
akka-net-management
Akka.Management for cluster bootstrapping, service discovery (Kubernetes, Azure, Config), health checks, and dynamic cluster formation without static seed nodes.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills --skill akka-net-management- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads akka-net-management automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Akka.NET Management and Service Discovery
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- Deploying Akka.NET clusters to Kubernetes or cloud environments
- Replacing static seed nodes with dynamic service discovery
- Configuring cluster bootstrap for auto-formation
- Setting up health endpoints for load balancers
- Integrating with Azure Table Storage, Kubernetes API, or config-based discovery
Reference Files
- discovery-providers.md: Config, Kubernetes, and Azure discovery setup with full code and deployment YAML
- configuration-reference.md: Strongly-typed configuration model classes
Overview
Akka.Management provides HTTP endpoints for cluster management and integrates with Akka.Cluster.Bootstrap to enable dynamic cluster formation using service discovery instead of static seed nodes.
Why Use Akka.Management?
| Approach | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Static Seed Nodes | Simple, no dependencies | Doesn't scale, requires known IPs |
| Akka.Management | Dynamic discovery, scales to N nodes | More configuration, external dependencies |
Use static seed nodes for: Development, single-node deployments, fixed infrastructure.
Use Akka.Management for: Kubernetes, auto-scaling groups, dynamic environments, production clusters.
Architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Cluster Bootstrap │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Node 1 │ │ Node 2 │ │ Node 3 │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ Management │◄──►│ Management │◄──►│ Management │ │
│ │ HTTP :8558 │ │ HTTP :8558 │ │ HTTP :8558 │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ └──────┬──────┘ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ └──────────────────┼──────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────▼───────┐ │
│ │ Discovery │ │
│ │ Provider │ │
│ └───────────────┘ │
│ │ │
└────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
│ │ │
┌─────▼─────┐ ┌──────▼─────┐ ┌─────▼──────┐
│ Kubernetes│ │ Azure │ │ Config │
│ API │ │ Tables │ │ (HOCON) │
└───────────┘ └────────────┘ └────────────┘
Required NuGet Packages
<ItemGroup>
<!-- Core management -->
<PackageReference Include="Akka.Management" />
<PackageReference Include="Akka.Management.Cluster.Bootstrap" />
<!-- Choose ONE discovery provider -->
<PackageReference Include="Akka.Discovery.KubernetesApi" /> <!-- For Kubernetes -->
<PackageReference Include="Akka.Discovery.Azure" /> <!-- For Azure -->
<PackageReference Include="Akka.Discovery.Config.Hosting" /> <!-- For static config -->
</ItemGroup>
Akka.Hosting Configuration
Basic Setup with Mode Selection
public static class AkkaConfiguration
{
public static IServiceCollection ConfigureAkka(
this IServiceCollection services,
Action<AkkaConfigurationBuilder, IServiceProvider>? additionalConfig = null)
{
services.AddOptions<AkkaSettings>()
.BindConfiguration("AkkaSettings")
.ValidateDataAnnotations()
.ValidateOnStart();
return services.AddAkka("MySystem", (builder, sp) =>
{
var settings = sp.GetRequiredService<IOptions<AkkaSettings>>().Value;
var configuration = sp.GetRequiredService<IConfiguration>();
ConfigureNetwork(builder, settings, configuration);
ConfigureHealthChecks(builder);
additionalConfig?.Invoke(builder, sp);
});
}
private static void ConfigureNetwork(
AkkaConfigurationBuilder builder,
AkkaSettings settings,
IConfiguration configuration)
{
if (settings.ExecutionMode == AkkaExecutionMode.LocalTest)
return;
builder.WithRemoting(settings.RemoteOptions);
if (settings.ClusterBootstrapOptions.Enabled)
ConfigureAkkaManagement(builder, settings, configuration);
else
builder.WithClustering(settings.ClusterOptions);
}
}
Akka.Management Configuration
private static void ConfigureAkkaManagement(
AkkaConfigurationBuilder builder,
AkkaSettings settings,
IConfiguration configuration)
{
var mgmtOptions = settings.AkkaManagementOptions;
var bootstrapOptions = settings.ClusterBootstrapOptions;
// IMPORTANT: Clear seed nodes when using Akka.Management
settings.ClusterOptions.SeedNodes = [];
builder
.WithClustering(settings.ClusterOptions)
.WithAkkaManagement(setup =>
{
setup.Http.HostName = mgmtOptions.HostName;
setup.Http.Port = mgmtOptions.Port;
setup.Http.BindHostName = "0.0.0.0";
setup.Http.BindPort = mgmtOptions.Port;
})
.WithClusterBootstrap(options =>
{
options.ContactPointDiscovery.ServiceName = bootstrapOptions.ServiceName;
options.ContactPointDiscovery.PortName = bootstrapOptions.PortName;
options.ContactPointDiscovery.RequiredContactPointsNr = bootstrapOptions.RequiredContactPointsNr;
options.ContactPointDiscovery.Interval = bootstrapOptions.ContactPointProbingInterval;
options.ContactPointDiscovery.StableMargin = bootstrapOptions.StableMargin;
options.ContactPointDiscovery.ContactWithAllContactPoints = bootstrapOptions.ContactWithAllContactPoints;
options.ContactPoint.FilterOnFallbackPort = bootstrapOptions.FilterOnFallbackPort;
options.ContactPoint.ProbeInterval = bootstrapOptions.BootstrapperDiscoveryPingInterval;
});
// Configure the discovery provider
ConfigureDiscovery(builder, settings, configuration);
}
See discovery-providers.md for complete Config, Kubernetes, and Azure discovery setup code.
See configuration-reference.md for the full strongly-typed configuration model classes.
Health Endpoints
Akka.Management exposes health endpoints for load balancers and orchestrators:
| Endpoint | Purpose | Returns 200 When |
|---|---|---|
/alive | Liveness | ActorSystem is running |
/ready | Readiness | Cluster member is Up |
/cluster/members | Debug | Returns cluster membership |
ASP.NET Core Health Check Integration
// Register Akka health checks
builder.Services.AddHealthChecks();
// In Akka configuration
builder
.WithActorSystemLivenessCheck() // Adds "akka-liveness" health check
.WithAkkaClusterReadinessCheck(); // Adds "akka-cluster-readiness" health check
// Map endpoints
app.MapHealthChecks("/health/live", new HealthCheckOptions
{
Predicate = check => check.Tags.Contains("liveness")
});
app.MapHealthChecks("/health/ready", new HealthCheckOptions
{
Predicate = check => check.Tags.Contains("readiness")
});
Troubleshooting
Cluster Won't Form
Symptoms: Nodes stay as separate single-node clusters.
Checklist:
- All nodes use same
ServiceName RequiredContactPointsNrmatches actual replica count- Discovery provider is configured correctly
- Network allows traffic on management port (8558)
- For Kubernetes: RBAC permissions are set
Split Brain
Symptoms: Multiple clusters form instead of one.
Solutions:
- Set
ContactWithAllContactPoints = true - Increase
StableMarginfor slower environments - For Aspire: Set
FilterOnFallbackPort = false(dynamic ports) - For Kubernetes: Set
FilterOnFallbackPort = true(fixed ports)
Azure Discovery Issues
Symptoms: Nodes can't find each other via Azure Tables.
Checklist:
- Connection string is valid
- Storage account allows table operations
- All nodes use same
ServiceName - Firewall allows access to Azure Storage
Aspire Integration
For detailed Aspire-specific patterns, see the akka-net-aspire-configuration skill.
Quick reference for Aspire:
// In AppHost
appBuilder
.WithEndpoint(name: "remote", protocol: ProtocolType.Tcp,
env: "AkkaSettings__RemoteOptions__Port")
.WithEndpoint(name: "management", protocol: ProtocolType.Tcp,
env: "AkkaSettings__AkkaManagementOptions__Port")
.WithEnvironment("AkkaSettings__ClusterBootstrapOptions__Enabled", "true")
.WithEnvironment("AkkaSettings__ClusterBootstrapOptions__DiscoveryMethod", "AzureTableStorage")
.WithEnvironment("AkkaSettings__ClusterBootstrapOptions__FilterOnFallbackPort", "false");
Summary: When to Use What
| Scenario | Discovery Method | FilterOnFallbackPort |
|---|---|---|
| Local development (single node) | None (use seed nodes) | N/A |
| Aspire multi-node | AzureTableStorage | false |
| Kubernetes | Kubernetes | true |
| Azure VMs/VMSS | AzureTableStorage | true |
| Fixed infrastructure | Config | true |
| AWS ECS/EC2 | AWS discovery plugins | true |
FAQ
What does the akka-net-management skill do?
Akka.Management for cluster bootstrapping, service discovery (Kubernetes, Azure, Config), health checks, and dynamic cluster formation without static seed nodes.
How do I install akka-net-management?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills --skill akka-net-management in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/akka-net-management/ (personal) or .claude/skills/akka-net-management/ (project).
Which AI agents can use akka-net-management?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is akka-net-management safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains akka-net-management?
It is published by aaronontheweb in aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills. It has 415 recorded installs.
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