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https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb

eBPF based cloud-native load-balancer. Powering Kubernetes|Edge|5G|IoT|XaaS Apps.
https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb

cloud-native clustering ebpf edge golang hybrid-cloud k8s kubernetes kubernetes-networking loadbalancing nat nat64 nat66 network-security networking public-cloud sctp service-loadbalancer

Last synced: 26 days ago
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eBPF based cloud-native load-balancer. Powering Kubernetes|Edge|5G|IoT|XaaS Apps.

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README 

        
[![eBPF Emerging Project](https://img.shields.io/badge/ebpf.io-Emerging--App-success)](https://ebpf.io/projects#loxilb) [![Go Report Card](https://goreportcard.com/badge/github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb)](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb) ![build workflow](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb/actions/workflows/docker-image.yml/badge.svg) ![sanity workflow](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb/actions/workflows/basic-sanity.yml/badge.svg) ![apache](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-Apache-blue.svg) [![Info][docs-shield]][docs-url] [![Slack](https://img.shields.io/badge/community-join%20slack-blue)](https://join.slack.com/t/loxilb/shared_invite/zt-2b3xx14wg-P7WHj5C~OEON_jviF0ghcQ)  



## What is loxilb



loxilb is an open source cloud-native load-balancer based on GoLang/eBPF with the goal of achieving cross-compatibility across a wide range of on-prem, public-cloud or hybrid K8s environments.



## Kubernetes with loxilb



Kubernetes defines many service constructs like cluster-ip, node-port, load-balancer etc for pod to pod, pod to service and service from outside communication. 






All these services are provided by load-balancers/proxies operating at Layer4/Layer7. Since Kubernetes's is highly modular,  these services can be provided by different software modules. For example, kube-proxy is used by default to provide cluster-ip and node-port services. 



Service type load-balancer is usually provided by public cloud-provider(s) as a managed entity. But for on-prem and self-managed clusters, there are only a few good options available. Even for provider-managed K8s like EKS, there are many who would want to bring their own LB to clusters running anywhere. loxilb provides service type load-balancer as its main use-case. loxilb can be run in-cluster or ext-to-cluster as per user need.  



Additionally, loxilb can also support cluster-ip and node-port services, thereby providing end-to-end connectivity for Kubernetes.



## Why choose loxilb?

   

- ```Performs``` much better compared to its competitors across various architectures

    * [Single-Node Performance](https://loxilb-io.github.io/loxilbdocs/perf-single/)  

    * [Multi-Node Performance](https://loxilb-io.github.io/loxilbdocs/perf-multi/) 

    * [Performance on ARM](https://www.loxilb.io/post/running-loxilb-on-aws-graviton2-based-ec2-instance)

    * [Short Demo on Performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJXcM0x6IeQ)

- Utitlizes ebpf which makes it ```flexible``` as well as ```customizable```

- Advanced ```quality of service``` for workloads (per LB, per end-point or per client)

- Works with ```any``` Kubernetes distribution/CNI - k8s/k3s/k0s/kind/OpenShift + Calico/Flannel/Cilium/Weave/Multus etc

- Extensive support for ```SCTP workloads``` (with multi-homing) on K8s

- Dual stack with ```NAT66, NAT64``` support for K8s

- K8s ```multi-cluster``` support (planned 🚧)

- Runs in ```any``` cloud (public cloud/on-prem) or ```standalone``` environments



## Overall features of loxilb

- L4/NAT stateful loadbalancer

    * NAT44, NAT66, NAT64 with One-ARM, FullNAT, DSR etc

    * Support for TCP, UDP, SCTP (w/ multi-homing), QUIC, FTP, TFTP etc

- High-availability support with hitless/maglev/cgnat clustering

- Extensive and scalable end-point liveness probes for cloud-native environments

- Stateful firewalling and IPSEC/Wireguard support

- Optimized implementation for features like [Conntrack](https://thermalcircle.de/doku.php?id=blog:linux:connection_tracking_1_modules_and_hooks), QoS etc

- Full compatibility for ipvs (ipvs policies can be auto inherited)

- Policy oriented L7 proxy support - HTTP1.0, 1.1, 2.0 etc (planned 🚧)   



## Components of loxilb 

- GoLang based control plane components

- A scalable/efficient [eBPF](https://ebpf.io/) based data-path implementation

- Integrated goBGP based routing stack

- A kubernetes agent [kube-loxilb](https://github.com/loxilb-io/kube-loxilb) written in Go



## Layer4 Vs Layer7

loxilb works as a L4 load-balancer/service-mesh by default. Although it provides great performance, at times, L7 load-balancing might become necessary in K8s. There are many good L7 proxies already available for K8s. Still, we are working on providing a great L7 solution natively in eBPF. It is a tough endeavor one which should reap great benefits once completed. Please keep an eye for updates on this.



## Telco-Cloud with loxilb

For deploying telco-cloud with cloud-native functions, loxilb can be used as a SCP(service communication proxy). SCP is nothing but a glorified term for Kubernetes load-balancing/proxy. But telco-cloud requires load-balancing across various interfaces/standards like N2, N4, E2(ORAN), S6x, 5GLAN, GTP etc. Each of these interfaces present its own unique challenges(and DPI) for load-balancing which loxilb aims to solve e.g.

- N4 requires PFCP level session-intelligence

- N2 requires NGAP parsing capability

- S6x requires Diameter/SCTP multi-homing LB support

- MEC use-cases might require UL-CL understanding

- Hitless failover support might be essential for mission-critical applications

- E2 might require SCTP-LB with OpenVPN bundled together



## Getting Started

- [How-To : Deploy in K8s with kube-loxilb](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/kube-loxilb.md)

- [How-To : Manual build/run](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/run.md)

- [How-To : Run loxilb in standalone mode](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/standalone.md)

- [How-To : Standalone configuration](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/cmd.md)

- [How-To : debug](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/debugging.md)

- [How-To : Run in K8s with calico](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/integrate_bgp_eng.md)

- [How-To : High-availability with loxilb](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/ha-deploy.md)



## Community 



### Slack 

Join the loxilb [Slack](https://www.loxilb.io/members) channel to chat with loxilb developers and other loxilb users. This is a good place to learn about loxilb, ask questions, and work collaboratively.



### General Discussion

Feel free to post your queries in github [discussion](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb/discussions). If you find any issue/bugs, please raise an [issue](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilb/issues) in github and members from loxilb community will be happy to help.



## Knowledge-Base   

- [What is eBPF](ebpf.md)

- [What is k8s service - load-balancer](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/lb.md)

- [Architecture in brief](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/arch.md)

- [Code organization](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/code.md)

- [eBPF internals of loxilb](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/loxilbebpf.md)

- [What are loxilb NAT Modes](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/nat.md)

- [Developer's guide to loxicmd](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/cmd-dev.md)

- [Developer's guide to loxilb API](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/api-dev.md)

- [API Reference - loxilb web-Api](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/api.md)

- [Performance Reports](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/perf.md)

- [Development Roadmap](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/roadmap.md)

- [Contribute](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/contribute.md)

- [System Requirements](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/requirements.md)

- [Frequenctly Asked Questions- FAQs](https://github.com/loxilb-io/loxilbdocs/blob/main/docs/faq.md)



## 📚 Please check loxilb [Documentation](https://loxilb-io.github.io/loxilbdocs/) for more detailed info.   



[docs-shield]: https://img.shields.io/badge/info-docs-blue

[docs-url]: https://loxilb-io.github.io/loxilbdocs/

[slack=shield]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Community-Join%20Slack-blue

[slack-url]: https://www.loxilb.io/members