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Rajesh Deshpande
Rajesh Deshpande

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Kubernetes Myth #04: K8s Can Work Without a CNI Plugin

Think you can run Kubernetes without a CNI plugin? 🤔 Think again!

đź”® Myth: Kubernetes can function without a CNI (Container Network Interface) plugin.

âś… Reality: Kubernetes needs a CNI (Container Network Interface) plugin to function properly. Without one:
❌ Pods can’t communicate across nodes.
❌ kubectl exec and kubectl logs may stop working.
❌ Pods might get stuck in ContainerCreating.

Think of it like setting up a phone system without any network provider—sure, you have the hardware, but no way to actually connect!

A CNI (Container Network Interface) plugin is essential for:
âś… Pod-to-pod communication across nodes
âś… Service discovery & load balancing
âś… IP address management for pods

Unless you rely on host networking (which isn’t scalable), a CNI plugin like Calico, Flannel, or Cilium is a must!

💡 Moral of the story? Don’t overlook networking—without a CNI, your Kubernetes cluster is just a bunch of isolated containers.

Which CNI do you prefer? Drop your thoughts below! ⬇️

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