How eBPF and Cilium Are Reinventing Kubernetes Networking

Why doesn't traditional network security work in Kubernetes anymore - and what's replacing it?

In this episode of Radio Cloud Native, Nick Chase of Mirantis sits down with Christian Hernandez and Nico Vibert of Isovalent (Cisco) to unpack how eBPF and Cilium are rewriting the rules of cloud native networking. They cover why IP-based security breaks down in dynamic Kubernetes environments, how identity-aware policies (labels and metadata) are taking its place, and what eBPF actually does at the kernel level to make tools like Cilium, Tetragon, and Hubble possible.

They also dive into Cilium's place as an ideal CNI for Kubernetes for policy driven networking, as well as a new component they are dubbing the "Kubernetworker" (combining Kubernetes and Networking). The group will finish looking towards the future of networking and the changes that are still on the horizon as AI workloads become commonplace.

A full list of topics covered in this episode includes:

• Current networking landscape
• What is eBPF?
• Traditional vs K8s networking
• K8s networking training/certification
• What networking changes mean for Cilium
• Mirantis k0rdent + Cilium partnership
• Future of networking (for AI/ML)

If you want to listen to more episodes of Radio Cloud Native, please visit https://www.mirantis.com/radiocloudnative/ to download, or find them wherever you prefer to consume your podcasts.

If you are interested in contributing to Radio Cloud Native, please reach out to our podcast team: podcasts@mirantis.com