Kubernetes Networking

Pod Networking Across Nodes

The pod on node A needs to reach a pod on node B. The underlying network has never heard of pod addresses. Two broad approaches solve this, and the choice constrains everything downstream.

What this lesson covers

  • Overlay encapsulation: works on any underlying network, costs MTU and CPU
  • Native routing: faster and cheaper per packet, requires the network to know pod CIDRs
  • When each approach is actually available to you, and what it demands of your infrastructure
  • How the choice constrains later decisions about MTU, observability, and multi-cluster

What is actually happening

Coming soon.

The Kubernetes model versus the CNI's choice

Coming soon.

How it works in practice

Coming soon.

Common failure modes

Coming soon.

What people get wrong

Coming soon.

INTERVIEW QUESTION

Compare overlay encapsulation and native routing for pod to pod traffic across nodes. What does each cost, and what does native routing require of the underlying network?