Zack and Nic are here in Paris representing TAG Network; today at 2:30. They have a lightning talk, and every afternoon, the TAG Network booth will be open for business!
We're excited to connect with you in person at KubeCon EU! You can find us at kiosk PP19-A, located in the Solutions Showcase | Level 7.2 | Hall 7.2 | Project Pavilion.
At the booth, we'll be showcasing demos of our two newest projects:
- Applying for Sandbox Status: Learn how to easily apply for Sandbox status for your innovative cloud-native networking project.
- ConnectRPC: Discover a revolutionary new approach to service mesh interoperability with ConnectRPC.
- KubeSlice: Dive into the world of network slicing with KubeSlice, designed for optimal network resource utilization.
Don't forget to catch our lightning talk today at 2:30!
Whether you're interested in these projects, have questions about the TAG Network, or simply want to chat about cloud-native networking, we'd love to see you! Drop by our booth for a coffee and a conversation – we look forward to meeting you!
Building a Strong Foundation: The TAG Network Mission
The TAG Network, led by Lee Calcote (Layer5), Nic Jackson (HashiCorp), Zack Butcher (Tetrate), and technical lead Zhonghu Xu (Huawei), is dedicated to empowering the cloud native community. Their mission is fourfold:
- Clarity and Education: Providing developers and operators with the knowledge and guidance they need to navigate cloud native networking.
- Collaboration and Integration: Fostering collaboration between network projects and other CNCF initiatives for a unified ecosystem.
- Project Growth and Adoption: Supporting the development and widespread adoption of promising network projects within the CNCF landscape.
- Neutral Stewardship: Ensuring a fair and open environment for innovation in cloud native networking.
A Look Back: Tracking Progress Through KubeCon Events
The TAG Network and Service Mesh WG have a strong presence at KubeCon events, showcasing the evolution of cloud native networking:
- KubeCon NA 2019: This marked the introduction of foundational projects like CNI (Container Network Interface), CoreDNS, Envoy, and Linkerd, laying the groundwork for future advancements.
- KubeCon Throughout 2020 & 2021: The focus shifted towards service mesh adoption, with projects like BFE, Istio, SMI (Service Mesh Interface), and Meshery taking center stage, empowering developers to manage complex microservices architectures.
- Recent KubeCon Events: The latest gatherings highlighted cutting-edge projects like GetNighthawk (performance analysis), KubeSlice (network slicing), and Connect (service mesh interoperability), demonstrating the continuous push for innovation.
Unveiling Service Mesh Patterns: Reusability Meets Best Practices
The Service Mesh WG champions the concept of service mesh patterns, a collection of reusable architectural building blocks designed for:
- End-User Focus: Explained in clear language, these patterns are independent of specific service meshes, making them easy to understand and implement.
- Flexibility: While core functionality remains consistent, users can leverage features specific to their chosen service mesh for even greater control.
- Reusability: Patterns are designed to be easily copied, modified, and combined to create complex solutions tailored to your specific needs.
- Best Practices Integration: Each pattern incorporates recommended practices for optimal network design, ensuring a solid foundation for your cloud native applications.
Explore the extensive service mesh pattern library at https://meshery.io/catalog to discover a treasure trove of reusable solutions for your cloud native network.
Nighthawk Takes Flight: Distributed Performance Analysis
The Service Mesh Performance initiative tackles the challenge of accurately measuring service mesh performance under load. Enter Nighthawk, a distributed performance analysis tool that empowers you to:
- Generate realistic load scenarios that mimic real-world traffic patterns for a more accurate picture of your network's behavior.
- Gain valuable insights into system behavior under pressure, allowing you to make informed decisions about configuration and optimization.
- Compare performance across different service mesh deployments and configurations to identify the best fit for your specific needs.
Standardization Efforts: MeshMark and the SMP Spec
The CNCF TAG Network actively promotes standardization within the cloud native networking space. Two key initiatives are:
MeshMark:
MeshMark serves as a performance index gauging the significance and overhead within your cloud native ecosystem. By transforming performance metrics into actionable insights regarding the significance of individual networking functions within cloud native applications, MeshMark consolidates diverse overhead signals and crucial performance metrics into a straightforward index.
SMP Spec (Service Mesh Performance Specification):
This initiative establishes a vendor-neutral standard for measuring and reporting service mesh performance. This standardization paves the way for consistent performance comparisons and facilitates informed service mesh selection.
Join the Movement: Get Involved!
The CNCF TAG Network and Service Mesh WG are open communities that thrive on collaboration. Here's how you can contribute:
- Attend their bi-weekly meetings on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month at 11 AM Pacific Time.
- Stay informed by reading meeting minutes on the CNCF website.
- Connect with the community on the #tag-network Slack channel and share your experiences and ideas.
- Subscribe to the cncf-sig-network-servicemesh-wg mailing list for updates and announcements.
By actively participating in these initiatives, you can play a vital role in shaping the future of resilient and intelligent cloud native networks
