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Specify recommended Windows worker node hardware requirements
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tzifudzi committed Jan 30, 2024
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Expand Up @@ -352,6 +352,38 @@ Windows Server SAC release

The Kubernetes [version-skew policy](/docs/setup/release/version-skew-policy/) also applies.

## Hardware recommendations and considerations {#windows-hardware-recommendations}

{{< note >}}
The following hardware specifications outlined here should be regarded as sensible default values.
They are not intended to represent minimum requirements or specific recommendations for production environments.
Depending on the requirements for your workload these values may need to be adjusted.
{{< /note >}}

- 64-bit processor 4 CPU cores or more, capable of supporting virtualization
- 8GB or more of RAM
- 50GB or more of free disk space

Refer to
[Hardware requirements for Windows Server Microsoft documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/hardware-requirements)
for the most up-to-date information on minimum hardware requirements. For guidance on deciding on resources for
production worker nodes refer to [Production worker nodes Kubernetes documentation](https://kubernetes.io/docs/setup/production-environment/#production-worker-nodes).

To optimize system resources, if a graphical user interface is not required,
it may be preferable to use a Windows Server OS installation that excludes
the [Windows Desktop Experience](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/install-options-server-core-desktop-experience)
installation option, as this configuration typically frees up more system
resources.

In assessing disk space for Windows worker nodes, take note that Windows container images are typically larger than
Linux container images, with container image sizes ranging
from [300MB to as much 11GB](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/containers/nano-server-x-server-core-x-server-which-base-image-is-the-right/ba-p/2835785)
for a single image. Additionally, take note that the `C:` drive in Windows containers represents a virtual free size of
20GB by default, which is not the actual consumed space, but rather the disk size for which a single container can grow
to occupy when using local storage on the host.
See [Containers on Windows - Container Storage Documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/manage-containers/container-storage#storage-limits)
for more detail.

## Getting help and troubleshooting {#troubleshooting}

Your main source of help for troubleshooting your Kubernetes cluster should start
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