Merge pull request #29739 from jtslear/jts/recommend-hpa-config

Add recommendation for Deployment when HPA is enabled

content/en/docs/concepts/workloads/controllers/deployment.md

@@ -1065,6 +1065,18 @@ allowed, which is the default if not specified.
 
 `.spec.replicas` is an optional field that specifies the number of desired Pods. It defaults to 1.
 
+Should you manually scale a Deployment, example via `kubectl scale deployment
+deployment --replicas=X`, and then you update that Deployment based on a manifest
+(for example: by running `kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml`),
+then applying that manifest overwrites the manual scaling that you previously did.
+
+If a [HorizontalPodAutoscaler](/docs/tasks/run-application/horizontal-pod-autoscale/) (or any
+similar API for horizontal scaling) is managing scaling for a Deployment, don't set `.spec.replicas`.
+
+Instead, allow the Kubernetes
+{{< glossary_tooltip text="control plane" term_id="control-plane" >}} to manage the
+`.spec.replicas` field automatically.
+
 ### Selector
 
 `.spec.selector` is a required field that specifies a [label selector](/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/labels/)

content/en/docs/concepts/workloads/controllers/statefulset.md

@@ -295,6 +295,22 @@ a Pod is considered ready, see [Container Probes](/docs/concepts/workloads/pods/
 
 Please note that this field only works if you enable the `StatefulSetMinReadySeconds` [feature gate](/docs/reference/command-line-tools-reference/feature-gates/).
 
+### Replicas
+
+`.spec.replicas` is an optional field that specifies the number of desired Pods. It defaults to 1.
+
+Should you manually scale a deployment, example via `kubectl scale
+statefulset statefulset --replicas=X`, and then you update that StatefulSet
+based on a manifest (for example: by running `kubectl apply -f
+statefulset.yaml`), then applying that manifest overwrites the manual scaling
+that you previously did.
+
+If a [HorizontalPodAutoscaler](/docs/tasks/run-application/horizontal-pod-autoscale/)
+(or any similar API for horizontal scaling) is managing scaling for a
+Statefulset, don't set `.spec.replicas`. Instead, allow the Kubernetes
+{{<glossary_tooltip text="control plane" term_id="control-plane" >}} to manage
+the `.spec.replicas` field automatically.
+
 ## {{% heading "whatsnext" %}}
 
 * Learn about [Pods](/docs/concepts/workloads/pods).

content/en/docs/tasks/run-application/horizontal-pod-autoscale.md

@@ -504,8 +504,46 @@ stops adjusting the target (and sets the `ScalingActive` Condition on itself
 to `false`) until you reactivate it by manually adjusting the target's desired
 replica count or HPA's minimum replica count.
 
-## {{% heading "whatsnext" %}}
+### Migrating Deployments and StatefulSets to horizontal autoscaling
 
+When an HPA is enabled, it is recommended that the value of `spec.replicas` of
+the Deployment and / or StatefulSet be removed from their
+{{< glossary_tooltip text="manifest(s)" term_id="manifest" >}}.  If this isn't done, any time
+a change to that object is applied, for example via `kubectl apply -f
+deployment.yaml`, this will instruct Kubernetes to scale the current number of Pods
+to the value of the `spec.replicas` key. This may not be
+desired and could be troublesome when an HPA is active.
+
+Keep in mind that the removal of `spec.replicas` may incur a one-time
+degradation of Pod counts as the default value of this key is 1 (reference
+[Deployment Replicas](/docs/concepts/workloads/controllers/deployment#replicas).
+Upon the update, all Pods except 1 will begin their termination procedures.  Any
+deployment application afterwards will behave as normal and respect a rolling
+update configuration as desired.  You can avoid this degradation by choosing one of the following two
+methods based on how you are modifying your deployments:
+
+{{< tabs name="fix_replicas_instructions" >}}
+{{% tab name="Client Side Apply (this is the default)" %}}
+
+1. `kubectl apply edit-last-applied deployment/<deployment_name>`
+2. In the editor, remove `spec.replicas`. When you save and exit the editor, `kubectl`
+    applies the update.  No changes to Pod counts happen at this step.
+3. You can now remove `spec.replicas` from the manifest. If you use source code management,
+    also commit your changes or take whatever other steps for revising the source code
+    are appropriate for how you track updates.
+4. From here on out you can run `kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml`
+
+{{% /tab %}}
+{{% tab name="Server Side Apply" %}}
+
+When using the [Server-Side Apply](/docs/reference/using-api/server-side-apply/)
+you can follow the [transferring ownership](/docs/reference/using-api/server-side-apply/#transferring-ownership)
+guidelines, which cover this exact use case.
+
+{{% /tab %}}
+{{< /tabs >}}
+
+## {{% heading "whatsnext" %}}
 
 * Design documentation: [Horizontal Pod Autoscaling](https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/design-proposals/autoscaling/horizontal-pod-autoscaler.md).
 * kubectl autoscale command: [kubectl autoscale](/docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl-commands/#autoscale).