Cilium is an innovative open-source project that redefines networking and security for containerized applications. By leveraging the power of eBPF (extended Berkeley Packet Filter), Cilium provides efficient networking and transparent security capabilities for modern cloud-native environments. Readers exploring Cilium can gain insights into advanced networking concepts, such as service mesh architectures, network policy enforcement, and distributed application security.

cilium

A detailed guide on replacing RKE2's default Canal CNI (Calico + Flannel) with Cilium to gain eBPF-powered networking and security. Covers why iptables-based CNIs hit performance walls at scale, how Cilium's eBPF datapath achieves O(1) policy lookups via kernel hash maps, and step-by-step instructions for both fresh installs and live Canal-to-Cilium migrations using Helm. Also covers CiliumNetworkPolicy for L3/L4/L7 enforcement, Hubble for real-time observability, common troubleshooting scenarios on RKE2, and a feature comparison table between Cilium, Canal, and standalone Calico.

Cilium Networking & eBPF-Powered Security Policies on RKE2

eBPF Deep Dive: How the Datapath Actually Works

Installing Cilium on RKE2: Replacing Canal

CiliumNetworkPolicy: L3/L4/L7 Security Enforcement

Cilium vs. RKE2 Default Stack: When to Switch

Conclusion: When to Replace Canal with Cilium on RKE2