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OVN-Kubernetes
What it is
OVN-Kubernetes is a free, open-source Kubernetes networking solution and CNI-conformant plugin built on OVN and Open vSwitch. It provides pod networking, IP address management, interfaces, GENEVE overlays, Kubernetes Services, EndpointSlices, network policies, and IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support. OVN ACLs enforce NetworkPolicy, AdminNetworkPolicy, and EgressFirewall rules, while EgressIP, EgressService, and EgressQoS govern outbound traffic. Pods can connect to multiple networks using multi-homing and multi-network policies. Other documented capabilities include multicast, traffic shaping, BGP route advertisements, hardware offload to SmartNICs and DPUs, and persistent IPs for KubeVirt live migrations. Hybrid Overlay supports networking across Windows and Linux clusters. Deployment documentation covers Kind, Helm, DPU acceleration, kubeadm, and source builds. Requirements depend on OVN, nft, Multus, CNI, and Kubernetes versions; the master branch lists Kubernetes 1.33 or newer. One stated limitation is that Secondary User Defined Networks currently lack north-south traffic and core Kubernetes Services support. The project focuses on networking needs important to enterprise and telco users.
For and against
For
- Provides IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support.
- Network policies and egress rules are enforced through OVN ACLs.
- Supports multiple pod networks and multi-network policies.
- Hybrid Overlay handles mixed Windows and Linux clusters.
Against
- Secondary User Defined Networks lack north-south traffic.
- Secondary User Defined Networks lack core Kubernetes Services support.
- Route Advertisements require FRR-k8s.
- AdminNetworkPolicy APIs are v1alpha1 and subject to change.
The verdict
OVN-Kubernetes offers a broad set of networking controls and deployment options for Kubernetes environments. Review its version requirements and secondary-network limitations against your cluster needs.
Who it suits
OVN-Kubernetes suits teams building Kubernetes networks, particularly where enterprise or telco networking capabilities matter. It also documents mixed Windows and Linux clusters and multiple networking approaches.
On the record
- Advanced networking
- It supports hybrid Windows/Linux networking, IP multicast, OVS hardware offload, and secondary or local networks.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- API surface
- OVN-Kubernetes documents Custom Resource Definitions for EgressIP, EgressService, EgressQoS, EgressFirewall, UserDefinedNetwork, RouteAdvertisements, ClusterNetworkConnect, and VTEP.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The project says its features are critical to enterprise and telco users and aims to provide a scalable, performant Kubernetes networking platform.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- BGP dependency
- The Route Advertisements feature requires FRR-k8s.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- BGP integration
- Route Advertisements integrates BGP to import provider-network routes into OVN pod networks and export pod and egress-IP routes to BGP peers.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Container platforms
- Ubuntu- and Fedora-based container images are available in GitHub's Registry.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Core networking
- It provides pod IPAM and veth interfaces, GENEVE overlay networking, Kubernetes Services and EndpointSlices, NetworkPolicies, AdminNetworkPolicies, and IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Dependencies
- The requirements matrix lists OVN, nft, Multus, CNI, and Kubernetes versions; the master branch lists Kubernetes 1.33 or newer.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Deployment
- It can be deployed on Kubernetes with Helm or kubeadm, run in Kind for development and testing, and installed with DPU acceleration.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Egress controls
- It supports Multiple External Gateways, DSCP QoS, EgressIP, EgressService, and Egress Firewall controls.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Hardware acceleration
- OVN-Kubernetes can offload OVS datapath processing to SmartNICs and DPUs.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Kubernetes networking
- It provides pod networking, IPAM, veth interfaces, GENEVE overlays, Kubernetes Services, EndpointSlices, NetworkPolicies, AdminNetworkPolicies, and IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- KubeVirt integration
- It provides persistent IPs and seamless networking for KubeVirt virtual-machine live migrations.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Multicast
- OVN-Kubernetes supports IGMP snooping and multicast relay through OVN.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Multi-networking
- Pods can attach to multiple networks using multi-homing and multi-network policies.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Multinetworking
- Pods can attach to multiple networks using multi-homing and multi-network policies.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
- Network security
- NetworkPolicy, AdminNetworkPolicy, and EgressFirewall are enforced through OVN ACLs.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Network segmentation
- Its feature set includes user-defined networks, network segmentation, and cross-network connectivity.ovn-kubernetes.io · read 1 Oct 2026
