Microsoft is actively involved in the GitOps ecosystem, particularly with its Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes offerings. While there isn’t a specific “Microsoft GitOps ArgoCD” product in the same way as there’s “Microsoft GitOps Flux,” Microsoft provides excellent support and integration for Argo CD within its cloud and hybrid environments.
Here’s a breakdown of Microsoft’s involvement with GitOps and Argo CD:
1. Microsoft GitOps Strategy:
- Microsoft embraces GitOps as a core principle for managing Kubernetes clusters and deploying applications consistently and securely.
- They recognize the value of using Git as the single source of truth for declarative infrastructure and application configurations.
- Microsoft provides tools and services that enable GitOps workflows on both AKS and Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes.
2. Argo CD on AKS and Azure Arc:
- Private Preview of Microsoft GitOps ArgoCD: As announced on April 1, 2025, Microsoft is offering a Private Preview of Argo CD as a cluster extension for both AKS and Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes.
- This aims to deliver a consistent and robust management, security, and deployment experience for Argo CD across heterogeneous environments (Azure, on-premises, other clouds via Azure Arc).
- Key advantages of this managed Argo CD experience include:
- Simplified, templated deployment as a cluster extension.
- Managed and automated upgrades, reducing operational overhead.
- Official Microsoft supportability and security for enterprise readiness.
- Integration with Azure identity and authentication.
- Flexibility: Even before this managed offering, users could freely install and configure Argo CD on their AKS or Azure Arc clusters using standard Kubernetes manifests or Helm charts.
- Integration with Azure Services: Argo CD deployments on Azure can be integrated with other Azure services for enhanced functionality:
- Azure Active Directory (Azure AD): For authentication and authorization within the Argo CD UI and CLI. You can configure Argo CD to use Azure AD as an OIDC or SAML provider.
- Azure Repos: As a Git repository to store your declarative configurations.
- Azure Pipelines/GitHub Actions: For CI/CD pipelines that trigger updates to the Git repositories managed by Argo CD.
- Azure Monitor: To monitor the health and performance of your Argo CD installation and the applications it manages.
3. GitOps with Flux on AKS and Azure Arc (General Availability):
- It’s important to note that Microsoft also provides a General Availability offering for GitOps using Flux, another popular CNCF GitOps tool, as a cluster extension for AKS and Azure Arc.
- This provides users with a choice between Flux and Argo CD based on their specific needs and preferences.
4. Key Concepts of GitOps and Argo CD:
- Git as the Single Source of Truth: The desired state of your Kubernetes applications and infrastructure is declared and version-controlled in Git repositories.
- Declarative Configuration: Kubernetes manifests (YAML files), Helm charts, and Kustomize configurations define the desired state.
- Automation: Argo CD continuously monitors the Git repositories and compares the desired state with the actual state in the Kubernetes cluster. If there’s a drift, Argo CD can automatically or manually synchronize the cluster to the desired state.
- Pull-Based Deployment: Argo CD agents running within the Kubernetes cluster pull configurations from Git repositories, eliminating the need to grant external CI/CD systems direct write access to the cluster’s API.
- Observability and Auditability: Git commit history provides a full audit log of changes, and Argo CD’s UI and CLI offer visibility into the synchronization status and any discrepancies.
In summary, while “Microsoft GitOps ArgoCD” is currently in Private Preview as a managed service, Microsoft fully supports and enables the use of Argo CD for GitOps on AKS and Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes. Users can leverage Argo CD’s capabilities with Azure’s identity, security, and monitoring services to build robust and automated deployment pipelines.
If you are interested in trying the managed Argo CD offering, you can sign up for the Private Preview. Otherwise, you can follow the standard Argo CD installation guides to set it up on your AKS or Azure Arc clusters.