Introduction to Cilium from edX

When you deploy Kubernetes, you need to install a networking plug-in implementing the Container Networking Interface (CNI) to provide connectivity between workloads. Cilium is a popular and widely-deployed CNI solution that is now the default across many Kubernetes distributions and cloud provider offerings.

In this course, you will learn the basics of Cilium and how it can be used to connect, observe, and secure Kubernetes clusters. We will start by reviewing Kubernetes container networking and its challenges. We’ll move on to discussing the architecture of Cilium and how it uses eBPF to address those challenges. eBPF is a Linux technology that allows changing the kernel’s behavior through dynamically loaded custom programs. We’ll provide an overview of what eBPF is and how Cilium uses it to benefit cloud native networking.

We will provide a step-by-step guide for installing and setting up Cilium as your CNI. Once installed, we will show how to configure basic network policies to secure your network and how we can use Hubble to observe these network flows. Finally, we will discuss some of the commonly used features of Cilium, such as support for FQDN-based and L7 protocol-aware network policies, and cluster mesh networking.

By the end of this course, you will understand how Cilium and Hubble work and how they can be used to connect, observe, and secure your cloud native environments.

What you'll learn

Describe Kubernetes networking and its challenges
Discuss Cilium’s architecture and how it leverages eBPF
Install Cilium and Hubble and verify their operational status
Craft L3-L7 and DNS based Cilium Network Policy to secure Kubernetes network connectivity
Use Hubble to observe network flows
Enhance your network observability by enabling Cilium Prometheus metrics and integrating those metrics into Grafana dashboards
Configure Cilium to provide transparent encryption of network traffic
Learn how you can replace kube-proxy with Cilium
Configure Cilium for cluster mesh operation to connect multiple Kubernetes clusters

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome!

Ch1. Introduction to Kubernetes Networking Concepts

Ch2. Introduction to Cilium and eBPF

Ch3. Cilium Network Policy In-Depth

Ch4. Introduction to Hubble

Ch5. Node to Node Transparent Encryption

Ch6. kube-proxy and Kubernetes Service Networking

Ch7. Replacing Kube-Proxy with Cilium

Ch8. Introduction to Cilium Cluster Mesh

Final Exam (verified track only)

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Students explore popular CNCF technology with a wide range of use cases in industry

Taught by instructors with industry experience

Develops in-demand skills with Kuberntes and eBPF

Designed for learners already familiar with Kubernetes

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Cilium with these activities:

Explore Cilium tutorials and documentation

Show steps

Familiarize yourself with Cilium by going through official tutorials and documentation to gain a foundational understanding.

Show steps

Visit the Cilium website and explore the tutorials section
Read through the Cilium documentation to understand its architecture and features

Organize and review course materials

Show steps

Review and organize course materials to enhance retention and solidify understanding of key concepts.

Show steps

Compile lecture notes, slides, and assignments.
Summarize key concepts and create mind maps.
Review and test your understanding through self-quizzes.

Review Linux networking fundamentals

Show steps

Strengthen your knowledge of Linux networking concepts to complement and enhance your understanding of Cilium's workings.

Browse courses on Linux Networking

Show steps

Review network configurations and routing.
Understand network interfaces and traffic management.
Practice configuring and troubleshooting Linux networking.

Seven other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all ten activities

Create basic network policies with Cilium

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of Cilium network policies by creating and testing basic policies in a Kubernetes environment.

Browse courses on Kubernetes Security

Show steps

Set up a Kubernetes cluster with Cilium installed
Create a simple deployment and service
Craft L3-L4 network policies to restrict network access
Test the network policies using kubectl commands

Discuss and compare Cilium with other CNI solutions

Show steps

Engage in peer discussions to understand the advantages and disadvantages of Cilium compared to other CNI solutions, broadening your knowledge of the topic.

Show steps

Research different CNI solutions and their capabilities.
Participate in peer discussions and share insights.
Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each solution.

Configure and test Cilium network policies

Show steps

Follow guided tutorials to set up and test network policies with Cilium, enhancing the security of your Kubernetes clusters.

Browse courses on Network Policies

Show steps

Create network policy resources in Kubernetes.
Inspect network traffic using Cilium commands.
Verify policy enforcement and troubleshoot issues.

Build and deploy Kubernetes cluster with Cilium CNI

Show steps

Build a Kubernetes cluster with Cilium CNI to gain hands-on experience with the technology discussed in the course.

Browse courses on Kubernetes

Show steps

Create a Kubernetes cluster (e.g. using kubeadm or Minikube).
Install and configure Cilium CNI on the cluster.
Deploy a sample application and verify connectivity.

Document your Cilium troubleshooting experience

Show steps

Solidify your knowledge by documenting a common troubleshooting scenario you encountered while working with Cilium, sharing your solution and insights.

Show steps

Identify a common Cilium troubleshooting scenario
Troubleshoot the issue and document the steps taken
Write a blog post, create a video tutorial, or share your solution on a community forum

Troubleshoot Cilium connectivity and policy issues

Show steps

Practice troubleshooting common connectivity and policy issues faced in Cilium deployments, improving your troubleshooting skills.

Show steps

Simulate connectivity and policy issues using Kubernetes and Cilium.
Use Cilium commands and tools to diagnose and resolve issues.
Analyze Kubernetes events and Cilium logs to identify errors.

Design and implement a Cilium-based network security solution

Show steps

Design and implement a network security solution utilizing Cilium to protect your Kubernetes deployments, solidifying your understanding of the technology.

Show steps

Define security requirements and network topology.
Design and implement Cilium network policies to enforce security.
Test and evaluate the solution against security scenarios.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Cilium will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Network Security Engineer

Network Security Engineers design, implement, and manage network security systems. They ensure that networks are protected from unauthorized access and attacks. This course may be useful for Network Security Engineers who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Security Engineer

Cloud Security Engineer

Cloud Security Engineers design and implement security measures for cloud computing systems. They ensure that cloud systems are protected from unauthorized access and attacks. This course may be useful for Cloud Security Engineers who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Security Engineer

Network Architect

Network Architects design and implement computer networks. They ensure that networks are scalable, reliable, and secure. This course may be useful for Network Architects who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Architect

Security Architect

Security Architects design and implement security measures for organizations. They ensure that organizations are protected from unauthorized access and attacks. This course may be useful for Security Architects who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Architect

Kubernetes Administrator

Kubernetes Administrators are responsible for the management and maintenance of Kubernetes clusters. This course may be useful for Kubernetes Administrators who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Kubernetes Administrator

Cloud Architect

Cloud Architects design and manage cloud computing systems. They ensure that cloud systems are scalable, reliable, and secure. This course may be useful for Cloud Architects who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to connect, observe, and secure Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers work to bridge the gap between development and operations teams. They ensure that software is developed and deployed quickly and efficiently. This course may be useful for DevOps Engineers who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Project Manager

Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. This course may be useful for Project Managers who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Site Reliability Engineer

Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) are responsible for the reliability and performance of websites and online services. This course may be useful for SREs who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Site Reliability Engineer

System Administrator

System Administrators are responsible for the management and maintenance of computer systems. This course may be useful for System Administrators who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for System Administrator

Network Engineer

Network Engineers design, implement, and maintain computer networks. They ensure that networks are running smoothly and securely. This course may be useful for Network Engineers who want to learn more about Cilium, a popular and widely-deployed Container Networking Interface (CNI) solution.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business needs and develop solutions to meet those needs. This course may be useful for Business Analysts who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course may be useful for Software Engineers who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help organizations make informed decisions. This course may be useful for Data Analysts who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Technical Support Engineer

Technical Support Engineers provide technical support to users of software and hardware products. This course may be useful for Technical Support Engineers who want to learn more about Cilium, a solution that can help to improve the performance and security of Kubernetes clusters.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Engineer