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Latchu@DevOps
Latchu@DevOps

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Part-107: Kubernetes Ingress in Google Kubernetes Engine

When we deploy applications on Kubernetes, we often expose them using Services like ClusterIP, NodePort, or LoadBalancer. But when you need advanced routing at the application layer (L7) — that’s where Ingress comes in.

Ingress lets you define rules to route external traffic into your Kubernetes cluster based on hostnames, URLs, or headers. Think of it like a smart router for your apps running in Kubernetes.


🟢 What is Kubernetes Ingress?

  • Ingress works at the L7 Layer (Application Layer).
  • It understands application protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, HTTP/2.
  • Instead of creating multiple LoadBalancers, you can manage traffic centrally with Ingress.
  • In Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Google Cloud hosts the Ingress Controller for you.

👉 Just make sure HTTP Load Balancing is enabled in your GKE cluster (under Networking settings).


🔵 GKE Ingress Services

  1. Protocols supported: HTTP, HTTPS, HTTP/2
  2. Types of Ingress in GKE:
  • Internal Ingress Service → Used for private/internal apps.
  • External Ingress Service → Used for public internet-facing apps.
  • Multi-Cluster Ingress → Used when you deploy across multiple GKE clusters.

🟡 Ingress Manifest

An Ingress resource in Kubernetes is defined with a YAML manifest.
Here’s how the pieces fit:

Annotations (Load Balancer Settings)

  • Configure extra features like static IPs, SSL certificates, or LoadBalancer type.

Ingress Spec

  • Defines routing rules and the default backend.

Routing Rules

  • Map incoming requests (like /app1 or /app2) to specific services inside the cluster.

Example:


✅ Key Takeaways

  • Ingress acts as a smart traffic manager for Kubernetes apps.
  • Reduces the need for multiple external LoadBalancers.
  • Supports path-based and host-based routing.
  • In GKE, setup is easier since the Ingress Controller is managed by Google.

🌟 Thanks for reading! If this post added value, a like ❤️, follow, or share would encourage me to keep creating more content.


— Latchu | Senior DevOps & Cloud Engineer

☁️ AWS | GCP | ☸️ Kubernetes | 🔐 Security | ⚡ Automation
📌 Sharing hands-on guides, best practices & real-world cloud solutions

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