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Documentation · Cisco Virtual Kubelet

Deploy workloads on Cisco devices.

Guides for platform experts deploying applications on supported Cisco devices using familiar Kubernetes workflows. Start with device setup and app hosting.

Get started Understand the basics

Documentation for v2026.11.1 · November 2026. The Releases page determines publication status and artifact availability. Match your installed version to the feature availability and upgrade guidance.

Find your starting point

If you want to… Start here
Understand the project and its boundaries How CVK works
Deploy an application on a Cisco device Getting started and device setup
Configure, observe or maintain devices Guides and Operations
Review credentials, trust and access Security overview
Extend the provider or a controller adapter Architecture and extension contract

Start with one device

  • 01 · Prepare

    Choose your platform and configure its App-Hosting network.

    Device setup guides

  • 02 · Connect

    Install CVK, create a credential Secret, and declare a CiscoDevice.

    Install and connect

  • 03 · Run

    Make your image available, deploy a pod, and verify it on the device.

    Deploy an application

How it fits together

CVK workers run in your Kubernetes cluster. Applications run on the device. A CiscoDevice connects the two; its workers translate supported requests into device actions.

flowchart LR
    K["Kubernetes API<br/>Pods and custom resources"]
    M["CVK manager"]
    W["Per-device CVK workers"]
    A["App hosting<br/>Applications on devices"]
    C["Configuration<br/>Desired state and drift"]
    O["Operations<br/>Diagnostics and gated changes"]
    K -->|device inventory| M
    M -->|creates| W
    K -->|assigned Pods and intent| W
    W --> A
    W --> C
    W --> O

Scroll the diagram horizontally on smaller screens.

Platform capabilities differ. Software upgrades are IOS-XE-specific; external controllers use separate adapter workers. Understand the components or explore the technical architecture.

Status

This documentation describes the v2026.11.1 target. The status page separates implemented capabilities, feature maturity and qualification limits. Check release records for publication and installed-version context.

Feature maturity

IOS-XE App-Hosting is Stable; NX-OS, configuration and telemetry are Beta. Controller adapters and IOSXESoftwareRollout campaigns are Alpha. Managed topology requires Kubernetes 1.35+ and separates app-hosting and network-management ServiceAccounts. Write-class gNOI requires explicit opt-in. PDB-aware drain is disabled by default, with no zero-downtime guarantee. Read the full maturity table and limits.

Reference and next steps

Find resource fields and commands, review the security model, or follow a task guide. Development plans and qualification records have their own navigation section.

Glossary

New to the terminology? The glossary explains Virtual Kubelet, App-Hosting, Network as Code and device protocols.

Release records

The release archive distinguishes November preparation and published artifacts from historical October notes, readiness records and dated handoffs.