Techniques for migrating worker nodes within clusters to a new manager instance. One technique includes receiving a request to migrate or update a configuration of a cluster within a container system, where the migration or update includes switching from a first communication pathway to a second communication pathway between worker nodes and a manager instance; creating a component and associated IP address for the second communication pathway; communicating a pod specification that includes the IP address for the second communication pathway to the manager instance, where the pod specification will cause a container tool to update each of the worker nodes with the IP address for the second communication pathway; receiving a notification that all worker nodes have been updated with the IP address; and removing a component and associated IP address for the first communication pathway from the cluster.