iptables vs IPVS: What to Use for Kubernetes?
Kubernetes supports two main kube-proxy modes: iptables and ipvs. Which one should you use? 1. What is kube-proxy? kube-proxy manages network rules on Kubernetes nodes, allowing communication between services and pods. It can operate in different modes: iptables, ipvs, and userspace (deprecated). 2. iptables Mode Default and widely supported Implements rules using iptables NAT chains Pros: Simpler No extra kernel modules required Easier to debug Cons: Performance degrades with many services Sequential rule processing 3. IPVS Mode Based on Linux IP Virtual Server (part of LVS) Uses a hash table for rules → faster performance Pros: Better performance for large-scale clusters Supports connection-level load balancing algorithms (round-robin, least connections, etc.) Cons: Requires ip_vs kernel modules Slightly more complex setup 4. Switching to IPVS Check kernel support: ...