Kubernetes 1.37 removes legacy kube-dns, IPVS proxy mode, and cgroup v1 support to streamline the core infrastructure. The release also unsticks the Metrics API, which has remained in beta for nine years, moving it toward general availability. These changes enforce modern runtime standards and reduce maintenance overhead for cluster operators.
- Legacy kube-dns is removed; ensure workloads use CoreDNS instead.
- IPVS proxy mode is gone; migrate to iptables or eBPF-based modes.
- cgroup v1 support is dropped; verify host OS uses cgroup v2.
- Metrics API exits beta after nine years, stabilizing resource monitoring.
- Plan upgrades to address breaking changes in proxy and runtime layers.