Load balancing sits at the core of every Kubernetes deployment, yet it is often addressed late in the project lifecycle—typically under significant time pressure. Questions of Layer 4 versus Layer 7 routing, Ingress versus Gateway API, single- versus multi-cluster traffic management, CNIs, and analytics quickly accumulate. To streamline this complexity, our new video series offers a comprehensive, sequential overview of production-ready traffic management techniques built on modern load-balancing principles. Each episode builds on the previous one to deliver a clear, pragmatic learning path.
Episode 1: What is K8s Load Balancing—and Why Is It Critical?
Explore how ClusterIP, NodePort, and Service Type LoadBalancer divide east-west from north-south traffic, and understand why an enterprise-grade external load balancer remains pivotal for high availability and scale.
Episode 2: Ingress Explained: Kubernetes Load Balancing Demystified
Gain clarity on the Ingress resource, its host-based routing efficiencies, and the scenarios in which NodePort or ClusterIP remain appropriate.
Episode 3: How to Deploy and Secure Ingress Services in Kubernetes?
Translate theory into practice with path-based routing, canary releases, TLS termination, and RBAC—supplemented by CRD-based enhancements available through VMware Avi.
Episode 4: Single and Multi Cluster K8s Load Balancing Made Easy
Learn how the Avi Kubernetes Operator (AKO) automates in-cluster traffic management, while the Avi Multi-Cluster Operator (AMKO) extends these capabilities across regions for resilient GSLB architectures.
Episode 5: What’s New in K8s: Ingress vs Gateway API
Contrast the established Ingress specification with the evolving Gateway API, highlighting the latter’s built-in support for advanced routing, canary strategies, and portable policy definitions.
Episode 6: What is Container Networking? CNIs Explained!
Examine how CNIs such as NSX Antrea handle pod connectivity, policy enforcement, and performance, and see how a CNI-agnostic load balancer like Avi integrates seamlessly with any plugin.
Episode 7: Load Balancing Analytics 101: App Insights Made Possible
Discover how controller-level analytics deliver granular insight into traffic patterns, SSL performance, and Layer 7 metrics, enabling rapid, data-driven troubleshooting and optimization.
We invite you to view the full playlist and incorporate these best practices into your own Kubernetes environment. Subscribe to receive timely updates, and transform Kubernetes networking from a bottleneck into a strategic advantage.
