## Using Hubble and Cilium with Rafay MKS based Kubernetes Cluster for Data Centers

In our **[first blog](https://docs.rafay.co/blog/2025/03/03/supercharge-kubernetes-networking-observability-using-hubble-and-cilium/)** about Hubble for Cilium, we reviewed a real life example highlighting where traditional monitoring tools fall short. We then looked at how Hubble + Cilium can address these gaps. In the **[second blog](https://docs.rafay.co/blog/2025/03/04/turnkey-integration-with-cilium-cni/)**, we discussed how Rafay provides our customers with a a **tight, turnkey integration** with Cilium for various cluster types (i.e. Rafay MKS for Data Centers and Public Cloud Distributions such as Amazon EKS).

In this [get started guide](https://docs.rafay.co/learn/quickstart/mks/mks_hub_cluster/overview/), we will review how a platform engineer can configure, deploy and use Hubble for Cilium on a Rafay MKS Kubernetes cluster operating in a data center (aka on-premises environment). The three high level steps are:

1. Provision an Upstream Kubernetes Cluster in your data center using Rafay MKS
2. Configure and Deploy Cilium CNI as a software add-on in a Cluster Blueprint (i.e. Bring Your Own CNI)
3. Use Hubble to observe network flows

## Supercharge Kubernetes Networking Observability using Hubble and Cilium

Networking observability in Kubernetes environments is essential for troubleshooting, security, and performance optimization. [**Hubble**](https://github.com/cilium/hubble), an observability platform for the [Cilium CNI](https://www.cncf.io/projects/cilium/), addresses this challenge by providing real-time insights into network traffic, security policies, and application-layer interactions. Hubble is built on [eBPF](https://ebpf.io/) (Extended Berkeley Packet Filter) and provides deep visibility into packet flows, service-to-service communication, and security enforcement without requiring intrusive packet mirroring or modifications to application code. In a nutshell, Hubble is a fully distributed networking and security observability platform for cloud native workloads.

In this **introductory blog** about Hubble for Cilium, We will start with a real life example highlighting where traditional monitoring tools fall short. We will then look at how Hubble + Cilium can address these gaps. In the **[second blog](https://docs.rafay.co/blog/2025/03/04/turnkey-integration-with-cilium-cni/)**, I will describe how Rafay provides our customers with a a **tight, turnkey integration** with Cilium for various cluster types (i.e. Rafay MKS for Data Centers and Public Cloud Distributions such as Amazon EKS).