Amazon VPC CNI vs kube-network-policies
Amazon VPC CNI
github.comkube-network-policies
kube-network-policies.sigs.k8s.ioSide by side
| Figure | Amazon VPC CNI | kube-network-policies |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Container Networking Software | 7.6 (#12) | 8.1 (#4) |
| Installation | The project documents installation by applying its YAML manifest or by using the AWS-published Helm chart. | The quick start documents installation using raw Kubernetes manifests or Helm in the kube-system namespace. |
| Integrations | The repository documents use with Kubernetes, Amazon EKS managed add-ons, and a Helm chart. | ANP and BANP support integrates with the Kubernetes Network Policy API custom resource definitions. |
| Purpose | Amazon VPC CNI is a Kubernetes networking plugin that uses Elastic Network Interfaces on AWS to provide pod networking. | A userspace implementation that enforces Kubernetes network policies by intercepting packets with Linux NFQUEUE. |
| Support | The project directs users to the EKS networking best-practices and troubleshooting guides, GitHub issues, and the Kubernetes Slack #aws-vpc-cni channel. | The repository README lists the Kubernetes Slack #sig-network channel and the sig-network mailing list for maintainers and community support. |
Plans
In their own words
Amazon VPC CNI
Amazon VPC CNI has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
kube-network-policies
kube-network-policies is a free, open-source userspace implementation of Kubernetes network policies for Linux. It uses Linux NFQUEUE and nftables to capture and evaluate network traffic in userspace. The project supports standard Kubernetes NetworkPolicy, AdminNetworkPolicy (ANP) and BaselineAdminNetworkPolicy (BANP). It can identify packets from pods targeted by active policies and capture those selectively; enabling ANP or BANP disables that optimization and diverts all node traffic to userspace for evaluation. Its documented evaluation pipeline checks logging, Admin Network Policy, standard NetworkPolicy, Baseline Admin Network Policy, then allows traffic by default. ANP and CNP can match external domain names using an in-memory cache of DNS A and AAAA answers. Structured JSON logs aid troubleshooting, and the PolicyEvaluator plugin pipeline can take custom validation logic. Installation instructions cover raw Kubernetes manifests and Helm. The local development setup uses KIND and lists Docker, KIND and kubectl as prerequisites. ANP or BANP also require experimental Network Policy API CRDs before deployment. The project lists an Apache-2.0 license and directs users to the Kubernetes #sig-network Slack channel and mailing list for maintainers.