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A Unified Networking Fabric for VMs and Multi-Cluster Kubernetes workloads#

Open vSwitch and OVN 2026 Fall Conference digest Program Core pick 2–4 November 2026

Abstract

Sragdhara Datta Chaudhuri, Nutanix; Priyankar Jain, Nutanix

  • Why: Multi-cluster K8s + VMs in one VPC with local control planes is the shape of most real hybrid estates. This is a working architecture ("interconnect of interconnects") rather than a proposal, built from OVN-IC primitives a PM could reproduce.
  • What: Nutanix Flow CNI, built on OVN-Kubernetes and OVN-IC, extends the VPC model across VM and multi-cluster Kubernetes environments: shared logical routing domain, bi-directional federated service reachability (VM VIPs ↔ K8s ClusterIPs), and cross-cluster DNS for ClusterIP services — all while each environment keeps its own control plane. (from abstract only)
  • How: Hierarchical OVN connectivity — OVN-Kubernetes Interconnect mode distributes control/datapath state within a cluster; OVN-IC links independent OVN domains via transit switches and a shared interconnect DB. Backend selection stays local to the destination domain. A controller publishes service FQDNs/ClusterIPs to a shared OVSDB and a CoreDNS extension builds per-VPC views on the svc.cluster.local model.
  • Where applicable: The architecture is Nutanix Flow CNI-specific in its packaging, but the federation pattern (independent OVN domains, exchanged routes/VIPs, shared OVSDB for service discovery) is general to any OVN-IC-based multi-cluster fabric.