Why Confluent Trusts Isovalent Enterprise Platform for Kubernetes Multi-Cloud Excellence

Confluent, a leader in data streaming and real-time analytics, provides a cloud-native platform that powers mission-critical applications for thousands of businesses. Operating Confluent Cloud across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud brings immense flexibility — but also introduces networking complexity and security challenges.

Each cloud provider has its own networking model. Making things work consistently across AWS, Azure, and GCP was a huge challenge.

Alvaro Aleman, Staff Software Engineer at Confluent

To address their challenges Confluent partnered with Isovalent — a cloud-agnostic networking and security platform, built for Kubernetes at scale. Here’s how Confluent leveraged Isovalent to simplify operations, optimize data flow, and ensure high-performance networking across cloud providers.

📽️ Watch our conversation with Confluent’s experts to hear firsthand how they tackled multi-cloud networking challenges with Isovalent Networking for Kubernetes. Prefer to read? Keep scrolling for the full case study.

Navigating Multi-Cloud Networking Challenges

Operating across multiple cloud providers introduces distinct challenges, requiring a consistent, scalable, and cost-effective approach to networking:

• Inconsistent Networking Features Across Clouds: Each cloud provider has its own networking model, making it difficult to maintain uniform performance, security policies, and visibility across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Developer Complexity & Efficiency: Different CNI (Container Networking Interface) implementations across cloud providers forced teams to manage multiple configurations, slowing deployments and troubleshooting.
• Security & Compliance Gaps: Enforcing consistent security policies and implementing Zero Trust networking across diverse cloud environments remained a challenge..
• Limited Network Observability: Debugging networking issues was time-consuming and inconsistent due to lack of deep visibility across cloud providers.

Cloud providers charge for data transfer between availability zones and regions, so optimizing traffic routing is critical. Alongside using Cilium, we can ensure that customer traffic stays within the same availability zone, avoiding unnecessary fees and reducing cloud costs.

Alvaro Aleman, Staff Software Engineer at Confluent

Transforming Multi-Cloud Networking with Isovalent

Confluent selected Isovalent Networking for Kubernetes as its foundation for cloud-agnostic, cost-optimized networking that enables unlocking efficiency, security, and operational simplicity.

• Consistent Networking Across AWS, Azure, and GCP: Cilium provided a single networking solution that abstracted cloud-specific complexities, ensuring uniform connectivity, security policies, and performance across providers.
• Enterprise Support & Feature Collaboration: With direct access to Isovalent’s engineering team, Confluent benefitted from fast and efficient integration and transition to production, achieving the full value of the isovalent Enterprise Platform at an accelerated pace.

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How Confluent Optimized Multi-Cloud Networking

Confluent successfully addressed its key networking challenges with the Isovalent Enterprise Platform playing a key part in that:

• Enterprise Support & Feature Development
  • Regular collaboration with Isovalent engineers to enhance Isovalent Enterprise Platform for multi-cloud use cases.
  • Fast response times ensured smooth operations at scale.
• Enhanced Security with Zero Trust Architecture
  • Identity-based security policies are enforced consistently across all cloud environments.
  • Eliminated cloud-specific security gaps, ensuring compliance.
• End-to-End Network Observability & Troubleshooting
  • Hubble provided deep insights into network performance and security.
  • Proactive issue resolution led to fewer outages and faster response times.

Before Cilium, our teams had to manage different networking configurations per cloud. Now, networking is standardized, and our developers don’t have to think about cloud-specific differences

Alvaro Aleman, Staff Software Engineer at Confluent

What’s Next for Confluent & Isovalent?

With Isovalent  fully deployed as Confluent’s networking backbone, the company is now focused on:

• Expanding Isovalent Enterprise Platform’s Capabilities: Exploring additional performance optimizations and security features.
• Scaling Multi-Cloud Networking Further: Improving optimizing latency and cross-cloud connectivity for geographically distributed applications.
• Ongoing Feature Collaboration: Continue co-develop features with Isovalent to enhance Kubernetes networking.

Why Companies Choose Isovalent for Multi-Cloud Networking

When it comes to multi-cloud networking, enterprises need a consistent, cost-effective, and high-performance solution that works across AWS, Azure, and GCP.

Confluent’s success with Isovalent demonstrates how a cloud-agnostic networking layer can simplify operations and enhance security. With unified observability and streamlined security enforcement Isovalent has empowered Confluent to scale its real-time data streaming platform with confidence.

For businesses navigating multi-cloud complexity, Isovalent provides a proven path to success. Whether the goal is cost savings, security enhancement, or operational simplicity, the Isovalent Enterprise Platform delivers a scalable and future-proof foundation for Kubernetes networking.

If your team is facing similar multi-cloud networking challenges, our experts are here to help. Contact us today to explore how Isovalent Enterprise for Cilium can optimize your cloud networking strategy.