GKE networking (VPC-native) in GCP - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does VPC-native mode mean in GKE networking?

VPC-native mode means GKE uses alias IPs to assign IP addresses to pods directly from a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) subnet, allowing better IP management and network isolation.

intermediate

Why is VPC-native mode preferred over routes-based networking in GKE?

VPC-native mode scales better, avoids IP conflicts, and simplifies network management by using alias IPs instead of creating many routes for pods.

beginner

What is an alias IP range in the context of GKE VPC-native clusters?

An alias IP range is a block of IP addresses within a VPC subnet reserved for pods and services, enabling pods to have their own IPs without using node IPs.

intermediate

How does VPC-native mode improve pod-to-pod communication across nodes?

Because pods have IPs from the VPC subnet, they can communicate directly without NAT or extra routing, making communication faster and simpler.

intermediate

What must you configure before creating a VPC-native GKE cluster?

You must create a VPC subnet with secondary IP ranges reserved for pods and services to use as alias IP ranges.

What is the main benefit of using VPC-native mode in GKE?

A Pods get IP addresses from the VPC subnet directly

B Pods share the node's IP address

C Pods use external IPs for communication

D Pods do not require IP addresses

In VPC-native mode, pods receive IP addresses from the VPC subnet using alias IPs, enabling direct communication.

What must be set up in the VPC before creating a VPC-native GKE cluster?

A Firewall rules for external access

B Secondary IP ranges for pods and services

C VPN connection to on-premises

D Static routes for pods

Secondary IP ranges are required to allocate IPs to pods and services in VPC-native clusters.

How does VPC-native mode affect network scalability in GKE?

A Reduces scalability due to IP conflicts

B Has no effect on scalability

C Improves scalability by avoiding route explosion

D Requires manual IP management

VPC-native mode uses alias IPs, which avoids creating many routes and improves scalability.

In VPC-native GKE clusters, how do pods communicate across nodes?

A Directly using their VPC IP addresses

B Through node IP NAT translation

C Using external IP addresses

D Via a load balancer

Pods communicate directly using their own IPs from the VPC subnet without NAT.

Which of the following is NOT true about VPC-native GKE clusters?

A Pods have unique IPs from the VPC subnet

B Requires secondary IP ranges in the subnet

C Supports better network isolation

D Pods share the node's IP address

In VPC-native mode, pods do NOT share the node's IP; they have their own IPs.

Explain how VPC-native mode changes pod IP addressing in GKE.

Think about how pods get their IPs compared to older methods.

Describe the steps to prepare a VPC for a VPC-native GKE cluster.

Focus on IP range setup before cluster creation.