Deploy Containers to
Cisco Network Devices
A Virtual Kubelet provider that enables Kubernetes to schedule container workloads on Cisco Catalyst series switches and IOS-XE devices with App-Hosting capabilities.
$ git clone https://github.com/cisco-open/cisco-virtual-kubelet.git
$ cd cisco-virtual-kubelet
$ make build
$ sudo make installMake Edge Computing
Simple and Powerful
Built on the Virtual Kubelet framework, Cisco Virtual Kubelet brings cloud-native container orchestration to your network infrastructure.
Native Kubernetes Integration
Deploy containers to Cisco devices using standard kubectl commands. No new tools to learn — just your familiar Kubernetes workflow.
Driver-Based Architecture
Extensible driver pattern supporting Catalyst 8Kv device types (IOS-XE). Easily add support for new device types through the driver interface.
Full Lifecycle Management
Create, monitor, and delete containers via RESTCONF APIs. Complete pod lifecycle management with real-time status updates.
Resource Management
Precise CPU, memory, and storage allocation per container. Ensure your workloads get exactly the resources they need on the edge.
Flexible Networking
Support for DHCP IP allocation via Virtual Port Groups. Automatic IP discovery from device operational data or ARP tables.
Health Monitoring
Continuous node health checks and status reporting. Keep your edge infrastructure visible and manageable from Kubernetes.
How It Works
The provider bridges Kubernetes and Cisco network devices, enabling seamless container deployment via RESTCONF APIs.
Schedule with kubectl
Use standard kubectl commands to create pods. The Virtual Kubelet node accepts pod assignments just like any Kubernetes node.
RESTCONF Translation
The provider translates Kubernetes pod specs into RESTCONF API calls compatible with Cisco IOS-XE App-Hosting configuration.
Edge Deployment
Containers are deployed directly on Cisco Catalyst devices, enabling compute at the network edge with full lifecycle management.
Get Started
Deploy your first container to a Cisco device in minutes. Follow these steps to set up the Cisco Virtual Kubelet provider.
Prerequisites
1# Clone the repository2git clone https://github.com/cisco-open/cisco-virtual-kubelet.git 3cd cisco-virtual-kubelet/ 4 5# Build the provider6make build 7 8# Install the binary9sudo make install 10 11# Export kubeconfig12export KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/config 13 14# Start the provider15cisco-vk --config dev/config-dhcp-test.yaml Building the Community Together
Join the community and interact with maintainers and other users. Contributions are welcome — help shape the future of edge computing with Kubernetes.
GitHub Repository
Star the repo, explore the code, and contribute to the project.
View Repository →Report Issues
Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue on GitHub.
Open Issue →Slack Community
Join the #virtual-kubelet channel in Kubernetes Slack for discussions.
Join Slack →Cisco DevNet
Access developer resources, documentation, and Cisco community support.
Visit DevNet →Want to Contribute?
We welcome contributions of all kinds — whether it's new features, bug fixes, documentation improvements, or new driver implementations for additional Cisco device types.