# Cluster Maintenance

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [streaming-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming-full.txt)

---
title: Cluster Maintenance
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.1.9
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
# EOL = End-of-Life (support lifecycle status)
page-is-nearing-eol: "false"
page-is-past-eol: "false"
page-eol-date: March 31, 2027
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
docname: kubernetes/lifecycle/index
page-component-name: streaming
page-version: "26.1"
page-component-version: "26.1"
page-component-title: Streaming
page-relative-src-path: kubernetes/lifecycle/index.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/docs/edit/main/modules/manage/pages/kubernetes/lifecycle/index.adoc
description: Manage the lifecycle of Redpanda brokers in Kubernetes, including node pools, decommissioning, recovery mode, and rolling restarts.
page-git-created-date: "2026-04-14"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-04-14"
support-status: supported
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/kubernetes/lifecycle.md -->

After your Redpanda cluster is running in Kubernetes, you can manage broker lifecycle operations such as grouping brokers into node pools, safely removing brokers, recovering from failures, and performing rolling restarts for maintenance.

-   [Node Pools](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/kubernetes/k-node-pools/)

    Use the NodePool custom resource to manage groups of Redpanda brokers independently for flexible scaling, migration, and heterogeneous hardware configurations.

-   [Enable the PVCUnbinder](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/kubernetes/k-nodewatcher/)

    The PVCUnbinder is an emergency backstop for Redpanda clusters that use PersistentVolumes (PVs) for the Redpanda data directory. When a node running a Redpanda Pod suddenly goes offline, the PVCUnbinder detects the lost node, retains the associated PV, and removes the corresponding PersistentVolumeClaim (PVC). This workflow allows the Redpanda Pod to be rescheduled on a new node without losing critical data.

-   [Decommission Brokers in Kubernetes](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/kubernetes/k-decommission-brokers/)

    Remove a Redpanda broker from the cluster without risking data loss or causing instability.

-   [Recovery Mode in Kubernetes](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/kubernetes/tiered-storage/k-recovery-mode/)

    Recovery mode starts Redpanda with limited functionality and disables partitions so you can repair a failed cluster.

-   [Perform a Rolling Restart of Redpanda in Kubernetes](https://docs.redpanda.com/streaming/current/manage/kubernetes/k-rolling-restart/)

    Learn how to perform a rolling restart of your Redpanda cluster when it's running in Kubernetes.