--- title: "Apply MDA optimization with the UI" slug: "apply-mda-optimization-with-the-ui" updated: 2026-08-06T10:12:19Z published: 2026-08-06T10:12:19Z canonical: "docs.zesty.co/apply-mda-optimization-with-the-ui" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zesty.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Apply MDA optimization with the UI This topic describes how to apply Multi-dimensional autoscaling (“MDA”) using the UI. MDA combines these optimization capabilities: - **Pod rightsizing**: optimizes CPU and memory resources for individual Pods - **Replica optimization**: optimizes minimum replica counts for workloads When you apply MDA capabilities from the UI, Zesty adds or updates a policy annotation on the workload. Pod rightsizing can be applied on its own, but Replica optimization cannot be applied without Pod rightsizing. ### Apply MDA optimization You apply MDA capabilities to a workload using the Multi-dimensional autoscaling tab of the workload recommendation drawer (“drawer”). To see the drawer, click anywhere in the workload row in the **Clusters > Workloads** tab. **The Multi-dimensional autoscaling tab** The tab has these sections: - **Overview**: Shows the workload context. - **Savings banner**: If MDA can save money for this workload, a potential savings banner is displayed. Savings is based on applying the shown recommendations with Balanced policies. - **Optimization sections**: ![Pod rightsizing optimization settings showing current and optimized CPU requests over time.](https://cdn.document360.io/0eb80240-664b-49f5-9181-5713ddf9f725/Images/Documentation/k8s_workload_drawer_optimization_description.png) - **Toggle:** Turn the capability on or off. - Capability status for this workload: **Active**, **Inactive**, or **In progress** - **Policy selector**: When you change this, the graph updates to show optimization for the selected policy. - **Current request → Optimized request**: Shows the expected effect of optimization. - Graphs show the effects of the different built-in policies based on a selected policy and container (Pod rightsizing only). The **Optimized** line shows the resource request after optimization. For more information about the built-in policies, see: - [Built-in Pod rightsizing policy fixed parameter values](/v1/docs/apply-mda-optimization-with-yaml#builtin-pod-rightsizing-policy-fixed-parameter-values2) - [Built-in Replica optimization policy fixed parameter values](/v1/docs/apply-mda-optimization-with-yaml#builtin-replica-optimization-policy-fixed-parameter-values2) > [!NOTE] > Not seeing this in your user interface? > > If your user interface looks different, your cluster is running an older version of the Insights agent. For more information, see [Deprecated Pod rightsizing topics](/v1/docs/deprecated-pod-rightsizing-topics). **Prerequisites** - Pod rightsizing is enabled on the cluster. For more information, see [Enable Pod rightsizing](/v1/docs/enable-pod-rightsizing). If you attempt to apply Pod rightsizing to a workload before the solution is enabled on the cluster, you can enable it directly from the drawer. **To apply MDA optimization capabilities to a workload from the UI**: 1. From the **Clusters > Workloads** tab, click anywhere in the row of a workload with a recommendation. > [!NOTE] > Tip > > You can filter to see only the workloads with recommendation by turning on **Recommendations only**. The workload recommendation drawer is displayed. 2. Select the **Multi-dimensional autoscaling** tab. > [!NOTE] > Not seeing this in your user interface? > > If your user interface looks different, your cluster is running an older version of the Insights agent. For more information, see [Deprecated Pod rightsizing topics](/v1/docs/deprecated-pod-rightsizing-topics). 3. Turn on the desired capabilities. Replica optimization cannot be applied by itself. If you turn this on, Pod rightsizing is automatically turned on. 4. Choose a policy to apply. If you choose **Custom**, choose the name of the custom policy. 5. Click **Apply to workload**, then confirm. After you apply a policy, the drawer refreshes to display the requested state. Updated values remain blurred until the policy is successfully applied. ### See changes in workloads metrics After MDA capabilities are active on a workload, the drawer display changes to show the applied policy: - You can see the all-time savings since the capability was first applied and the savings from the last 30 days. - In the graphs, the Request line is now the optimized request that was applied by the capability. ### Change or remove the current optimization policy After an MDA capability is active on a workload, you can make the following changes to the capability: - Change the selected policy - Remove the current policy - Apply an additional capability From the UI, you can only change or remove the capability if it was originally applied from the UI, that is, with a policy annotation. ![Toggle switch for replica optimization, indicating active status since December 2025.](https://cdn.document360.io/0eb80240-664b-49f5-9181-5713ddf9f725/Images/Documentation/k8s_workloads_replica_optimization_annotation_note.png) To change or remove a policy that is not managed by annotation, see [Manage policies with YAML](/v1/docs/manage-policies-with-yaml). **To change or remove the optimization policy on a workload**: 1. From the **Clusters > Workloads** tab, locate the workload to edit and click anywhere in its row. The workload drawer is displayed. 2. Make desired changes 3. Click **Apply to workload** then confirm. The drawer may refresh, depending on the changes you requested.