Webinar

Life of a Packet in Kubernetes: A Network Engineer’s Guide

Virtual

About this session

Kubernetes networking can feel complex. Traffic no longer flows simply through switches and routers; it moves through services, overlays, proxies, and routing layers tied to Kubernetes abstractions.

In this video, we trace a single packet through a cluster using Isovalent Cilium, showing you how it:

• Enters the cluster and moves across nodes
• Traverses VXLAN or Geneve overlays
• Interacts with services and the Gateway API
• Exits through egress and BGP routing

Each step links back to familiar concepts like IP addressing, encapsulation, and forwarding. Live demos with Hubble, the Cilium CLI, and Wireshark show real traffic in action, helping you build a clear mental model of Kubernetes networking.

Designed for network engineers, platform teams, and SREs who want to understand and reason about Kubernetes traffic flows.

Curious what really happens to a packet inside Kubernetes? Watch this video to follow traffic step by step through services, overlays, routing, and egress, explained in familiar networking terms.

• /authors/nico-vibert

  Nico Vibert, Principal Technical Marketing Engineer

• /authors/raphael-pinson

  Raphaël Pinson, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer

March 5, 2026

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