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: ...

September 1, 2025 · 2 min · 222 words · DevOps Insights

Basic IPVS Commands for Linux Networking

Basic IPVS Commands for Linux Networking IPVS (IP Virtual Server) is a powerful load balancing solution integrated into the Linux kernel. It is often used in Kubernetes environments as an alternative to iptables for service routing when kube-proxy is in IPVS mode. This guide covers the most useful IPVS commands using ipvsadm. What is IPVS? IPVS operates at the transport layer and allows you to load balance TCP and UDP traffic using multiple algorithms like round-robin, least connections, and more. ...

August 15, 2025 · 2 min · 216 words · John Cena