be released. You must manually release them.

How Do I Disable The Cluster Deletion Protection Feature?

If deletion protection is enabled for a cluster, the system prompts you to disable it when you attempt to delete the cluster. Follow these steps to disable the cluster deletion protection feature:

Log on to the ACK console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Clusters.
In the Actions column of the cluster list, select More > Disable Cluster Deletion Protection.
In the Disable Cluster Deletion Protection dialog box, turn off the Cluster Deletion Protection switch.

How do I determine whether the expected number of nodes is enabled for a node pool?

Log on to the ACK console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Clusters.
On the Clusters page, find the cluster that you want to manage and click its name. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Nodes > Node Pools.
Click the name of the target node pool. On the Basic Information tab, check the Node Configuration section to see whether the expected number of nodes is enabled. If it is not enabled, Expected Nodes displays -.

Am I charged for a cluster that is being deleted or fails to be deleted?

If a cluster is in the Deleting state or fails to be deleted, you are not charged a cluster and node management fee. However, charges for cloud resources used by the cluster still apply. For more information about the cluster lifecycle, see Cluster lifecycle. For more information about the billing of ACK Edge clusters, see ACK Edge cluster billing.

How is an ACK Edge cluster in the Inactive or Unavailable state billed?

When your cluster is in the Inactive or Unavailable state, you are still charged for cluster management and cloud resources. For more information about the billing, see Billing of ACK Edge clusters.

When am I not charged a cluster management fee for a cluster?

You are not charged a cluster management fee for a cluster that is in the Initializing, Create Failed, Deleting, Delete Failed, or Deleted state. Charges for cloud resources used by the cluster still apply, and deleted clusters cannot be viewed. For more information about the cluster lifecycle, see Cluster lifecycle. For more information about the billing of ACK Edge clusters, see Billing of ACK Edge clusters.