Understanding eBPF
As we are at the end of this book, it is important to also look at other technologies that are relevant to Service Mesh. One such technology is the Extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF). In this section, we will read about eBPF and its role in Service Mesh evolution.
eBPF is a framework that allows users to run custom programs within the kernel of the operating system without needing to change kernel source code or load kernel modules. The custom programs are called eBPF programs and are used to add additional capabilities to the operating system at runtime. The eBPF programs are safe and efficient and, like the kernel modules, they are like lightweight sandbox virtual machines run in a privileged context by the operating system.
eBPF programs are triggered based on events happening at the kernel level, which is achieved by associating them to hook points. Hooks are predefined at kernel levels and include system calls, network events, function entry and exit...
