> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rafftechnologies.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Kubernetes cluster states

> Every status a cluster, pool or node can be in, and what to do about it

<sub>Updated August 24, 2026</sub>

## Cluster

| Status                  | Meaning                                                                        | Your move                                         |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `pending` / `deploying` | Provisioning (10–20 min)                                                       | Watch the Activity feed                           |
| `running`               | Control plane up                                                               | —                                                 |
| `warning`               | Degraded; message has detail                                                   | Usually transient; contact support if it persists |
| `failed`                | Provisioning could not complete — infrastructure was cleaned up, nothing bills | Delete the record; try again or contact support   |
| `deleting`              | Teardown in progress                                                           | —                                                 |
| `delete_failed`         | Teardown incomplete; **nothing was removed**                                   | Click **Retry delete**                            |

The boolean `ready` (API and dashboard) is `true` only when the cluster is `running` and no pool is mid-operation — poll that instead of parsing statuses.

## Node pools

`pending` → `provisioning` → `running`, with `scaling` / `deleting` while a background operation runs (the pool's status message reports the outcome, e.g. a drain blocked by a PodDisruptionBudget).

## Nodes

| Status         | Meaning                                                          |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `provisioning` | VM deploying / joining the cluster                               |
| `running`      | kubelet reports Ready                                            |
| `not_ready`    | Joined but failing health checks                                 |
| `cordoned`     | Unschedulable — a drain in progress or a manual `kubectl cordon` |
| `deleting`     | Being drained and removed                                        |

Nodes in `not_ready` and `cordoned` still bill — the VM is running; these states describe Kubernetes scheduling, not the machine.