Technology Encyclopedia Home >How to set up cluster network and container network?

How to set up cluster network and container network?

Created on 2025-06-05 10:27:14
26

Setting up a cluster network and container network involves configuring communication between nodes in a cluster and managing network interactions for containers. Here's how to do it:

1. Cluster Network Setup

A cluster network ensures that nodes (servers) in a distributed system can communicate with each other. Common approaches include:

  • Overlay Networks: Use virtual networks (e.g., VXLAN, Calico, Flannel) to connect nodes across different physical networks.
  • Underlay Networks: Directly use physical network infrastructure (e.g., BGP, IP-in-IP).
  • Service Meshes: Tools like Istio or Linkerd manage service-to-service communication.

Example:
In a Kubernetes cluster, you can use Calico as a CNI (Container Network Interface) plugin to provide overlay networking. It assigns IP addresses to pods and enables cross-node communication.

2. Container Network Setup

Containers need isolated yet interconnected networks. Key considerations:

  • Pod Networking: Each pod gets a unique IP (e.g., via CNI plugins like Calico, Cilium, or Weave Net).
  • Service Networking: Services expose pods via stable IPs/ports (e.g., Kubernetes Services).
  • DNS & Discovery: Use built-in DNS (e.g., Kubernetes CoreDNS) for service discovery.

Example:
In a Kubernetes cluster, when you deploy a pod, the CNI plugin assigns it an IP. A Service (e.g., ClusterIP or LoadBalancer) routes traffic to the pod(s).

Recommended Cloud Services (Tencent Cloud)

For managed cluster and container networking, use:

  • Tencent Kubernetes Engine (TKE): Provides auto-configured CNI plugins (Calico/Cilium) and service networking.
  • Tencent Cloud Container Registry (TCR): Manages container images with secure networking.
  • Tencent Cloud VPC: Isolates cluster networks with customizable subnets and security groups.

For hybrid setups, Tencent Cloud Direct Connect ensures low-latency connectivity between on-premises and cloud clusters.

Example Workflow:

  1. Deploy a TKE cluster with Calico CNI.
  2. Deploy pods and services within the cluster.
  3. Use TKE’s built-in load balancer or expose services via LoadBalancer type for external access.

This ensures secure, scalable, and efficient networking for clusters and containers.