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Latchu@DevOps
Latchu@DevOps

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Part-107: Kubernetes Ingress in Google Kubernetes Engine

#kubernetes #googlecloud #devops #cloud

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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