Kubernetes cni comparison Learn about their performance, security. Apr 24, 2024 · Benchmark results of Kubernetes network plugins (CNI) over 40Gbit/s network [2024] This article is a new run of my previous benchmark (2020, 2019 and 2018), now running Kubernetes 1. Learn about performance, security, and scalability for different cluster sizes. What is CNI? CNI (Container Network Interface) is: A specification for configuring network interfaces in Linux containers A set of plugins that Calico is an open-source networking and security solution for containers and VMs, supporting platforms like Kubernetes and Docker. Kubernetes networking. It explains that CNI plugins provide the interface between container runtimes and network implementations, and describes the CNI workflow and requirements for pod networking in Kubernetes. The primary role of CNI is to give administrators a higher degree of control, reducing manual network configurations, and monitoring communication. Kubernetes versions are expressed as x. Kubernetes uses CNI as an interface between network providers and Kubernetes pod networking. 33, 1. [r/baremetalcloud] A comparison of Kubernetes network plugins If you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and don't vote in the other threads. The target application set could be diverse and can change over the period of time. However, there are various Kubernetes network implementations based on different CNI (Container Networking Interface) plugins which functionalities and performance could differ. May 18, 2023 · Kubenet vs CNI vs CNI overlay Introduction : Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a robust solution for deploying and managing containerized applications in the Microsoft Azure cloud. Second, Cilium CNI in tandem with Istio DOES NOT improve the network performance. RELATED WORK Recent literature mainly considers the networking impact of CNI plugins on the conventional vanilla K8s distribution. Sep 17, 2025 · Kubernetes CNI explained with networking basics & plugin deep dives. May 11, 2021 · Cilium vs Calico CNI performance benchmark results. These command-line parameters were removed in Kubernetes 1. Jul 1, 2019 · CNI (Container Network Interface) is a project by CNCF that defines a specification which allows communication between containers. Oct 1, 2020 · Request PDF | Networking Analysis and Performance Comparison of Kubernetes CNI Plugins | Containerisation, in recent world, has proved to be a better aspect to deploy large-scale applications in Mar 30, 2025 · Cilium is widely used for high-performance Kubernetes networking and security in various environments: Optimizing Kubernetes Networking – Replaces iptables-based kube-proxy with an eBPF-powered CNI for better performance. 24, with management of the CNI no longer in scope for kubelet. Apr 24, 2024 · In Kubernetes clusters, CRI invokes CNI plugins to configure or clean up container networks, ensuring tight coordination between the network configuration process and container creation and destruction processes. z, where x is the major version, y is the minor version, and z is the patch version, following Dec 3, 2024 · Choosing the Right Tool When to Choose Cilium: You need a Kubernetes-native CNI with advanced networking and security. Optimize your Kubernetes network! This 2025 benchmark compares Cilium, Calico, and Flannel on performance, security, and features. This makes observability bad for bofh Calico and Cilium in open source versions. The Kubernetes Networking Model Kubernetes implements a flat network model. Aug 2, 2023 · CNI brings order, making networking in Kubernetes more streamlined and manageable through its plugin-based functionality. Compare OpenStack networking vs. Both should work with any CNI so at least here playing Sep 8, 2020 · Benchmark results of Kubernetes network plugins (CNI) over 10Gbit/s network (Updated: August 2020) New Version available : 2024 This article is a bit old now, it has been updated. We have also tried to provide in detail comparison of various container network interface(CNI) plugins. Some CNIs in consideration are Cilium, Calico and Antrea. Apr 2, 2021 · Comparing Kubernetes Container Network Interface (CNI) providers Kubernetes being a highly modular open source project, provides a lot of flexibility in network implementation. Do you guys have any experience dealing with CNIs for an on-prem Oct 28, 2020 · We have tried to provide a detailed analysis of all the aspects of Kubernetes networking including pods, deployment, services, ingress, network plugins and multi-host communication. There are open source network observability tools like Red Hat's netobserv-operator or Microsoft's Retina. As of today, Kubernetes is the most popular choice for container orchestration. The benchmark study used the default configuration for each of the tools investigated. y. Overall, the best CNI plugin for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements. CNIs are responsible for assigning IP addresses to pods, network routing between pods, Kubernetes Service routing, and more. Sep 25, 2025 · Kubernetes CNI comparison with benchmarks, best practices & use cases. With Nov 11, 2025 · The Kubernetes project maintains release branches for the most recent three minor releases (1. Jun 2, 2023 · The CNI in Kubernetes, and thus OpenShift, works as a bridge between the Kubernetes orchestration layer and the underlying host network by coordinating the allocation of network interfaces to containers and managing network resources. It helps manage the applications by scaling up and down, performing updates and rollbacks, self-healing, etc. If you are looking for a simple and easy-to-use solution, Flannel or Weave are good choices. As a result, various projects have been released to address specific environments and Jul 4, 2024 · Intrigued about the best CNI for Kubernetes? Explore factors like network compatibility and security to make an informed decision. Check it out … Comparing Kubernetes CNI Providers: Flannel, Calico, Canal, and Weave Introduction Network architecture is one of the more complicated aspects of many Kubernetes installations. Learn when to choose Calico, Cilium, Flannel, Weave, or Canal. When to Choose Istio: Your application architecture involves complex service-to-service communication. We have also tried to provide in detail comparison of various container network interface (CNI) plugins. Learn about their differences, use cases, and how they work together in hybrid clouds. Compare eBPF-based networking latency, throughput, and CPU usage in Kubernetes pr 4 days ago · Ingress: Manages external access to the services in a cluster, typically HTTP. This paper evaluates efficiency across various CNI (Container Network Interface) plugins by orchestrating performance analysis tools across multiple Understand the Container Network Interface (CNI), how it works with Kubernetes, and how it enhances Kubernetes networking. Learn about CNI plugins, best practices, troubleshooting, and advanced features. CNI (Container Network Interface): A specification for networking plugins that Kubernetes uses to configure network interfaces for pods. Your service mesh needs are lightweight, focusing on encryption and basic traffic management. In this article, we’ll explore the most popular CNI We have tried to provide a detailed analysis of all the aspects of Kubernetes networking including pods, deployment, services, ingress, network plugins and multi-host com-munication. It is easy to set up and manage, and supports a variety of backend mechanisms. It offers advanced network administration and security capabilities. Understand key differences in latency, performance, and scalability for your container workloads. Along the way we ditched kube-proxy, implemented BGP via metalLB, moved to a fully eBPF based implementation of the CNI with the last iteration and lately also ditched metalLB (and it‘s kube-router based setup) in favour of cilium-powered LB services implementation. Container Network Interface (CNI) helps manage network connectivity so that communication between containers can run well. Weave Net: A flexible networking solution for May 14, 2025 · Kubernetes powers modern cloud-native infrastructure, but its networking layer often demands more than basic tools can deliver—enter Cilium, an eBPF-powered Container Network Interface (CNI). 26 and Ubuntu … Nov 22, 2022 · Learn what CNI is, understand its relationship to Kubernetes and compare the features of different CNI plugins, including Calico, Flannel and Weave. Kubernetes and its CNI Plugin Support Kubernetes (K8s) is an orchestration platform for deploying and managing containerized workloads and services. Compare Calico, Flannel, Cilium, Weave & Canal to pick the right solution. Choosing the right CNI can make or break your Kubernetes performance! In Part 2 of our Kubernetes CNI comparison series, we dive deeper into the pros, cons, and use cases of leading CNIs - helping Jul 6, 2023 · Azure CNI allows bidirectional communication between the Kubernetes cluster and an external infrastructure, such as another Virtual Network (VNet) through peering, or an on-premises infrastructure 作為一個 Kubernetes 使用者，可能都有聽過 CNI/CRI/CSI 等眾多的介面。而 CNI 作為一個掌管整個 Kubernetes 叢集網路的核心元件，負責提供各式各樣的網路功能。目前為數眾多的開源 CNI 專案們，到底各別擁有什麼樣的特性與效果，作為一個管理者在選擇 CNI 的時候應該怎麼考慮。本文針對常見的 CNI 專案們 Jun 11, 2020 · A key component of your k8s deployment is the Container Network Interface (CNI) If you deploy Kubernetes services using providers such as… Jul 17, 2025 · Explore a fresh perspective on Kubernetes networking as we compare Cilium CNI and AWS CNI. Introduction Container Network Interface (CNI) plugins are critical for managing networking within Kubernetes clusters. Cilium, based on eBPF, offers cloud-native networking and security. 18 and older received approximately 9 months of patch support. 6k kube Dec 29, 2023 · A comprehensive guide comparing different Container Network Interfaces (CNIs) in Kubernetes, including Cilium, Calico, Weave, and Flannel, with practical insights on CNI chaining and real-world applications. This guide explores different CNI plugins, their architectures, and how to choose the right one for your environment. We have tried to provide a detailed analysis of all the aspects of Kubernetes networking including pods, deployment, services, ingress, network plugins and multi-host com-munication. Performance is critical, and you want to minimize sidecar overhead. Feb 28, 2024 · Selecting the appropriate Container Network Interface (CNI) plugin is a critical decision when architecting a Kubernetes cluster. Aug 25, 2024 · Here is direct comparison on AWS EKS most used CNI plugins and the popular Cilium/“eBPF” Learn how to configure Azure CNI Overlay networking in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), including deploying an AKS cluster into an existing virtual network and subnets. Aug 12, 2024 · In the era of DevOps, developing new toolsets and frameworks that leverage DevOps principles is crucial. Many projects have sprung up in the Kubernetes ecosystem, making communication between containers easy, consistent and secure. Read the ebook. Stop guessing, start optimizing your Kubernetes networking! Isn't Cilium's Hubble pretty useless in open source version? Last I checked it didn't have any history only current view (you have to pay for history). Feb 19, 2020 · However, Kubernetes does not offer networking solution and it is provided by CNI (Container Networking Interface) and its’ plugins. g. 1k Calico. Nov 3, 2021 · Providing good network connectivity in the container environment presents a significant challenge, especially on networks within a Kubernetes cluster where containers can grow rapidly, spread amongst worker nodes, and may only live in a short time. Authors in [2] conduct a comprehensive comparison of various CNI plugins, focusing on functionality (e. II. The Kubernetes networking model itself demands certain network features but allows for some flexibility regarding the implementation. This paper demonstrates how Ansible’s powerful automation capabilities can be harnessed to manage the complexity of Kubernetes environments. 8k Flannel: 5. You require Jul 2, 2024 · First, Cilium is famous for its CNI (which is more powerful than popular CNIs such as Kubernetes CNI or Calico CNI) and not popular for its service mesh. CNI concerns itself only with network connectivity of containers and removing allocated resources when the container is deleted. Aug 1, 2024 · Kubernetes uses Container Networking Interface (CNI) plugins to manage networking in Kubernetes clusters. Sep 24, 2021 · This 42-page guide covers important networking topics thoroughly, including the Kubernetes networking model and seamless scaling, the abstractions that allow Kubernetes communication between applications, further elaboration on CNI drivers, load balancing, DNS, and how to expose applications to the outside world. The CNI plugin shapes how pods communicate with each other and with the outside world, influencing network performance, security, and the overall complexity of the network setup. 1k Cilium: 5. They enable network connectivity for pods and facilitate communication between them. Discover the fastest, most secure CNI for your cluster and boost your application's efficiency. Kubernetes supports CNI plugins for the communication between Aug 8, 2025 · Understand CNI Kubernetes essentials with this comprehensive guide, covering plugins, network policies, and best practices for optimal cluster performance. Jun 7, 2021 · Fig 1 CNI plugins benchmark comparison from ITNEXT The benchmarks tests do an excellent job of highlighting the most critical factor related to CNI plugins for your Kubernetes clusters. This guide will help you navigate the options, highlighting key considerations for Nov 5, 2024 · Discover a comparative analysis of Kubernetes network plugins Flannel, Cilium, Calico, and Canal. See Troubleshooting CNI plugin-related errors if you are facing issues following the removal of dockershim. Jan 1, 2025 · Container Network Interface (CNI) is a specification and set of libraries for configuring network interfaces in Linux containers. Apr 12, 2019 · This article is an update of my previous benchmark, now running on Kubernetes 1. This blog explores Cilium’s features, a practical use case with a diagram, step-by-step installation and configuration, and a comparison with Istio. However, many CNI Jun 16, 2025 · Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a fully managed Kubernetes platform that simplifies how organizations deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications in the cloud. Kubernetes 1. , packet forwarding and routing), performance and scalability aspects. 34, 1. 19 and newer receive approximately 1 year of patch support. This document compares existing CNI plugins for Kubernetes and provides descriptions of popular plugins like Flannel, Calico, Kube-router, and AWS VPC CNI. As customer needs evolve to span cloud, on-premises, and edge environments, AKS expands its footprint and brings the same trusted Kubernetes capabilities to a broader range of edge and on-premises infrastructure. This article compares key options to help you choose the right CNI for your needs. 32). The strongest comparison of Kubernetes CNI networks: Flannel, Calico, Canal and Weave, Programmer Sought, the best programmer technical posts sharing site. 14 with CNI version up-to-date in April 2019. What Network Models are Used in CNI? Feb 26, 2021 · Introduction Network architecture is one of the more complicated aspects of many Kubernetes installations. AKS provides multiple CNI plugins you can use in your clusters depending on your networking requirements. As a result, various projects have been released to address specific environments and requirements. Jul 30, 2024 · Note: Prior to Kubernetes 1. B. This lesson aims to compare various popular CNI plugins, highlighting their features, strengths, and best use cases. Choose the best CNI for your needs. May 12, 2025 · Master Kubernetes CNI for optimal container networking. For more information visit CNI GitHub project. Optimize your Kubernetes network now! Kubernetes CNI plugin comparison Scenario: Create a Kubernetes cluster with default settings with kubeadm on GCP Install a CNI plugin with default settings in the cluster Check the network connectivities in the cluster Compared CNI plugins (with number of GitHub stars in March 2020): Weave Net: 5. Aug 5, 2024 · Compare Kubernetes CNIs Flannel, Calico, and Canal. Dec 29, 2020 · Alex Ducastel published an independent benchmark comparison of Kubernetes CNIs in August which showed that among all of the CNI’s tested, Calico was the clear winner, excelling in nearly every category and delivering superlative results which are summarized in the chart below. Zero-Trust Security – Implements identity-based security policies to control inter-service communication. Jul 17, 2023 · Comparison of Kubernetes networking plugins While Calico, Flannel, and Cilium are all great Kubernetes networking plugins, it is essential to select the appropriate one for your individual needs as they do have different points of focus. 24, the CNI plugins could also be managed by the kubelet using the cni-bin-dir and network-plugin command-line parameters. I have read so many articles about different K8s CNI and their pros/cons but still can't decide which CNI would be the ideal choice for an on-prem Kubernetes cluster of around ~20 nodes. 1. Apr 2, 2025 · Canonical Kubernetes uses Cilium by default but supports other CNIs. Sep 27, 2023 · Here is a list of some of the most popular CNI plugins used in Kubernetes: Flannel: A simple, lightweight layer 3 fabric for Kubernetes. Sep 27, 2023 · Cilium is a good choice for organizations that need a high-performance and secure networking solution for their Kubernetes clusters. Whether you’re securing workloads or optimizing . Calico: A networking and network policy provider for Kubernetes. ipmfrd qydnesqt yddsxnk tcz afzx lxjj rmsonc jmqyi dwhoau zdsjp jvox nayi omi ckabx ducjf